GM bulletin guide
Equinox & Terrain 2018–2022 1.5L P1101: Three GM Repair Paths
- Equinox · 2018–2022 · 1.5L LYX
- Terrain · 2018–2022 · 1.5L LYX
Vehicle, year and document scope
2018–2022 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain with the 1.5L LYX. The PIP5402D coupler path covers 2018–2019 only and also lists the 2.0L LTG, which 22-NA-224 and 20-NA-047 do not.
Equinox · 2018–2022 · 1.5L LYX
22-NA-224 · 2022-11 · PDF pp. 1–3
Terrain · 2018–2022 · 1.5L LYX
22-NA-224 · 2022-11 · PDF pp. 1–3
Equinox · 2018–2019 · 1.5L LYX
PIP5402D · 2018-07-25 · PDF pp. 1–2
Terrain · 2018–2019 · 1.5L LYX
PIP5402D · 2018-07-25 · PDF pp. 1–2
Equinox / Terrain · 2018–2019 · 2.0L LTG
PIP5402D · 2018-07-25 · PDF pp. 1–2
Listed in PIP5402D only. 22-NA-224 and 20-NA-047 do not cover the 2.0L LTG.
Equinox · 2018–2022 · 1.5L LYX
20-NA-047 · 2023-01 · PDF pp. 1–3
Terrain · 2018–2022 · 1.5L LYX
20-NA-047 · 2023-01 · PDF pp. 1–3
Short answer
P1101 is the code GM calls “Intake Air Flow System Performance.” On the 2018–2022 Equinox and Terrain 1.5L LYX, GM documents report it with reduced engine power, with an oil leak, or with a lit malfunction indicator lamp, depending on the fault.
22-NA-224 covers a charge air cooler outlet tube that has separated from the throttle body. PIP5402D, for 2018–2019, covers a missing or damaged O-ring in the charge air cooler coupler once normal diagnostics have not found the cause. 20-NA-047 covers high crankcase pressure from a plugged PCV orifice, the path GM associates with a crankshaft oil leak, and makes a crankcase pressure test part of root-cause isolation for P1101 on this engine.
- Separated CAC outlet tube at the throttle body: 22-NA-224, 2018–2022.
- Missing or damaged CAC coupler O-ring: PIP5402D, 2018–2019, after normal diagnostics.
- Plugged PCV orifice and high crankcase pressure, with or without an oil leak: 20-NA-047, 2018–2022.
- Normal LYX crankcase pressure: −1 to −5 inH₂O, hot idle in Park.
Before you replace parts
Two GM statements apply before parts are ordered. 22-NA-224 limits throttle body and MAF sensor replacement to parts that are damaged or found to be the cause of the code. 20-NA-047 says testing for excessively positive crankcase pressure is necessary for root-cause isolation when diagnosing P1101 or engine oil leaks on these engines. That matters for an oil-leak estimate as well: the bulletin’s subject is a front or rear crankshaft oil leak with P1101, and the cause it gives is crankcase pressure from a plugged PCV orifice.
On this page
GM diagnostic paths
Charge air cooler outlet tube separated from the throttle body
2018–2022 Equinox and Terrain, 1.5L LYX
- How to confirm
- In this bulletin P1101 can set with P0101, P0172, P0299 or P0506, alongside reduced engine power or a lit MIL. The technician confirms whether the outlet pipe is still connected at the throttle body.
- GM correction
- A separated tube leads to inspection of the tube, retainer clip and throttle body. A damaged tube or a missing O-ring seal means a new tube assembly, and a throttle body with abnormal witness marks or damage is replaced. If the tube is connected, GM’s published diagnostics continue for each stored code.
22-NA-224 · PDF pp. 1–3
Missing or damaged O-ring in the charge air cooler coupler
2018–2019 Equinox and Terrain, 1.5L LYX (PIP5402D also lists the 2.0L LTG)
- How to confirm
- Used after normal SI diagnostics have not found a solution, with P015B and/or P1101 set current or in history. GM places the coupler on the passenger side of the charge air cooler, where the air duct slips in.
- GM correction
- The PI directs inspection of the O-ring at that coupler and lists no part number. GM notes that a smoke test of the induction and charge air cooler system may help isolate other leaks; that is shop work.
PIP5402D · PDF pp. 1–2
Plugged PCV orifice causing high crankcase pressure
2018–2022 Equinox and Terrain, 1.5L LYX
- How to confirm
- The complaint can be a front or rear crankshaft oil leak, a lit MIL, or both, and the technician may find P1101 stored. A technician records crankcase pressure with GM’s Evaporative Emissions System Tester (EEST). Normal for the LYX is −1 to −5 inH₂O in Park at hot idle; anything above 0 inH₂O counts as excessively positive and needs further diagnosis.
- GM correction
- With excessive positive pressure, GM has the technician check for air induction restrictions and inspect the PCV orifice and the camshaft cover’s PCV passages for blockage. The orifice is replaced as necessary along with the camshaft cover gaskets.
20-NA-047 · PDF pp. 1–3
Which GM document matches the symptom
P1101 on its own does not identify the fault on this engine. GM ties it to a separated charge-air connection, a missing or damaged coupler seal, or excess crankcase pressure. The three documents differ in model years and in the symptoms reported with the code.
