P0299 is "Turbocharger/Supercharger 'A' Underboost Condition" — the engine control module compared actual boost against the target it calculated and found actual boost falling short for long enough to set a code. On a Chevrolet Equinox this is overwhelmingly a 1.5L turbo (RPO LYX) problem, and GM's own bulletins point at two things far more often than a failed turbocharger: ice or moisture inside the charge air cooler, and a charge air cooler outlet tube that has separated from the throttle body. If you own a 2019 Equinox with the 1.5L, there is an open emission recall that names P0299 by code and fixes the second one free of charge.
Jump to a section: What P0299 means · The free recall first · The two-part code form · Symptoms · Causes and how to confirm each · Affected Equinox years · How it's diagnosed · GM's cold-weather repair chart · Parts, labor and cost · Service bulletins · What other pages get wrong · FAQ
What Does P0299 Mean on a Chevy Equinox?
The ECM continuously compares the boost pressure it is commanding against the boost pressure the manifold absolute pressure sensor actually reports. When actual boost sits meaningfully below target for a calibrated period, it sets P0299 and usually drops the engine into reduced power to protect it.
The important thing to understand is that P0299 describes a result, not a part. It says boost is missing. It does not say the turbocharger has failed. On the 1.5L Equinox, GM's published bulletins trace that missing boost to restrictions and leaks in the charge air path far more often than to the turbo itself — and the single most common restriction is ice.
GM's wording for the cause, in bulletin 18-NA-020: moisture builds up inside the charge air cooler, and in cold temperatures ambient and PCV moisture can freeze there, restricting flow and setting P0299 and/or P2227. That is a design susceptibility on air-to-air charge air coolers on small-displacement engines, and GM says so in the bulletin.
Check the Recall Before You Spend Anything
If your Equinox is a 2019 with the 1.5L LYX engine, GM issued Emission Recall N192271200 in December 2019, and P0299 is one of the five codes named in it by number. The condition is the charge air cooler outlet duct disconnecting from the throttle body under boost. The remedy is an improved charge air cooler retainer, part 13434668, and GM's recall document states dealers are to service involved vehicles at no charge to customers, regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership.
The recall's model table covers 2019 Chevrolet Equinox (LYX), 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (LFV) and 2019 GMC Terrain (LYX). The codes GM lists for the condition are P0172, P0299, P0101, P1101 and P0506 — so if you have P0299 stacked with any of those on a 2019, this is where to start.
Check your VIN before authorising any paid diagnosis. Involved vehicles are flagged "open" in GM's warranty system, so any dealer can check in a minute.
The recall covers the 2019 model year only. But there is a second free-repair path that reaches much further, and most owners never hear about it: ECM reprogramming under 22-NA-002 and 18-NA-020 carries warranty coverage code E2, covered for 8 years / 80,000 miles in the U.S. (8 years / 130,000 km in Canada), well beyond the standard powertrain term. If your P0299 is cold-weather related, ask about that specifically.
Is There a P0299-00 Sub-Code?
GM usually writes trouble codes in two parts — a five-character base code, then a two-digit failure type byte after a dash. Across every GM bulletin we opened that names this code — 18-NA-020, 22-NA-002, N192271200, N192266090, PIP5651 series, PIP5812C, PIP5927D — P0299 is written bare, with no suffix.
If a site shows you a table of P0299 sub-types with distinct meanings for -00, -04, -1C and so on, that is a generic template applied to every code on that site, not GM documentation.
What Are the Symptoms of P0299 on an Equinox?
- Check engine light on
- Reduced Engine Power message and a hard limit on acceleration — GM describes the customer complaint as exactly this: MIL illuminated or a reduced power complaint
- Sluggish acceleration, worst when merging, passing or climbing
- The problem appearing or worsening in cold weather, often on the first hard freeze of the season, and clearing again as things warm up
- A loud hiss or whoosh under acceleration if the fault is a leak rather than ice
- Reduced fuel economy, because the engine works harder for the same output
- Rough running or a misfire alongside it — GM notes heavy acceleration can draw accumulated moisture into the engine and set P0300
- Companion codes: P2227 (barometric pressure sensor range/performance), P0234 (overboost), P0300 (misfire), and on the disconnected-tube path, P1101, P0101, P0172 and P0506
The seasonal pattern is the most useful diagnostic clue you have. A P0299 that shows up every winter and disappears every spring is a moisture and ice problem, not a worn turbocharger, and GM's repair path for it is completely different.
