2014 Equinox Wobble

[2008monaco]

We flat tow a 2014 Equinox, has a bad wobble problem when behind our 45' motorhome and we go over frost heaves on the road, a bad bridge approach that had a bump or any bad roads that have bumps.  It will start wobbling and shake our motorhome violently and will not quit until we come to a complete stop. Then we can take off again until the next problem in the road.

[hermanmullins]

08,

Welcome to the Forum. The two items that come to mind for me are, alignment and or tow bar height. Alignment is important when towing or not. If the tow bar is not within 2" up or down to the tow vehicle there can have issues. If the tow bar is pulling up too much it will make the vehicle lighter on the front end which can allow changes in the front end geometry.

Herman 

[manholt]

Welcome!

Has this happened before?  Is it your first tow? 

Carl

[2008monaco]

Finally found out the problem, Not our first tow, not tow bar alignment, it's a 4 cylinder electronic steering problem on Equinox as opposed to a 6 cylinder hydraulic steering. Have filed a complaint to NHTSA.

Complaint Number: 10925007

Vehicle Identification Number: 2GNFLFEK9E..........

Your Vehicle's Make Model and Model Year: CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2014

Note: Your VIN, make, model, and year are all protected under the Privacy Act.

What part of your car was affected? Unknown or Other

What happened?
We have been having problems as have a few more with our 2014 Chev Equinox LT 4 cylinder motor when we drive on uneven, frost heaves, pot holes roads, any roads. The vehicle when flat towed behind a motorhome will start the "Death Wobble" I violently shakes the motorhome until we come to a complete stop and then we can start out again. It will do this at any speed. We are following the owners manual and proper hitch adjustments, the 4 cylinder Equinox has electronic steering as opposed to the 6 cylinder Equinox, that does not experience this problem, has hydraulic steering. Jeep had the same problem with the Cherokee but the developed a wiring fix that powers the electronic power steering wien under tow, GM has yet to admit to the problem. The video I am sending is of a Jeep Cherokee, but this is exactly what our 4 cylinder 2014 Equinox does, as do many more owners say their 4 cylinder Equinox's does. I had to include a date when this has happened, it has happened many more times than the one I had to put down, this was just the last time it happened. I have tried to send a video, cannot get it done, but if you go to youtube and type in search, death wobble in jeep Cherokee towed behind motorhome and look at 2014 jeep Cherokee shaking violently while being towed you will see what is happening to our 4 cylinder 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. This happens at any speed 10-60mph and it does not make a difference at what mileage it is. We bought the vehicle with 21184 miles on it, it now has 42555 miles on it.

When did this happen? 11/04/2016

Was there a Crash? No

Was there a Fire? No

Was there an injury or fatality? No

How fast were you going? (in mph) 55

About how many miles were on your vehicle at the time of the incident? 42555

Personal information deleted: Moderator

 

Hopefully more people will file complaints if they own 4 cyclinder Equinox's and get this going with GM like Jeep Cherokee people did with Chystler.

[manholt]

Ms. Wilkins, Good Luck in your quest.

Carl

[BillAdams]

You might want to delete your address and phone number from this post as soon as possible.  If a moderator jumps in, hopefully they will do it for you.

[wolfe10]

19 minutes ago, BillAdams said:

You might want to delete your address and phone number from this post as soon as possible.  If a moderator jumps in, hopefully they will do it for you.

Good idea.  Done.

[five]

Sounds like the wobble issue with some Jeeps.

[2008monaco]

Thank you for taking out my personal information. 

Anyway, letter off to Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center and FTC and sending one to FMCA so they can hopefully help 4 cylinder Equinox owners the pull fuse #32, that actually deactivates the electronic steering. FMCA was helpful with Jeep, Chrysler, in getting them to recognize the same problem they had and they provide a flat tow wiring kit, free of charge to all Jeep owners who flat tow and have that problem. 

http://https:www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwgUAJaeECI  this is the link that shows what our Equinox does to our 45' 45,000 pound Monaco when it decides to start it's death wobble.  Not fun. 

