[MP81]

So my wife, on our drive in to work was sitting next to me (we take separate cars to work, but work at the same place, so the same route and leave home at the same time) at a light (thankfully one of the longer ones), about 2 and a half miles from our house, and I could hear her yelling for me (luckily that it was extraordinarily foggy out, so I had my driver window cracked). Rolled down the passenger window and she said the engine had shut off on its own at the light. Had her try to restart it, starter worked fine, but it just turned over and turned over and would not fire. She called AAA and a police officer helped push her into the gas station (this is a three-lane wide road, and she was in the center lane) while she waited for her tow to the dealer (which is only about 5 minutes away).

After she got that and her call to AAA all settled, she called me and said it gave her a message (unclearable) on the DIC of "Diesel Engine Shutdown Soon" (or something close to that), and then turned off.

I've been thinking the EGR was getting clogged, but there's no way a sticky/clogged EGR can stop a running engine, only prevent it from starting. Given this is a diesel, there is no spark, so this leads me to believe one of the fuel pumps took a **** - and makes me wonder if it's been going for a while and causing the symptoms I've blamed on the EGR - multiple turnovers to start on occasion, and occasionally rough running right after starting the car.

She's at the dealer now and their service department opened at 7, so I will report back with what they find, but I cannot believe this wouldn't be covered under powertrain since any possible cause I can come up with is powertrain-related.

Anyone else had anything similar happen?

 

[IndyDiesel]

Well what a yucky situation, glad your wife is ok, engine just shutting off could be a dangerous situation. I am with you, I can't see the EGR causing the engine to die. Keep us posted. Hope it is something minor or covered by warranty

 

[MP81]

Yup - especially with the fog. Though she'd probably have had time to cost it into the gas station had she been moving when it died.

I'm hoping so too. I can't see any part that would fail that wouldn't be covered under powertrain. To me, engine stopped running = powertrain warranty.

I wonder if the charge piping popped off the throttle blade. I was pretty sure I had it on there, and we drove the car for almost two weeks (in a lot of stop and go, and a lot of me having some fun on the peninsula roads) without any issue. I'm glad it didn't happen during vacation!

Dealer told my wife they'll call me (my number is the one on file, and they know I'm the technical one) either later today or tomorrow morning. They're also going to do the latest recall while its there.

 

[MP81]

No updates on the CTD as of the time they closed - no worries. Got a call around 1PM that they had their first loaner come back, and that we could swing by in a few hours (with my wife, obviously, haha) and pick it up - and by the time we got there, there were a whole bunch of them back.

We got a 2018 Equinox Premier, 1.5L Turbo, AWD. I'm very impressed with how composed it is making turns (all the reviews have been surprised at how well Chevy did on the handling), it's actually a hoot to drive.

Giant dual-pane sunroof!

There are literally three Summit White vehicles at our house currently.

 

[AlbertaDiesel]

Too bad it isn't the new diesel Equinox. It would be interesting to know how it is.

 

[MP81]

Too bad it isn't the new diesel Equinox. It would be interesting to know how it is.

Yes - that'd have been real cool if it was!

 

[IndyDiesel]

Equinox looks more interesting than before. Hope your CTD outcome is positive.

While they have you in such a nice loaner, hey take your time on fixing Diesel.

 

[Deeezel]

My diesel is at the dealer right now, and they gave me a 18 equinox lt with the 2.0 litre turbo in it. It is a fun little suv to drive and very torquey.

 

[MP81]

While they have you in such a nice loaner, hey take your time on fixing Diesel.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[Snipesy]

Congrats on the first Diesel Cruze runaway on the forum. That's what the throttle valve is there for.


But its probably some simple fuel issue like you said. Maybe the ECM got a bad reading on the RPM. If they open the intercooler pipe and oil pours out well, congrats on the new Equinox.

 

[MP81]

Given that I haven't gotten a call, it's likely that they're waiting on the part to come in, and that it'll be covered under warranty (i.e. - the HPFP - which is $1200 on its own, online).

Or, they're still trying to diagnose it. Either way - free nice car for that much longer is something I don't mind. The only downside is the dog's car mat (which covers the entirety of the rear seat, and has his seat belt harness attachments) is in the Cruze, and we have to take him into the vet on Saturday for his dental cleaning...which means he's probably going in the Volt (no pets in the loaner)...ugh. That'll be excess dog hair in both cars, instead of just one.

 

[sailurman]

Love that interior color scheme. I have similar in my Cruze.

 

[Taxman]

Given that I haven't gotten a call, it's likely that they're waiting on the part to come in, and that it'll be covered under warranty (i.e. - the HPFP - which is $1200 on its own, online).