What Causes P0299 — and How Do You Confirm Each One?
These are the causes GM itself documents for the Equinox. We have not ranked them by invented probability percentages — no GM document ranks them.
| Cause | How to confirm it | Applies to | GM document |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice in the charge air cooler restricting flow | Cold weather, temperatures averaging below 32°F/0°C, code appears under load and clears when warm. GM's remedy path is a smoke leak test first, then thaw, wash out and reinstall the CAC — labor operation exists specifically for a frozen or contaminated cooler | Equinox 2018–2024, 1.5L LYX / LSD and 2.0L LTG | 18-NA-020 |
| Frozen oil/water condensate in the Turbocharger Wastegate Regulator Solenoid Valve (TCV) | GM's own test: remove the TCV, turn it upside down to drain, then blow clean shop air regulated to 80–100 PSI through all three ports for five seconds each, twice. Air applied to port 2 should lift the spring off its seat and show a little flow at port 3 and less at port 1. If it dead-heads, the plunger has hardened deposits and the valve should be replaced | Equinox 2018–2022, 1.5L LYX | 18-NA-020, 22-NA-002, PIP5812C |
| Charge air cooler leaking | Smoke leak test of the charge air cooler using GM's essential tool GE-52250. GM's chart replaces the CAC for a leak on 2018–2022 | Equinox 2018–2024 | 18-NA-020 |
| Charge air cooler outlet tube separated from the throttle body | Open the hood and look at the large-diameter tube where it meets the metal throttle body. If it has popped off you will usually have P0299 alongside P1101, P0101, P0172 and P0506 | Equinox 2018–2022, 1.5L LYX | N192271200, 22-NA-224, PIP5651F |
| Damaged charge air inlet pipe connection at the turbocharger | GM published preliminary information for reduced power with P0237 and/or P0299 traced to a damaged charge air inlet pipe connection at the turbo. Inspect the joint at the turbocharger end, not just the throttle body end | Equinox | PIP5927D |
| Contaminated boost (MAP) sensor | GM's instruction is to remove the boost sensor and wipe it with a clean rag to remove residual moisture — and explicitly not to use chemical cleaners on it | Equinox 2018–2024 | 18-NA-020 |
| Debris blocking the charge air cooler shutter | Look through the lower grille opening. Grass, leaves and insects jam the shutter, which then fails to open or close on temperature. GM tells dealers to instruct owners to check and rinse it periodically | Equinox with CAC shutter fitted | 18-NA-020 |
| Cracked charge air piping or a loose clamp anywhere in the tract | Smoke test from the turbocharger to the throttle body. GM's stated first requirement is confirming there are no leaks anywhere along that path | General | 18-NA-020 |
| Failed turbocharger | The last thing to check, not the first. Rule out every leak and restriction above before condemning the turbo | General | — |
Which Equinox Models Actually Get P0299?
| Vehicle | Years | Engine (RPO) | Documented issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Equinox | 2018–2024 | 1.5L LYX / LSD, 2.0L LTG | Moisture and ice in the charge air cooler (18-NA-020) |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 2018–2022 | 1.5L LYX | Frozen TCV condensate; thermal wrap remedy |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 2018–2022 | 1.5L LYX | Cold-weather ECM calibration (22-NA-002) |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 2019 | 1.5L LYX | Emission recall N192271200 — free remedy |
Two model-specific details that change the repair: GM only requires replacing the charge air cooler if the vehicle's build date is before 03/01/2018 and IVH shows the CAC has not already been replaced. And on 2021–2024 vehicles, whether your Equinox carries RPO VRI determines whether a shutter needs fitting at all. Both are things a dealer reads off your VIN, and both are reasons a shop quoting you a new charge air cooler sight-unseen is guessing.
