History of the Chevrolet Equinox and Compatible Cylinder Heads

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Categories: Cylinder Head Tips

The Chevrolet Equinox is mid-size, later compact crossover SUV which is a relative newcomer to the Chevrolet lineup. The popular SUV debuted on the North American market in 2004 for the 2005 model year. Despite its youth, the Equinox has become a powerhouse in the past decade, bringing in an average of more than 250,000 sales every year.

If you own a Chevrolet Equinox, you know its compact size and increased storage and passenger capacity makes it an ideal car for a household of almost any size. Read more to learn about the history of the Equinox, its future, and how to best take care of its engine to keep it running longer. Regular maintenance is crucial to a vehicle’s longevity, and some of the most catastrophic damage can arise from an out-of-date cylinder head.

 

Chevy Equinox History

The Chevrolet Equinox is a vehicle you may have heard a lot about due to its popularity as a sleek, practical, and surprisingly easy-to-handle SUV. It was first introduced in 2004 with manufacturing out of Canada, and was Chevy’s first entry into the crossover SUV scene. It’s only seen two generations so far, but such a young design means it has much more room to grow and evolve with the times.

The first generation was based on the GM Theta platform, which included a four-wheel independent suspension chassis, 3.4 L LNJ V6 engine, and a choice between 5-speed automatic or manual transmissions.

In 2008 and 2009, Chevrolet introduced a sportier version of the Equinox dubbed the Sport/SS. In addition to a lower stance, smoother exterior design, hydraulic power-steering and dual exhausts, the Sport/SS had a massively more powerful 3.6-liter LY7 DOHC V6 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting capabilities.

A special “Team Canada” edition of the Sport/SS was even released for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, featuring chrome-clad wheels, sunroof, premium sound system, and special badging. The Sport/SS was marketed as a luxurious and powerful upgrade to the original Equinox, and this seemed to herald Chevrolet’s design philosophy moving into its second generation.

 

2nd Generation Chevy Equinox

The second generation was introduced in 2010 and seemed to merge the most popular design features of the Sport and original Equinox versions. The exterior was streamlined, and the interior saw added features such as a WiFi hotspot, a variety of colors, extra storage, and much more. The engine also saw an upgrade to a 2.4L straight-four, with the option of upgrading to a 3.0L V6 as well.

The Equinox has been going strong ever since, rising to become Chevrolet’s third best-selling vehicle in North America. Many fans of the Equinox believe the vehicle will only improve over the years, with hopes for the next generation to come out in the near future.

 

Chevy Equinox Awards and Recognitions

  • Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick Midsize SUV (when equipped with Available Forward Collision Alert)
  • D. Power’s Most Dependable Compact SUV

 

Second Generation Equinox Sales Figures

Model Year Total Sales
2020 270,994
2019 346,048
2018 332,618
2017 290,458
2016 242,195
2015 277,589
2014 242,242
2013 238,192
2012 218,621
2011 193,274
2010 149,979
Total 2,802,210

 

Chevrolet Equinox High Mileage Stories

If you take care of your vehicle, get it inspected, and take care of any problems as they arise, it can last you a long time. High mileage on vehicles is getting more and more common and knowing what models have the highest on average can help you consider its reliability and sway your decision. Many Equinox owners have reported impressively high mileage, such as in this video below where the owner reviews his used Equinox with more than 170,000 miles on it.

 

There are also plenty of discussion boards where others share their high mileage stories such as Terrain Forum, where a user moves to prove his Equinox has over 265,000 miles and remains running strong. The key to keeping your Equinox in top shape is frequent maintenance and replacing parts as they begin to experience problems, not when they stop working.

 

Common Chevrolet Equinox Problems

The Chevrolet Equinox, like most vehicles, have common problems that many people experience as owners of the SUV. Here are some things to look out for while you drive so you can catch the problem early and get it corrected:

  • Excessive Oil Consumption
  • Heating Problems
  • Random Electrical Problems
  • Transmission Failure
  • Malfunctioning ABS

Five Common Problems On Chevy Equinox –

 

Top 5 Problems: Chevy Equinox SUV Second Generation 2010-17 –

 

Top 5 Problems Chevy Equinox SUV 1st Generation 2005-09 –

 

The Importance of Cylinder Heads in a Chevrolet Equinox (or any vehicle)

Cylinder heads are an essential part of your vehicle and are what makes sure your engine operates in good health. Located on top of the cylinder block on the engine, this combustion chamber can house components such as the valves, spark plugs, and fuel injectors.

It also has intake and exhaust valves to let the air escape as well as holes to allow coolant from the radiator and oil to flow through to the engine. The cylinder head is considered one of the most important aspects of any engine and ignoring issues with it can lead to some of the worst damage a vehicle can experience. If your cylinder head is not taken care of or becomes cracked, then in a worst-case scenario it could mean a total engine replacement.

 

Buy Replacement Heads @ Clearwater Cylinder Heads

Clearwater Cylinder Heads knows exactly why cylinder heads are important and have spent years perfecting the care and replacement of clients’ cylinder heads. If you notice anything wrong with your cylinder head or need a replacement, Clearwater Cylinder Head is happy to help with their incredible expertise and cylinder head selection. With over 25 years of experience and an enormous catalog of products, Clearwater Cylinder Heads is dedicated to providing professional support for all of your cylinder head replacement needs. We encourage you to contact Clearwater Cylinder Head Inc. toll-free at 1-800-572-1963.

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