Two months in the past, James Rapp was driving dwelling at nightfall when a deer appeared out of nowhere, straight into the trail of his spanking-new Chevrolet Equinox EV.
The software program engineer escaped unhurt and the deer bolted into the woods, however the automobile wasn’t so fortunate. His automobile hit the deer when he was going at about 40 mph, so the impression left the fascia mangled however fortunately with out structural or powertrain injury. The EV drove simply high-quality, so Rapp dashed to a Chevy dealership the subsequent morning for repairs.
Two months later, he is nonetheless ready to get his automobile again.
After the incident, the Chevy dealership in Gaithersburg, Maryland recognized 26 components that wanted substitute, together with the headlamps, entrance digicam, components of the grille and the bumper, registration plate brackets and extra. Now his Equinox EV 2LT, draped within the Riptide Blue Metallic paint, has been mendacity idle on the supplier’s physique store for over 60 days.
“I had the automobile just for three weeks,” Rapp mentioned. “It had 400 miles on it. Now it’s been out for eight weeks and is [just] sitting there.”
Within the meantime, Rapp is again behind the wheel of his 2006 gas-powered Equinox. “What ought to have been a three-day restore, eight weeks later there is not any indication when it’ll be carried out,” he mentioned. “It’s irritating.”
Rapp’s case isn’t distinctive. Quite a few Equinox EV homeowners have posted on-line or instructed InsideEVs that they’re going through related delays after comparatively minor incidents the place gas-powered Normal Motors vehicles may’ve been repaired in days or even weeks at most. For Equinox EV homeowners, repairs are dragging on for months.
A number of homeowners instructed InsideEVs that they’ve been left at midnight with no official estimated time of arrival for a number of collision substitute components. They added that the dealerships had no clue both, as they await a repair from GM.
InsideEVs
In an announcement to InsideEVs, a GM spokesperson mentioned that the Equinox EV doesn’t have a broader components scarcity downside, however didn’t point out the precise reason for the delays.
“General now we have not seen a scarcity of Equinox EV components, however with all new product launches, half readiness varies primarily based on car and quantity,” a GM spokesperson mentioned.
“GM Buyer Care and Aftersales, our components, equipment and repair division, shares quite a lot of components as soon as the car is on sale to clients,” the spokesperson added. “There’s a devoted workforce which focuses on components readiness for the primary 12 months of auto availability which permits us to be versatile and meet our buyer’s wants shortly.”
A Widespread EV Downside, However An Uncommon One For GM
The Equinox EV checks all the correct bins. It’s Chevy’s most inexpensive EV following the discontinuation of the Bolt EV, which is ready to make a comeback in 2025. Within the InsideEVs evaluate of it, we discovered that it was glorious and precisely what the market wants.
With federal tax credit, the Equinox EV’s value can dip into the $30,000-$40,000 bracket, relying in your revenue and tax liabilities. It’s an enormous design improve over the Bolt EV and presents an EPA-estimated vary of over 300 miles, that means it’s a extra enticing possibility for a wider viewers.
GM hopes it might be a volume-seller, however the service expertise may have to enhance if that’s going to occur.
Granted, new EVs usually face longer restore occasions. Dealerships and physique outlets might have to attend on components, leaving no clear timeline for completion. Add within the complexity of recent software-defined autos with superior electronics and it will get even trickier.
Chevrolet
One Rivian proprietor instructed InsideEVs final December that his R1T was out for repairs for a 12 months simply to switch a aspect digicam. Tesla homeowners have usually confronted lengthy restore occasions up to now and usually nonetheless do. And previous to its collapse, Fisker homeowners usually confronted nightmares with components and repairs.
However not like these startups, GM isn’t new to this. It’s much more skilled, has an enormous provider base and repair community that ought to, no less than theoretically, give it a bonus in resolving such points.
But Equinox EV homeowners say the repairs are something however fast.