How Is P0299 Diagnosed?
- Check the VIN for open recalls and field actions first. On a 2019 Equinox 1.5L this can end the job at zero cost.
- Note the weather. If the code appears in the cold and clears when it warms up, you are on GM's ice path and the whole repair chart below applies. Say so to whoever is diagnosing it.
- Look at the charge air cooler outlet tube at the throttle body. A one-minute visual. If it has separated, that is your answer.
- Inspect the TCV. Remove it, drain it upside down, blow 80–100 PSI clean shop air through all three ports for five seconds each, twice, and check that port 2 lifts its spring off the seat. A dead-heading port 2 means replace the valve.
- Remove the boost sensor and wipe it dry with a clean rag. No chemical cleaners.
- Smoke leak test the charge air cooler and the full path from turbocharger to throttle body. GM's essential tool for this is the GE-52250 Power Smoke Diagnostic Leak Detector. This is the step that separates a leak from a restriction.
- Check the shutter through the lower grille for debris jamming it.
- Scan for companion codes. P2227 or P0300 with P0299 strongly supports the moisture story. P1101, P0101, P0172 or P0506 with P0299 supports the disconnected-tube story. P0237 supports a damaged pipe at the turbocharger end.
- Only then consider the turbocharger itself.
GM's Cold-Weather Repair Chart, Plainly
18-NA-020 does not prescribe one repair. It gives a chart, and which row you land on depends on your model year, your build date, whether a shutter has already been fitted, and how cold it actually gets where you drive. GM's stated objective is blocking cold air from the charge air cooler so the moisture cannot freeze. Simplified:
| Situation | What GM calls for |
|---|---|
| 2018–2022, CAC leaking only | Replace the charge air cooler |
| 2018, CAC frozen, built before 01 Mar 2018 | Replace CAC, remove the front bumper secondary lower shutter, install the front bumper lower (CAC) shutter, plus a soft grille cover where average temperatures are below 32°F/0°C |
| 2018–2020, CAC frozen, built after 01 Mar 2018 | Shutter swap and grille cover — no CAC replacement |
| 2021–2024 without RPO VRI, CAC frozen | Shutter swap and grille cover |
| 2021–2024 with RPO VRI, CAC frozen | Soft grille cover only |
| Shutter already fitted and it still freezes | Soft grille cover over the lower grille opening |
| P0299 or P0234 on LYX/LSD, 2018–2024 | ECM reprogramming with SPS, plus TCV thermal wrap on 2018–2022 |
| CAC frozen but not leaking | Remove, thaw, wash out and reinstall — do not replace |
| CAC neither frozen nor leaking | Back to standard service information diagnostics |
Two things worth knowing about the ECM reprogram, because owners get surprised by them. The new calibration changes the cold-weather transmission shift pattern so it uses overdrive less often, which keeps engine RPM higher and generates more heat. GM explicitly instructs dealers to explain this to the customer beforehand, because you will notice higher revs on the highway in winter and it is intended behaviour, not a new fault.
And the soft grille cover comes off again. GM says to remove it once temperatures are consistently averaging 32°F/0°C or above, and not to use a grille cover when towing, in mountainous driving, or in ambient temperatures above 86°F/30°C.
What Does a P0299 Repair Cost on an Equinox?
Every part number and labor time below comes from a GM bulletin. Where GM does not publish a figure, we say so.
