After 48 Days in the Shop With No Battery ETA, a Chevy Equinox EV RS Owner Says He’s Helping His “87-Year-Old Father” Lemon-Law the Car, Losing $3,000 on Sales Tax And $1,300 in Mods, Goes on To Say “EV prices Are Dropping Like a Rock”

For one Tennessee family, enthusiasm for Chevrolet’s newest electric crossover has turned into a legal exercise in patience. 

After spending 48 days in the shop waiting for a replacement battery with no estimated arrival date, the owner of a Chevy Equinox EV RS has decided to pursue a lemon-law buyback. 

The situation is made more personal by the fact that the owner is 87 years old and, according to his son, had been telling friends just weeks earlier that it was the best car he had ever owned.

The Equinox EV was taken out of service for a battery replacement nearly two months ago. Since then, the dealership and Chevrolet have reportedly been unable to provide any timeline for when the battery will arrive, or even when they might know more. Under Tennessee law, a vehicle that is inoperable for more than 30 days qualifies for lemon-law relief, which prompted the family to begin the buyback process.

“Update

Sadly, my 87-year-old father’s Equinox RS has been in the shop for 48 days for a new battery.

Chevrolet has no answer on when the battery will arrive, and doesn’t even know when they will know.

Two months ago, my dad was telling everyone this is the best car he’s ever owned. Now he wants to get rid of the POS and go back to a gas car.

So the plan is to return the car under the lemon law, which in Tennessee states, if it is inoperable for more than 30 days, it’s a lemon.

I know it’s gonna cost me $1300 for the modifications he did, probably $3000 or so on sales tax he will lose.

I hope they don’t prorate it for the 5000 miles on it

God forbid they actually knocked the value down, since Edmunds has the value way lower than what he paid for, and the dealership offered less than half the sales price for trade-in, because they don’t want it either

Apparently, EV prices are dropping like a rock, and nobody wants them.”

While the lemon law may offer a path out for the Equinox EV owner, it does not come without cost. The owner’s son says they expect to lose roughly $3,000 in sales tax, along with $1,300 spent on aftermarket modifications that will not be reimbursed. There is also concern about mileage proration for the roughly 5,000 miles driven before the failure, which could further reduce the refund.

Chevrolet Equinox EV: Crossover Proportions & Interior Design Style

• The Equinox EV adopts familiar compact crossover proportions, easing the transition for buyers moving from gasoline models while avoiding radical styling cues.
• Front-wheel-drive configurations emphasize efficiency and cost control, trading all-weather traction and acceleration for simpler packaging and lower energy use.
• Interior design blends physical controls with a wide digital display, aiming to reduce screen dependency compared with more minimalist EV cabins.
• Cargo and passenger space are competitive for the segment, though battery packaging raises the floor height and slightly affects rear-seat leg positioning.

Adding insult to injury is the broader market context. According to the family, trade-in offers were shockingly low, with one dealership offering less than half of the original purchase price and openly stating they did not want the vehicle. Online valuation tools reportedly show a steep decline as well, reinforcing the owner’s belief that EV prices are “dropping like a rock” and making the financial hit even harder to swallow.

What stings most is the emotional whiplash. Just two months earlier, the Equinox EV had won over an older driver who found it comfortable, quiet, and easy to live with. Now, after weeks without a car and no clear communication, he wants out entirely and plans to return to a gasoline vehicle, not out of ideology but exhaustion.

Responses from other owners highlight how uneven EV ownership experiences can be. Some point to dealership competence as a major variable, arguing that certain service centers handle EV issues far better than others. Others note that battery replacements across multiple brands have been plagued by long backorders, especially on newer models, making extended downtime an unfortunate reality for early adopters.

There is also debate around whether one bad experience should sour someone on EVs altogether. Several commenters compared the situation to a transmission failure in a gas vehicle, arguing that no one swears off internal combustion entirely after a single major repair. Still, that argument carries less comfort when the owner is nearly 90 years old and simply wants a car that works without drama.

Legally, the outcome may be straightforward. Lemon-law buybacks are typically handled directly by the manufacturer and often include the full purchase price plus taxes and fees, minus allowable deductions. Emotionally and financially, however, the process rarely feels clean. Weeks without transportation, lost money on accessories, and the stress of navigating corporate systems take their toll.

This Equinox EV case shows a lingering vulnerability in the EV transition. The vehicles themselves may impress when they work, but parts availability, service readiness, and resale volatility remain weak points. For younger buyers, that risk may be acceptable. For an 87-year-old who simply wanted a dependable new car, it has proven to be a deal breaker.

Image Sources: Chevrolet Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.