Christopher Bernier, a logistics supervisor from Tampa, Florida, took supply of his Equinox EV the day earlier than Labor Day and determined to drive it to work after the vacation.
It was nonetheless darkish when he left dwelling that morning and shortly after, a police officer pulled up beside him to tell him of a quickly flashing tail gentle. Regardless of switching the automobile on and off a number of occasions, the issue continued.
The physique store mentioned the rear left tail lamp housing seal was faulty, which led to water intrusion and that brought about a brief circuit inside. They mentioned the rear tail lamp meeting was on backorder until December. Bernier escalated the problem up the chain of command on the dealership to switch the automobile because it was model new, however that didn’t work out. The dealership was additionally out of loaners, so that they gave him a gas-powered Equinox rental as an alternative.
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“Three months for a tail gentle meeting? It is obtained simply 100 miles on it. I drove it at some point. I am not ready till December for components. That is unrealistic,” Bernier mentioned.
“I haven’t pushed a fuel automobile for six years,” he added. The 2019 Chevy Bolt EV was his first EV after which he purchased a 2022 Nissan Leaf, which he mentioned gave him no bother in any respect. His husband additionally leased a brand new 2024 Nissan Ariya just lately which has been flawless thus far.
One other proprietor confronted the same frontal collision as Rapp however mentioned that issues obtained worse after the physique store investigated her EV additional.
“Some key wiring was severed… my automobile is being transferred to a brand new store 30 miles away. This has become my worst nightmare,” the proprietor posted on the Equinox EV discussion board. Final week, she posted an replace saying all components arrived after a month and the insurance coverage lined your entire price of over $15,000.
Software program Issues Make Issues Worse
A number of different homeowners reported software program points with defective superior driver help options (ADAS).
One proprietor had the Equinox EV just for two days and drove it solely 147 miles when a message popped up on the driving force’s show, saying “service driver help system.” When the dealership ran a diagnostic examine, ECU codes associated to the cameras, braking and stability controls confirmed errors.
He posted on the discussion board: “…my automobile now has ‘No ETA’ because the half is just not at present out there. It seems that these vehicles are high-quality so long as they’re working, once they aren’t good luck getting components. Ridiculous that they’re promoting vehicles that they cannot repair as a result of they do not have components for them. I initiated the repurchase course of for this brick at the moment with EV Concierge.”
There are extra homeowners going through software program troubles. One person reported: “Since taking supply virtually three weeks in the past, the adaptive cruise management, Tremendous Cruise, Lane Hold Help, Parking Help, and so forth. are quickly unavailable. We’ve got been knowledgeable by our supplier that it’s a software program challenge. They’re ready for a repair from GM. Apart from that, the automobile is nice.”
One other proprietor mentioned on Reddit that the insurance coverage firm wrote off his Equinox EV 2RS as a result of components had been unavailable. The injury on his automobile appeared extreme, with a twisted body and loads of beauty repairs required. He obtained a 3RS as a substitute in a slightly pretty Radiant Purple paint. However not everybody was so fortunate.
In the identical thread, one other Equinox EV proprietor commented: “My 2LT was hit 2.5 months in the past at the very same spot. It has been about two months because the automobile has been on the restore store, ready for components. The restore invoice is $23,000. Body injury consists of the underbody plus impression bar.”
Homeowners Love The Equinox EV, When It Works
Homeowners who spoke to InsideEVs mentioned they’re bummed concerning the repairs, however they love the vehicles once they work as meant.
“It’s the most effective automobile I’ve ever had,” Rapp mentioned. Nonetheless, having to drive the fuel Equinox, despite the fact that quickly, is an enormous step down. He mentioned he beloved that he may merely come dwelling and plug it in, by no means needing to go to a fuel station once more.
“I now have to concentrate to fuel costs, take into consideration oil adjustments and all that silliness of outdated fuel vehicles,” he mentioned. “I can’t wait to get my automobile again.”
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