# 2010 Chevy Equinox

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-chevy-equinox/78217>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Tags:** chevrolet, equinox\
**Created:** [March 24, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-chevy-equinox/78217 "2013-03-24T03:39:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@Jaco](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jaco)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-chevy-equinox/78217/1 "2013-03-24T03:39:53Z")

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I have a 2010 Chevy Equinox and I hear a pinging noise when my car is idling and when I drive below 40m.p.h. It sounds like a diesel engine, when it isn’t. I have the 2.4L Ecotech direct injection. The dealership says this is normal, but why is it so noisy. What if anything can I do about the noise or is there a problem with the Equinox?

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-chevy-equinox/78217/2 "2013-03-24T03:43:31Z")

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Test drive another 2010 Equinox with the same engine at a dealer’s lot and see if you hear the same noises. It doesn’t have to be the same dealer, but it could be. They don’t need to know why you are driving it.

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-chevy-equinox/78217/3 "2013-03-25T04:03:18Z")

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I don’t have experience with your make/model, but when my Corolla pings, it means the spark plug gap has gotten too wide, and the spark plugs need replacing. You might ask your mechanic to remove a spark plug and check the condition and gap.

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**Author:** ![radler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b5a626/32.png) [@radler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/radler)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 10:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-chevy-equinox/78217/4 "2013-03-31T10:06:15Z")

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It’s not normal. Have the dealer replace the camshaft phasers under warrenty. Check the [Edmonds.com](http://Edmonds.com) website for similar issues. Contact Chevy corporate.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-chevy-equinox/78217/5 "2013-03-31T17:04:28Z")

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Some (perhaps many) engines with Direct Injection are similarly noisy.

Recently, _Consumer Reports_ tested the new BMW 3-series with Direct Injection, and they reported that the engine was disturbingly noisy at idle, and that it sounded Diesel-like. A few weeks later, I had the opportunity to hear a couple of these same new Beemers, and I was shocked at how the engine sounded like more like a corn popper than the engine of a relatively expensive, performance-oriented car. Even the exhaust note had this cheap sound to it.

So…as jtsanders suggested, you should find a similar 2010 Equinox on a used car lot, ask for a test drive, and see if it sounds the same as yours. This noise may actually be “normal”, due to the Direct Injection.