It is intermittent. Usually the engine starts with a bang and when you put it in gear the car jerks 3 times and you can drive with reduced power. 2017 Equinox 2.4 Premier.87,000 Automatic. If I get out and wiggle the plugs on the computer on top of the battery then the next time I start it it has no problem and the check engine light goes out after 3 restarts. Once the car jerked while in idle in park and the check engine light came on then. Since wiggling the plugs I have noticed an increase in highway mileage from 28 to 32 mpg. Does this mean it was a preexisting problem that had not yet made itself known or did the rear end shock wile on the freeway cause it. Do I have a case getting the guys insurance to fix it? This is the main issue but No More Chevys describes the rest. Thank you. Jeffrey Brentlinger
Took the car to the dealer. They replaced the computer and opened the transmission and replaced the solenoid and other parts and replaced the fluid. The car seems to run ok but gas mileage took a hit. went from 31 to 25 mpg. Also when starting from a stop on rainy days the wheels spin on the painted lines and the car stops them with a jerk. I will just have to put up with the horns and start slowly. Problem solved I thank you everybody.
Sounds like you've already figured out the problem. You just haven't narrowed it down to a specific wire or wiring connection.
You actually performed "the wiggle test". It's a way to find wiring issues and you've found one.
There's no way that wiggling one of the 3 computer harnesses should have any affect, either positively or negatively, on the way the engine performs unless there's a problem in the harness with a broken/shorted/corroded wire or a problem with an actual harness connector to the computer.
The 3 harness connectors are locked down tightly to the computer so wiggling wires shouldn't move any of them at all.
But you should check to make sure all 3 are locked down.
The next step should be to narrow down which one of the 3 harnesses corrects the problem when it's "wiggled". Then to inspect that connector for any issues and peel back that wiring harness protective covering to inspect the individual wires for damage (breaks, damaged insulation, corrosion).
Report the collision and consult your insurance agent.
I highly recommend NOT driving the vehicle with a failed transmission. It could increase your repair bill from hundreds to thousands if it hasn't already.
Tow it to a mechanic.
Have to drive it to be able to go to work. Dealer says they will need it for 4-5 days to diagnose the problem since it is intermittent. Last night I drove it 42 miles to work and put it in park. A few seconds later the car shook and the check engine light came on again. When I went home I wiggled the plugs on the computer and all was normal. I stopped at the store and when I started home one of the windows started operating by itself. That stopped. When they replaced the battery a year ago could they have messed up the ground for the computer?
Have to drive it to be able to go to work
... to pay for that new $4,000 transmission right? And then dealer will mess it up. Call a professional transmission shop and they'll probably get you in quicker and cheaper.
I am not buying another car with a mechanical warranty. The dealer says they have to do the work before they can tell me if it is covered. I will pay for the 175.00 diagnostic fee and decide if I want to get it fixed or give it back to the loan company.When the blower motor was working intermittently they diagnosed a dirty cabin air filter was the problem. !75 plus the air filter. The problem continued until me and a friend replaced the blower motor. I don't know if I trust them anymore. Will a transmission shop be able to replace the computer on top of the battery? It seems to be heat related, and if I wiggle the plugs on the computer it goes away for awhile. Only happens on warm days and after driving awhile. Such as going into a store and starting the car after the heat has gotten to it with no air flow or putting it in park after a long drive with out any air blowing through the grill.
I am not buying another car with a mechanical warranty
Warranties aren't all they're cracked up to be. But since it was a result of a collision then the insurance company is on the hook anyway. Did you buy hit&run coverage?
The dealer says they have to do the work before they can tell me if it is covered.
yup. They need to see if the fine print of the warranty contract has been met. In other words, they need to look for a way to deny your claim
Will a transmission shop be able to replace the computer on top of the battery?
They should. That's their job. And if not, they better know somebody to call or refer you to.
The car is going into the shop tomorrow. I am attaching more info that may help someone.
2017 Equinox Intermittent Problems
It is intermittent. It usually happens when I drive it 42 miles one way to go to work. PO601 and PO700. When it happens the car will give a jerk like you hit something and the check engine light comes on and the transmission is stuck in 2nd gear. If starting from a stop after this happens there is very little acceleration. Do not let your employees make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic. It takes forever to get out of the intersection. If it doesn't happen while driving 42 miles then slow down or idle in park. Driving 42 miles seems to be key in causing it to malfunction. After driving a long distance on the freeway then shorter city driving will sometimes cause it. I believe it is heat related. But if I move the computer around that is above the battery then it seems to be OK for awhile. That is why I was wondering if the other place that changed the battery did not tighten it down enough to give the computer a good ground. This happened right after I was rear ended. When I bought the car there was a mechanical warranty in the loan. Will it cover this?
INTERMITTENT EQUINOX ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE
RELATED TO PO601 AND PO700
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1. Digital speedometer goes black for a while.
2.Radio goes black and quits, have to restart the
car.
3.Backup camera nonfunctional, have to restart the car.
4.Heater control screen blank (only yellow squares around where the icons should be) have
to restart the car.
5. Changes from radio to USB on its own.
6. “Can not read USB” have to restart the car.
7.Mirrors tilt down when backing up like they are supposed to. Sometimes the drivers mirror
stays down. Have to restart the car.
8.Sometimes the display is gray with vertical white lines. Have to restart the car.
9.Sometimes bluetooth to phone will dropout and will not reconnect without repairing.
10. Used remote key fob to unlock door, alarm goes off.
11.Nightime auto headlights come on but dash lights do not dim. They remain at full
brightness. Have to restart the car to get them in sync.
12.Receive phone call. After call ends the display says enter number. Have to restart the
car to clear the screen. Have found out this can be cleared by turning off the radio and turning it back on.
13.Physical buttons below the screen nonfunctional and no backup camera. Have to restart the car.
14. Receive a phone call. Push button on steering wheel to answer and display switches to aux in.
15.Backup for 10 seconds, no camera. Put it in park and the camera comes on.
16.Seatbelt chimes above 14 mph with no light on the dash and with the seat belt buckled. Have to restart the car.
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17. sometimes left rear window operates by itself.