Hopefully is other 4 cylinder Equinox owners have this problem they will write in and flood the complaint desk. 

Thank you for the help

 

[BillAdams]

Good link listed above.  The video appeared!  How did I do that?

 

[manholt]

I'm as confused as you!

[2008monaco]

Well I have written to FTC, NHTSA and GM about the wobble problem we have and others have with their 4 cylinder, electronic steering Equinox.  GM got back with us, have never heard about the problem with this, gave us a voucher to go to our nearest GM dealer and have it analized, went to them, they do not know what to do, we told them to call GM and see what GM wants them to do, since the dealer cannot reproduce the problem.  Believe me it is NOT a tire pressure problem, NOT an alignment problem, NOT a tow hitch level problem.  What the problem is we need anyone that has had this problem to write to GM, NHTSA , FTC and FMCA to get this problem solved. It will eventually kill someone in the coach or someone traveling you. WRITE, WRITE,WRITE. This is a serious problem, the staff at our local GM dealership don't even know what the fuse 32 does, Discrete logical system?  Forgot to add also, this could lead to our Roadmaster tow hitch to eventually break because of the wobbling back and forth, they are not made to have all this back and forth motion. Of course it has not happened yet to anyone, but there is a possibility. We did have a Roadmaster fold up on us for another reason, which was our fault, not theirs, so we know it could happen with this wobble.

[desertdeals69]

Back in the 70's when towing VW bugs was popular, they had the same problem with the steering.  The fix was to attach a bungee cord to the steering wheel.  I never personally had one as I towed Toyota wagons and never had any steering problems.

[CAPKELLY]

I have a 2013 GMC Terrain. Towing with roadmaster tow bar. Is all wheel drive 4 cylinder. Same problem called The Death Wobble. Just had car checked out, front end and rear end aligned. My dealer also had never heard of this. But if you Google GMC Terrain others having problem.

Roadmaster actually told me about attaching bunge cords to steering wheel to Try and prevent this. Have not tried this fix yet.

Will happen when pulling out of campground and big road dip. Also just happened on i75 under road construction bumpy area.

[roadhouse38]

We are towing a 2013 Equinox, 4 clylinder, AWD LTZ behind our 38 ft Monaco Safari Cheetah. This was our first trip with both rigs and we set the toad up according to Chevys instructions using a fuse bypass switch. The hitch alignment and tow bar are all installed correctly.

All was well until we got to Stockton Ca where we experienced the death wobble. It only happened once that day but the next day it occurred 3 more times and we finally disconnected the toad from the coach and drove seperately. 

Thanks to the info on this forum we are tried the toad again today on our drive from Indio CA to Mesa AZ with the fuse intact. We did not have any issues with teh towing instability  and the road has presented plenty of opportunities. Only issue is the toad battery is quickly being discharged so we will have to resolve that before the next long jaunt. 

I am planning to write to Chevy, FMCA about this serious saftey issue. It is particularly frustrating since we gave followed all of the manufactures towing guidelines.

Would appreciate any information about who and where other Equinox Owners are sending their correspondence. 

Thanks,

Brenda King

[hayesfamily]

I think we should be careful because we're talking about two different issues here. The issue that you're talking about it's not quite the same issue that is experienced in the Jeep Wrangler type suspensions where you have a solid front axle. The reason for the death wobble in those cases it's because you have steering components. Now I'm not exactly sure what's going on in the Jeep Cherokee because the death wobble in a Jeep Wrangler is not cured by any type of electrical means. It's only cured by making sure that the suspension is in the right tolerance so that the harmonics do not create a vibration that is uncontrollable.

No matter what situation it does not make for a pleasurable driving experience but I just wanted to add that tidbit for people are chasing issues that really don't exist in this situation

[manholt]

Keon.

How did the Jeep Wrangler get into this link.  I see no mention of it?