Or, they're still trying to diagnose it. Either way - free nice car for that much longer is something I don't mind. The only downside is the dog's car mat (which covers the entirety of the rear seat, and has his seat belt harness attachments) is in the Cruze, and we have to take him into the vet on Saturday for his dental cleaning...which means he's probably going in the Volt (no pets in the loaner)...ugh. That'll be excess dog hair in both cars, instead of just one.

Swing by the shop before they close tonight and grab the dog bed?
Cover the back of the Volt with an old blanket?

 

[MP81]

Swing by the shop before they close tonight and grab the dog bed?
Cover the back of the Volt with an old blanket?

I have a cover we used for our old couch, which will work. But he's a Husky, so his hair just goes literally everywhere.

 

[MP81]

Just got off the phone with the dealer. Fuel pressure and everything checks out. However, when they went to pull it in Wednesday - battery was dead, and they had to jump start it. My wife didn't wait that long to get towed, and only tried to start it once (knowing how many times you can try cranking that from when we had the fuel gel a couple winters ago, this is hardly enough to kill the battery), so that's what he wanted to make sure. They tested the battery - tested good. Went to bring it in on Thursday - battery dead, again. This time it tested bad.

Their theory is that a cell is starting to go - and knowing the issues people have had with these batteries in the past, that does not surprise me. If the cell is flaking in and out, it will absolutely initial the "Diesel Engine Shutdown". So, I'm having them replace that expensive-ass thing (not like I can drive it home and do it myself), and we'll see where that goes. It's not stocked, so he has to order it in, so looks like we have the Equinox longer - which I'm totally okay with.

We also had a CEL that has been going on and off, but isn't related, and is the DEF heater - which conveniently does not have the extra coverage the reservoir got, though I thought they were the same part? Either way, that doesn't need to be fixed at the moment, it's just good to know.

 

[Snipesy]

Well something fried. They'll figure it out. I hope they ordered more than one battery.

 

[IndyDiesel]

Just got off the phone with the dealer. Fuel pressure and everything checks out. However, when they went to pull it in Wednesday - battery was dead, and they had to jump start it. My wife didn't wait that long to get towed, and only tried to start it once (knowing how many times you can try cranking that from when we had the fuel gel a couple winters ago, this is hardly enough to kill the battery), so that's what he wanted to make sure. They tested the battery - tested good. Went to bring it in on Thursday - battery dead, again. This time it tested bad.

Their theory is that a cell is starting to go - and knowing the issues people have had with these batteries in the past, that does not surprise me. If the cell is flaking in and out, it will absolutely initial the "Diesel Engine Shutdown". So, I'm having them replace that expensive-ass thing (not like I can drive it home and do it myself), and we'll see where that goes. It's not stocked, so he has to order it in, so looks like we have the Equinox longer - which I'm totally okay with.

We also had a CEL that has been going on and off, but isn't related, and is the DEF heater - which conveniently does not have the extra coverage the reservoir got, though I thought they were the same part? Either way, that doesn't need to be fixed at the moment, it's just good to know.

This stupid def thing seems insane. If big trucks had to fart with def like we do they would be along the side of the road all the time. I haven't had issues yet, but looks like it may be coming.

 

[boraz]

This stupid def thing seems insane. If big trucks had to fart with def like we do they would be along the side of the road all the time. I haven't had issues yet, but looks like it may be coming.

umm, big trucks have had to fart with def for years

 

[MP81]

Well something fried. They'll figure it out. I hope they ordered more than one battery.

Yeah...or is in the process of it. I know the batteries on the CTD are known to be sketchy.

This stupid def thing seems insane. If big trucks had to fart with def like we do they would be along the side of the road all the time. I haven't had issues yet, but looks like it may be coming.

He referred to it as a "B-Code" meaning it cannot cause a shutdown (or countdown, I'd imagine).

 

[Taxman]

umm, big trucks have had to fart with def for years

There's not much wrong with their DEF systems, and the guys with DPF troubles are mostly the same guys who insist on idling their engines 12 hours a day.

One very important difference on the DPF: They get a little light on the dash telling them they need to regen the DPF soon or their truck will start slowing down. If they just got off the freeway to make a delivery, they ignore the light for now. If they're on the open road, they wait until the next hill and hit the regen button. Sometimes they need to do a parked regen. Once again, it's done with a push of a button, not a trip to the dealer.

Truck manufacturers trust their drivers and expect them to do the right thing with the equipment when given the proper information. Chevy thinks the cars will be more dependable if they don't let the driver make any important decisions, or even let the driver know what's happening under the hood.