'Just Put Gas:' Indiana Woman’s Chevrolet Equinox Turns Off Immediately After Starting. Then She Asks for the Internet’s Help
A 2017 Chevrolet Equinox driver was left scratching her head after she started her car, only to watch it instantly turn off. Eden Dray (@eden.dray) took to TikTok in order to ask others what could be wrong with her vehicle in a series of posts.
“OK, so look. I literally just put gas in it,” she says at the onset of her first clip. While saying this, she turns the ignition on. Initially, the car’s engine kicks on without a hitch, which she acknowledges as various dash gauges calibrate. However, seconds later, the gauges drop and the car turns off. As it does, a loud noise can be heard emitting from the engine. “It starts up and it’s, oh, that didn’t sound good,” she says, cursing to herself as the video comes to a close.
In a caption for the post, she asked other folks on the application what they believed the issue with her vehicle could be. “Help what is the problem please tell me,” she inquired.
As is often the case on social media, a number of commenters focused on relaying snarky quips in lieu of helpful information. “Kinda sounded like it dies because the key was turned off,” one penned. “Problem spotted on the steering wheel it’s the emblem,” a second wrote, mocking Chevy’s quality. “Turn the music all the way up!” another person replied.
Is Her Chevrolet Equinox Having an Oil Issue?
However, there were others who relayed that they thought the problem Dray was referring to was the knocking sound reverberating from under her hood. “She’s talking about the knock it makes when she shuts it off,” one said. According to several others, this knocking was indicative of the car needing more oil. This could be due to a leak or broken component preventing the vehicle from keeping enough of the fluid to properly function. “Maybe go [get] a[n] oil change lol knocking is usually a sign of needing oil,” one said.
Someone else said that their own Chevy Equinox was an oil monster. They also suggested that she monitor her car’s oil levels. “Equinoxes are known for burning oil. Check the oil before it’s too late,” the TikTok user penned.
However, there were others who suspected that the vehicle’s fuel system could be the culprit. One person on the application took the information Dray provided with regards to her filling up her vehicle. From that, they speculated that her problem could be a fuel purge valve. “If it’s only running poorly after filling up [it] is usually a purge valve. The fumes from the tank are forced into the engine when the valve is stuck open messing with the air/fuel ratio leading to misfires. Common and not expensive,” the social media user wrote.
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What Causes a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox to Burn Oil Quickly?
In a follow-up video, it certainly seems like Dray’s Equinox engine drama was oil-related. She asks in the clip: “Why do I need to change my oil if it’s burning it all to empty? I know you gotta change the filter to make sure that it filters the oil correctly. But my car is burning all of the oil out until it’s empty. Like, I’m having to fill it up almost every month. Like, I don’t know every other fill up, maybe change the filter?”
At the end of her clip, she clarifies that the car is a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. One of the most common reasons for an engine going through oil prematurely is do to a leak. This is a relatively easy problem to discern, however. All drivers need to do is check beneath their vehicle after it’s parked in an area for a while and see if there is a pool of oil beneath the vehicle.
However, there are instances where cars will eat up oil despite not leaking. According to Firestone, there are a few reasons why this could be the case. Degraded piston rings or cylinder walls in an engine could be the culprit.
Furthermore, a clogged or damaged PCV valve could also be the root cause. As the automotive care company writes, “The positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system … eliminated harmful gases during engine combustion … by routing excess gases back to the combustion chamber.” If this mechanism is backed up, Firestone writes that “significant oil blowback” occurs. Consequently, “oil ends up getting sucked into the engine through the air intake.” Oftentimes, this necessitates a complete swap out of the PCV valve.
Other 2017 Equinox owners have written about the voracious appetites their cars have for oil. One person on the Equinox forum reportedly had the same problem as Dray did. As did this driver, who opined about their oil-burning quandaries on the GM Authority site. Furthermore, an Equinox driver looking to solve their problems with excess oil consumption received recommended fixes on JustAnswer. Users suggested they check to ensure their car’s piston rings weren’t worn out. Additionally, users recommended a diagnosis to determine if the car’s PCV valve was working the right way, and that its valve seals were tip-top.
Motor1 has reached out to Dray via TikTok comment for further information.
