The Lemon IndexThe transmission computer found its own problem and asked for the check engine light. Full P0700 page
11 owner complaints · the #7 code Chevrolet Equinox owners name · 6% of Chevrolet Equinox complaints that name a code (every car: 1.7%)
Middle of 75,000 miles · most between 63,000 and 80,000 (10 owners gave it)
Chevrolet Equinox owners named P0700 in 11 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2010, 2011 and 2009 model years, at a middle of 75,000 miles. The part they name most is the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (2 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Chevrolet Equinox model years that report P0700
Owner complaints naming P0700, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
75,000 miles is the middle of what 10 owners entered. Half were between 63,000 and 80,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser, in 2 of the 11 complaints (18%). 1 of those mention it being replaced or repaired.
- Timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser2 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement · what Chevrolet Equinox owners paid
5 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0700
82% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Loses power or goes into limp mode18%2 of 11 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults18%2 of 11 complaints
- Brakes or ABS act up18%2 of 11 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0700 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
Other codes named in the same Chevrolet Equinox complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
Chevrolet Equinox timing chain replacement cost
Recalls on these Chevrolet Equinox years
- Transmission & drivetrain · 2005 · issued 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, 'THEFT PROTECTION.' AN IGNITION KEY PARK LOCK CABLE END FITTING WAS NOT FULLY SEATED ON THE AUTOMATIC T… NHTSA 04V302000
1 recall for the same systems (engine and powertrain) on the Chevrolet Equinox model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P0700. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0700: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Chevrolet Equinox reliability by year
- 2010 Chevrolet Equinox problems and recalls
Other codes Chevrolet Equinox owners report
P0010 P0011 P0017 P0014 P0089 P129F
P0700 on other cars
Chevrolet Silverado (32) · GMC Sierra (23) · GMC Acadia (12)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0700 means
The transmission computer found its own problem and asked for the check engine light. Another transmission code with the details is usually stored too.
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
- A second transmission code that says what failed (the transmission computer has to be read for it)
- Low or old transmission fluid
- A shift solenoid or sensor fault
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11462104, 11327300, 11244385, 10979593, 10969705, 10907421, 10888569, 10820255, 10733263, 10648516, 10618470.
Quick answers
What does P0700 mean on a Chevrolet Equinox?
Transmission Control System Malfunction. The transmission computer found its own problem and asked for the check engine light. Another transmission code with the details is usually stored too.
Which Chevrolet Equinox years have the most P0700 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2010 (4), 2011 (2), 2009 (2) Chevrolet Equinox named P0700 most (11 complaints in all, 2005–2013). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0700 on a Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners most often name the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (2 of 11 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does P0700 show up on a Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 75,000 miles; half were between 63,000 and 80,000 (10 owners).
Can I drive my Chevrolet Equinox with P0700?
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0700 on the Chevrolet Equinox, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.