GM documents that name P1101 for the Equinox and Terrain 1.5L LYX.
| GM document | Years | Reported with P1101 | GM finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22-NA-224 (2022-11), PDF pp. 1–3 | 2018–2022 | Reduced engine power and/or MIL; P0101, P0172, P0299 or P0506 may also set | CAC outlet tube separated from the throttle body |
| PIP5402D (2018-07-25), PDF pp. 1–2 | 2018–2019 | Check engine lamp and/or reduced engine power; P015B may also set | Missing or damaged CAC coupler O-ring, checked after normal SI diagnostics |
| 20-NA-047 (2023-01), PDF pp. 1–3 | 2018–2022 | Front or rear crankshaft oil leak and/or MIL | Higher than normal crankcase pressure from a plugged PCV orifice |
Charge-air paths: 22-NA-224 and PIP5402D
22-NA-224 starts with one question: is the charge air cooler outlet tube still connected at the throttle body? If it is, the technician moves on to the published diagnostics for P1101 and any other code that set. If it is not, GM’s photos separate normal witness marks on the throttle body from damage that calls for replacement, and the tube end is checked for contact damage or a missing O-ring seal.
PIP5402D comes later in the sequence. It is preliminary information for 2018–2019 models, and it applies after normal SI diagnostics have not found a solution. Its condition is a lit check engine lamp and/or reduced engine power, with P015B and/or P1101 current or in history.
Oil leak with P1101: the crankcase pressure test
20-NA-047, dated January 2023, replaces PIP5417C. The cause it gives is higher than normal crankcase pressure from a plugged positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) orifice. The reading is in inches of water, recorded in Park at hot idle with GM’s EEST.
If pressure is in the normal range, diagnosis continues through GM’s strategy-based diagnostics for oil leaks and/or P1101. If it is above 0 inH₂O, GM has the technician look for air induction restrictions in the front air intake duct to the air cleaner housing or in the housing itself: nesting materials, water intrusion or ice blockage, a kinked PCV tube, or modifications to the induction system. The PCV correction removes the camshaft cover so the orifice and the cover’s PCV passages can be inspected.
GM also covers P1101 without an oil leak: when excessive positive crankcase pressure exists, an obstructed PCV orifice would be suspect, requiring orifice replacement. The bulletin refers cracked-piston conditions, which are usually accompanied by P0300 and can raise crankcase pressure, to bulletins 18-NA-171 and 19-NA-122. Those bulletins are not covered here.
LYX crankcase pressure in 20-NA-047, transmission in Park at hot idle. GM gives no direction for a reading between −1 and 0 inH₂O.
| Reading | What GM says | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| −1 to −5 inH₂O | Normal range (GM lists the L3A, LE2, LFV and LYX together). Continue strategy-based diagnostics for oil leaks and/or P1101 per SI. | 20-NA-047, PDF p. 2 |
| Above 0 inH₂O | Excessively positive: a positive crankcase pressure concern requiring further diagnostics, including induction restrictions and the PCV orifice. | 20-NA-047, PDF pp. 2–3 |
The 2.0L LTG appears in one document only
For 2018–2019, PIP5402D also lists the Equinox and Terrain with the 2.0L LTG. Neither 22-NA-224 nor 20-NA-047 lists that engine, so their findings and the pressure range above are not references for a 2.0L LTG.
GM warranty labor time by repair path
Two of the three documents list warranty labor operations: 22-NA-224 for vehicles repaired under the Powertrain coverage, and 20-NA-047 under the Base Emission Warranty coverage. PIP5402D lists none. The figures are hours, not a price.
GM warranty labor time for the Equinox and Terrain 1.5L LYX, from 22-NA-224, PDF p. 3, and 20-NA-047, PDF p. 5. Hours, not dollars.
| Labor operation | Description | GM warranty labor time | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4086948 | Install Charge Air Tube Retainer Kit | 0.4 hr | 22-NA-224, PDF p. 3 |
| Add, if needed | Replace Charge Air Cooler Outlet Tube | 0.6 hr (Equinox, Terrain) | 22-NA-224, PDF p. 3 |
| Add, if needed | Throttle Body Replacement | 0.2 hr | 22-NA-224, PDF p. 3 |
| 4087348 | Crankcase Pressure Test | 0.3 hr | 20-NA-047, PDF p. 5 |
| Add | Camshaft Cover Inspection, Cleaning and Orifice Replacement | 3.3 hrs (Equinox, Terrain) | 20-NA-047, PDF p. 5 |
Questions and answers
Is there a recall for reduced engine power on a Chevy Equinox?
No recall in NHTSA’s records, read on October 14, 2026, covers the charge air tube, charge air cooler, turbocharger or air intake on a 2018–2022 Equinox or Terrain. The GM documents on this page are two service bulletins and one preliminary information document; none of them is a recall. Recall status belongs to the individual vehicle, so enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How do you fix P1101 on an Equinox or Terrain?
GM’s repair depends on the finding. A separated charge air cooler outlet tube leads to inspection: a new tube assembly if the tube is damaged or its O-ring seal is missing, a new throttle body only if it is damaged (22-NA-224). A missing or damaged coupler O-ring is the 2018–2019 check after normal diagnostics (PIP5402D). Excessive crankcase pressure leads to restriction checks and, as necessary, a new PCV orifice with camshaft cover gaskets (20-NA-047). All three corrections are work for a GM dealer or qualified technician.
How much does it cost to fix the P1101 code on an Equinox or Terrain?
None of the three GM documents gives a price. Two of them list GM warranty labor time. Under 22-NA-224 it is 0.4 hr for the charge air tube retainer kit, plus 0.6 hr if the outlet tube is replaced and 0.2 hr for a throttle body. Under 20-NA-047 it is 0.3 hr for the crankcase pressure test, plus 3.3 hrs for camshaft cover inspection, cleaning and orifice replacement. PIP5402D lists no labor time. A shop’s bill depends on its labor rate and on the parts the VIN calls for, and a GM dealer can say whether warranty coverage applies to a given vehicle.
Can you drive with a P1101 code?
None of the three GM documents says. They give no driving guidance and no distance or time limit. Have the vehicle diagnosed by a GM dealer or qualified technician, and mention any loss of power or oil leak when booking, since those symptoms decide which GM document applies.