We have under warranty made three crank case replacements. The second was a factory recall replacement. A wheel-bearing failure-like noise has emerged. This kind of noice always ended up with the crank-case replacement.
1) Has anyone else had this problem?
2) Has anyone successfully changed their AWD Equinox into a FWD equinox?
Based on your question about converting your AWD vehicle to FWD, I am wondering if you meant to say “crank case” or if you meant to say transfer case. Please elaborate on exactly what was replaced, and under what circumstances. Something about this post does not make sense, at least IMHO.
I guess that the OP has decided not to respond to my question regarding the information in his post.
Sorry to take so long to respond. Transfer case is the term. I have no idea what "IMHO"means. Thanks for the response. In the first and last replacement the car produced a grinding sound that sounded like it came from between the driver and passenger seat. The sound varied with speed, and increased in intensity as time moved forward. When the dealership finally acknowledged the problem, their diagnosis involved sampling the transmission fluid, claiming metal was found in the sample, and the recommendation that the transfer case be replaced. The second replacement was in response to a factory recall notice. Does this answer your question. I look forward to your response.
Yes, I thought that you probably meant to say transfer case, as “crankcase” so makes very little sense, for reasons that are too complex to elaborate on in this forum.
No, I do not have a Chevy Equinox but from what you have told us, it is clear that the transfer case is a trouble spot on this model. In fact, if this is an '05 Equinox, the Drive System is listed by Consumer Reports as being “Much Worse Than Average” in terms of durability. On the '06 and '07 Equinox, it is listed as being somewhat better than average.
Will the new one last longer? Hopefully it is a new design and it will last longer , but I fear that GM is still putting their designs on the road before they are fully developed, and is letting the unwitting owners carry out the destructive testing on their designs. This was their unwritten corporate policy in the '70s, '80s and '90s, and this is one reason why so many people decided to never buy a GM product again. I really had thought that they had ended this practice, but apparently I was wrong.
If I were you, I would sell/trade in this vehicle when it is convenient, but before the warranty (1 yr.??) on the new transfer case runs out. If you consult the Reliability Ratings in Consumer Reports, you can find many models that have a history and a probability of being Much Better than Average for reliability.
(Incidentally, “IMHO” is an internet acronym that means “In my humble opinion”.)
Thanks VDCdriver.