| Repair | GM part number | Labor operation | Labor time (Equinox) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke test and charge air cooler replacement | 85163204 (LYX/LSD), 85163205 (LTG) | 4087008 | 2.4 hrs (LYX/LSD), 2.3 hrs (LTG) |
| Clean and reinstall CAC if frozen or contaminated | — | Add | 1.0 hr |
| Smoke test and install CAC grille cover | 84624274 / 84624275 (2018–2021), 85551501 / 85551504 (2022–2024) | 1086018 | 0.6 hr |
| Smoke test and install shutter cover | 85139401 (2018–2021), 85139402 (2022–2024), retainers 11589291 ×4 | 4087308 | 1.3 hrs |
| ECM reprogram, TCV condensate removal and thermal wrap | Thermal wrap 25205589 (2018–2022 LYX) | Add | 1.0 hr |
| ECM reprogram alone, cold-weather calibration | — | 2888438 | 0.3 hr |
| Install shutter cover if also replacing the CAC | — | Add | 0.2 hr |
| Charge air tube retainer kit (disconnected tube path) | 13434668 | 4086948 | 0.4 hr |
What that means in practice:
| Scenario | DIY | Independent shop | Dealer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Equinox, disconnected tube, recall applies | n/a — take it in | n/a | $0 under N192271200 |
| Cold-weather ECM calibration | Not possible — needs SPS programming | Rarely equipped for GM SPS | 0.3 hr, and often $0 under coverage code E2 to 8 yrs / 80,000 mi |
| TCV drain, air-blow and thermal wrap | Wrap part 25205589 plus an air compressor | Bundled at 1.0 hr with the reprogram | Bundled at 1.0 hr with the reprogram |
| Reattach CAC tube with retainer kit | Retainer only, roughly $15–25 | 0.4 hr plus part | 0.4 hr plus part |
| Thaw and wash out a frozen CAC | Doable but the cooler has to come out | 1.0 hr | 1.0 hr |
| Charge air cooler replacement | Not a beginner job | 2.4 hrs plus the cooler | 2.4 hrs plus the cooler |
Note the shape of that. The cheapest documented fix is a software update that may cost you nothing, and the most expensive is a charge air cooler that GM only wants replaced under specific conditions. Ordering a cooler because a forum post said so can mean paying 2.4 hours of labor plus parts for a problem a 0.3-hour reprogram was written to prevent.
GM Bulletins and Field Actions That Name P0299
| Document | Date | Subject | Equinox coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-NA-020 | Jan 2018, rev. Feb 2024 (v24) | MIL with P0300, P0299, P0234 and/or P2227 — moisture and ice in the charge air cooler | Equinox 2018–2024, LTG / LYX / LSD |
| 22-NA-002 | Jan 2022, rev. Feb 2022 | MIL with P0299 / P0234 during cold or freezing temperatures — ECM calibration | Equinox 2018–2022, 1.5L LYX |
| N192271200 — Emission Recall | Dec 2019 | Charge air cooler duct disconnect at throttle body; names P0299 | Equinox 2019, 1.5L LYX |
| 22-NA-224 | Nov 2022 | CAC outlet tube to throttle body separated (supersedes PIP5651G) | Equinox 2018–2022, 1.5L |
| PIP5651B / PIP5651D / PIP5651F | 2019–2021 | CAC outlet hose disconnected from throttle body with P0172, P0299, P0101, P0506, P1101 | Equinox 2019, then 2018–2022 |
| PIP5812C | — | Turbocharger Wastegate Regulator Solenoid Valve inspection | Referenced by 22-NA-002 |
| PIP5927D | — | Reduced power with P0237 and/or P0299 — damaged charge air inlet pipe connection at the turbocharger | Equinox |
What Other P0299 Pages Get Wrong
- "P0299 means the turbocharger is failing." It means boost is below target. On a 1.5L Equinox, GM's published causes are ice, moisture, a disconnected tube and a stuck solenoid valve, in that order of documentation. The turbo is the last thing to condemn, not the first.
- "Replace the charge air cooler." GM's own chart replaces the CAC only for a leak, or for a frozen cooler on a vehicle built before 01 March 2018 that has not already had one. If it is frozen but not leaking, GM's instruction is to remove, thaw, wash out and reinstall it — a 1.0-hour operation, not a 2.4-hour one plus parts.
- "Nothing can be done about the cold-weather version." There is a documented software fix, a thermal wrap for the solenoid valve, a retrofit shutter and a grille cover — and the reprogram carries 8-year / 80,000-mile coverage under code E2.
