2014 Chevrolet Equinox · symptom sheet
Timing chain or cam phaser rattles
- 37owner reports
- 102,000median miles
- $3,400median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Jun 5, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
225 of the 530 complaints on this car are about the engine. 37 of those describe timing chain failure.
Tick what matches of 37 reports
Timing chain failure on other Equinox years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This sheet is about a rattle from the front of the engine, often at its worst right after a cold start, that dealers trace to the timing chain or the cam phasers. It's heavily concentrated: the 2017 to 2019 Ford F-150 accounts for about four in ten of these complaints across the site.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the timing chain (34 reports) and the chain tensioner (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2014 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
7 of the 37 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $2,500 to $5,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 75,000 and 120,000 miles, from the 27 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician that Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0008 or P0009 may be set. Technician will need to inspect for loose timing chains or tensioners.
CADILLAC/BUICK/CHEVROLET/GMC: DUE TO CAM ACTUATOR CODES SET DTC P0011, DTC P0014, DTC 20024, DTC P0021 AND NO OTHER DRIVABILITY ISSUES, THE ENGINE EUN STICKER SHOULD BE INSPECTED, BEFORE REPLACING ACTUATOR. *PE
GM: SOME DTC CODES MAY BE SET, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0008, OR P0009. 3.6 LY7 WITH CAM ACTUATOR DTC.THE RELUCTOR FOR THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR PRESSED ON THE CRANKSHAFT MAY HAVE MOVED. ALSO INCLUDED BUICK ALLURE MODEL YEAR 2005. *JS
What owners wrote
“Car can not hold oil. It uses a lot of oil. Plus the engine went out due timing chain belt and clogged pcv valve. Costing thousands of dollars. Plus Iâm locked in car payments for a vehicle that has known issues.”
Filed Jun 3, 2024
“My son was driving down the road and the engine just quit running. Had it towed over 200 miles.Our mechanic looked at it and said that the timing chain had broke.”
Filed Feb 7, 2023
“Excessive oil consumption leading to engine failure. Timing chain had to be replace once already . Now I have to top off my oil once every 500 miles.”
Filed Apr 1, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 37 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Windshield wipers stop working 159 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 115 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 87 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 75 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 58 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 54 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 27 reports