- Chevrolet recalled 83 of its new Equinox EVs due to control arms that could fracture.
- The issue traces back to weak contaminated metal from a supplier.
- Now, dealers will replace the control arm on all affected vehicles for free.
The 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV has had a wild start to life. It was first subject to delays, then it ended up with a higher price than expected, and recently dealers have slapped markups on it. Now, it’s subject to a recall that affects a small population but could have huge safety implications too. Chevy says the cars in question have a lower control arm that could snap due to contaminated metal.
Interestingly, the only control arm affected is the lower front right unit and the problem is isolated to 83 vehicles in total. According to GM, a supplier confirmed on April 12 that it failed to contain one shipment of ‘suspect’ control arms. Those arms then found their way into the Equinox EVs in question.
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The way dealers determine whether or not a control arm needs replacing has nothing to do with signs of weakness. Instead, techs will simply check the arm for a number. Batch 12312261, stamped onto the part signifies that the arm is contaminated and needs to be replaced. Any other batch number is acceptable, says GM.
Notably, dealers are to offer a courtesy vehicle to affected owners if one is requested. That might be an important detail as the direction, for now at least, is for dealers to hold onto affected vehicles until the remedy parts are available. For all we know, that could be very soon though.
Equinox EV owners who want to know if their SUV is affected can call their local dealers, search for their VIN number through the NHTSA, or get under the car and look for the stamping on the control arm itself. Though we should be clear, taking it to the dealer to have the recall checked by a certified technician is still an important step.
