What GM car(s) share engine with Equinox?

I bought an Equinox AWD with 3.4 SFI engine (only 1 engine choice) and picked it up tonight. Upon looking under the hood, I couldn't even identity the transmission dipstick, the power steering tank, the battery (Chevy must hide the battery somewhere). Unlike my Cav & Grandprix, the belt appears to be unserviceable (unless I can lift the engine)...

I perform my own maintainence on my cars and fix/replace whatever I am capable of. With the Equinox, I don't think I can do much work more than the simple oil change... Do any other current/past GM cars/SUV share the same engine design as the Equinox so I can look for maintainence how-to under the hood? Thanks,

the Equinox shares the same platform as the Saturn VUE, but not the same engine(2.2, 3.0, or 3.5)

several other GM cars have the 3.4L, but the only one i know off the top of my head is the Buick Rendezvous

Do you know if the 3.4 engine is new (untested) or out for years (reliable)?

This is a new engine for GM, made in China. The Saturn I suspect came out before this engine was ready for production so they made a deal to buy engines from Honda for it. Pretty high-tech engine for GM with the variable valve timing and all. Good luck with it, GM has had some engine problems of late and this is a new design. Time will tell. Did you get the extended warranty? I'd recommend it.

No, I didn't get the extended warranty. Visually the engine has a simple design (with lot less wires & pieces as 3800 on my 01 GrandPrix); it "looks" like quality-built and I can't tell of from China as other cheap products normally would. The engine runs smooth and I will have to trust GM's name.

A few things I found odd with my new Equinox:
1. I can't say exactly the battery location or may be it doesn't use "standard" battery. I can only identify the "remote" postive teminal on the fuse box and there isn't a negative terminal...
2. I don't see the transmission dipstick/filler.
3. There isn't power steering fluid reservior as in my Cav and Grandprix.

No, I didn't get the extended warranty. Visually the engine has a simple design (with lot less wires & pieces as 3800 on my 01 GrandPrix); it "looks" like quality-built and I can't tell of from China as other cheap products normally would. The engine runs smooth and I will have to trust GM's name.

A few things I found odd with my new Equinox:
1. I can't say exactly the battery location or may be it doesn't use "standard" battery. I can only identify the "remote" postive teminal on the fuse box and there isn't a negative terminal...
2. I don't see the transmission dipstick/filler.
3. There isn't power steering fluid reservior as in my Cav and Grandprix.
I have 05 Equinox also,

1 the battery is under a plastic cover (drivers side)with a electronic box(looks like anti-lock brakes) fastened on top of it. Just ahead of Master cyl.
3. The power steering is electric, no hyd tank or pump.

2. I never looked for th e trans dipstick, seems I read some new ones were sealed?


I sure hope they are reliable, ours (awd)really works nice in the snow.

Good Luck.

i think honda is in Japan not china. well they might have a plant, but i don't think japan source's there work to china.But het i could be wrong.