Brenda.  Get a battery disconnect switch or remove the ground when towing.

Carl

[hayesfamily]

On 1/11/2017 at 7:04 AM, manholt said:

Keon.

How did the Jeep Wrangler get into this link.  I see no mention of it?

Brenda.  Get a battery disconnect switch or remove the ground when towing.

Carl

Look back and November 8, someone mentioned the wobble issue with some jeeps, This issue isnt the same issue as "Jeeps" because Jeeps also have suspension issues that cause their issues. 

 

On 11/8/2016 at 6:19 PM, FIVE said:

Sounds like the wobble issue with some Jeeps.

 

[manholt]

Just one model, the Jeep Cherokee.  It started when Daimler Corp. bought Dodge!  Model year 2014, 15, 16 and probably also 17 now!  They came out with a after market wire harness last year, that was suppose to fix the problem!

I towed a Isuzu Trooper 11 during the 80's, Jeep Wranglers and Chevy trucks from Colorado to 2500 Duramax and never had a "wobble"!  But then they where all 4x4 and standard or automatic shift.  None was AWD or full time 4 wheel drive, like the new Cherokee!  The Isuzu had a bumper mounted "A frame" hitch that connected to a 2" ball on coach...back then there was no Blue Ox or Roadmaster Sterling or Falcon like we have today.  You could see 100 coaches and one would have a toad..

Carl

[wolfe10]

Please, let's keep this thread on track: 2014 Equinox Wobble (and it's Chevrolet twin). 

There is a separate Jeep thread,  for issues related to the Jeeps.

Anyone researching Jeeps here on the FMCA Forum would not find Jeep-related posts in a thread titled 2014 Equinox.

 

Thanks.

Moderator

 

[manholt]

2008Monaco.  Have you checked toe in and front end alignment by a shop?  Have not heard about any Chevy, that is 4 wheel down, having a "wobble" problem!

Carl

[shrimp]

2008monaco.        I have a 2013 Equinox 4cyl it will do the same. Put a bungee cord through the steering wheel to the driver seat both rails and it will stop-- you have to slow down the  movement. It is caused by the electric power steering.   Darrell

[manholt]

shrimp.  Welcome to the Forum!

Good info!    Maybe the OP will do that.

Carl

[2008monaco]

The bungee cord idea is not a fix to the problem.  GM needs to fix the problem.  Putting a bungee cord like the proposal sounds very dangerous. The wobble DOES NOT happen when the fuse is left in place, only when taken out or switched off.  It is a engineering problem that GM has created and needs to fix.

All owners of 4 cylinder Equinox that have this problem need to call, write to GM and start complaining.  They claim they have never heard of this problem, which is a lie, several of us have called, gotten customer numbers, gone to dealerships had everything checked out and the mechanics don't even know what a discrete logic ignition switch is. There is a BIG problem with GM.

[2008monaco]

John Johnston (FMCA Staff) is working with GM to try and get this wobble problem with 4 cylinder Equinox's resolved.  Any owner of a 4 cylinder Equinox needs to write to John Johnston Contact him at jjohnston@fmca.com or (800) 543-3622. and let him know you are experiencing this problem.

The more of us that contact him the better. My husband and I also went to Road Master in Vancouver, WA to talk with them, talked to a nice young man that knew of the problem and is in contact with John Johnston about the problem. No fix yet, we were going to get some sort of wiring from the motorhome to our toad to keep the battery alive while we towed like our manual says to do.  If we take the fuse 32 out the car wobbles, if we leave fuse 32 in it does not wobble but the battery goes dead. It does not matter whether you turn right or left, we've had it happen either way, frost heaves, uneven roads what ever sets it off, have to stop completely and then go again. Had it happen several times on the same road. Cannot predict when or where.

Write John let him know, hopefully someday a fix will occur. Meanwhile we keep the fuse 32 in, carry heavy long jumper cables in and jump the car when we are finished traveling for the day.