- "Clean the wastegate solenoid with brake cleaner." GM's procedure is drain it, then blow 80–100 PSI clean shop air through all three ports. For the boost sensor, GM says wipe with a clean rag and explicitly not to use chemical cleaners.
- "Fit a grille cover and leave it on." GM says remove it once average temperatures reach 32°F/0°C or above, and do not use one when towing, in mountainous driving, or above 86°F/30°C.
- "There's a P0299 sub-code table." Not in any GM document we opened. P0299 appears bare in all of them.
We publish part numbers and labor times only where we could open GM's own bulletin and read them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still drive with P0299?
Short trips, cautiously. The engine will be in reduced power, so merging and passing become genuinely difficult, which is a safety issue more than a mechanical one. If the underlying cause is moisture, GM notes that heavy acceleration can draw that moisture into the engine and set a misfire code, so leaning on it is the wrong instinct. Get it diagnosed rather than driving on it all winter.
Why does my Equinox only throw P0299 in winter?
Because that is the documented failure mode. Ambient and PCV moisture collects inside the air-to-air charge air cooler, and below freezing it turns to ice and restricts flow. GM addresses it in 18-NA-020 and 22-NA-002 with a shutter, a grille cover, a thermal wrap on the wastegate solenoid and a cold-weather ECM calibration. A code that returns every December and vanishes every April is this, not a dying turbo.
Is the cold-weather fix covered under warranty?
The ECM reprogramming portion carries warranty coverage code E2, covered for 8 years or 80,000 miles in the U.S. and 8 years or 130,000 km in Canada — longer than the standard powertrain term. Other operations in 18-NA-020 fall under powertrain coverage, which your dealer checks against your VIN in IVH. On a 2019 with the disconnected-tube failure, recall N192271200 covers it outright.
Will my Equinox rev higher after the software update?
Yes, in cold weather, and that is intentional. The revised calibration uses overdrive less often at highway speeds when it is cold, keeping RPM up to generate heat and stop ice forming in the charge air cooler. GM instructs dealers to explain this before you leave, precisely so you do not come back thinking the transmission is broken.
What is P2227 doing alongside P0299?
P2227 is a barometric pressure sensor range/performance fault, and GM lists it in the same bulletin as P0299 for the same root cause. Moisture in the charge air system contaminates the boost sensor. GM's instruction is to remove the sensor and wipe it dry with a clean rag — no chemical cleaners.
Do I need a new charge air cooler?
Probably not. GM's chart calls for replacement when the cooler is leaking, or when it is frozen on a vehicle built before 01 March 2018 that has not already had one replaced. If it is frozen but sound, the published operation is remove, thaw, wash out and reinstall.
Can I do any of this myself?
Some of it. The visual check of the charge air tube at the throttle body, checking the shutter for debris, and inspecting or draining the wastegate solenoid are all within reach if you have an air compressor. The smoke leak test needs equipment, and the ECM reprogram needs GM's SPS system — that one has to be a dealer.
Does P0299 affect the 2.0L Equinox too?
Yes. 18-NA-020 covers the 2.0L LTG alongside the 1.5L. The differences are in the remedy: the ECM calibration is written for LYX and LSD only, and on 2018–2021 LTG vehicles GM's chart calls for the TCV thermal wrap without the reprogram.
Shop the Parts Mentioned
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MOTOPOWER MP69033 OBD2 Scanner — $49, reads and clears P0299 and graphs live engine load and RPM.
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VDIAGTOOL BT500 Battery Tester — $57.53, tests battery health, cranking and charging on 6V/12V/24V systems with ripple analysis and a voltage waveform — confirms the battery and charging system are healthy before you chase a sensor or circuit fault.
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95-Piece Mechanics Tool Set (Metric & SAE) — covers clamps and fasteners in the charge air system.
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Carburetor & Throttle Body Cleaning Tool Kit — useful for cleaning surrounding intake components during inspection.
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ACDelco GM OE dexos1 GEN 2 Full Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil (1 qt) — good practice while the engine bay is open for repairs.