IllustrationA CRASH THAT DESTROYED THE DRIVERS FRONT FENDER AND FORCED THE CAR INTO A TREE WITH A FORCE TO DENT THE FENDER AND DESTROYING THE PASSENGER REAR DOOR. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT A SPRING THAT CONTROLS THE AIRBAG HAD TO BE REPLACED. WE DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PART. *TR
2005 Chevrolet Equinox
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 382.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Equinox years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
910–25K
7725–50K
10450–75K
9775–100K
104100–150K
34150K+
507 reports with mileage · 131 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 159 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 114 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
56 crash reports13 fire reports32 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
38 reportsPROBLEMS WITH CAR BEGAN IMMEDIATELY (TRANSMISSION, AIR CONDITIONER, ODOMETER, WINDOW MOTOR, CAR SHIFTING ABRUPTLY, AND SKIDDING ON ANY WET SERVICE.) FINALLY WENT INTO 20 FT SKID, WHEELS LOCKED, NO RESPONSE TO STEERING. CAR HIT POLE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK. CAR TOTALED. *TR
I HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A CONCRETE WALL IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX ON DECEMBER 15, 2007. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55-60 MPH WHEN THE HEAD ON COLLISION OCCURRED. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER THE TALC POWER AND THE SMELL CAME OUT. I HAD AN INVESTIGATION DONE ON THE AIRBAGS. I WAS TOLD BY A GM INVESTIGATION REP THAT TH…
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I HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A CONCRETE WALL IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX ON DECEMBER 15, 2007. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55-60 MPH WHEN THE HEAD ON COLLISION OCCURRED. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER THE TALC POWER AND THE SMELL CAME OUT. I HAD AN INVESTIGATION DONE ON THE AIRBAGS. I WAS TOLD BY A GM INVESTIGATION REP THAT THE VEHICLE HAS TO SLOW DOWN 10-15 MPH FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN 11.85 MPH WHICH FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. I NEED A SECOND OPINION BECAUSE GM STATED THAT DESPITE WHAT THE REPORT SAYS, THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT FOR THE AIRBAGS. *TR
2005 CHEVY EQUINOX AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER STATES THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AND AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HE STATES THAT THE CRASH SPEED WAS ABOUT 35 MPH. *KB
NUMEROUS FAILURES ON THIS CAR. THE A/C AND TRANSMISSION DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST 100 MILES. THE POWER WINDOW FAILED. TRANSM. SHIFTED ON CURVES AND WOULD MOMENTARILY LOSE ALL CONTROL OF CAR. COMPLAINED THAT HAD NO WHEEL DRIVE IN WET OR SNOW. WOULD JUMP SIDEWAYS OR SKID. ,NOW HEAD-ON INTO PHONE POLE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, SEA…
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NUMEROUS FAILURES ON THIS CAR. THE A/C AND TRANSMISSION DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST 100 MILES. THE POWER WINDOW FAILED. TRANSM. SHIFTED ON CURVES AND WOULD MOMENTARILY LOSE ALL CONTROL OF CAR. COMPLAINED THAT HAD NO WHEEL DRIVE IN WET OR SNOW. WOULD JUMP SIDEWAYS OR SKID. ,NOW HEAD-ON INTO PHONE POLE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK. AS A RESULT, HIT STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD. INJURIES. *TR
2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AFTER BEING HIT IN THE REAR WHILE STOPPED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT ENGAGE.*MR THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES WHEN HE WAS PUSHED FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE CRASHED INTO FOUR OTHER VEHICLES. UPON IMPACT,EST DUAL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY TO IT'S FULL CAPACITY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. *AK........THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS ONLY AFTER THE EQUINOX MADE CONTACT WITH OTHER VEHICLES. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED TO…
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WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE CRASHED INTO FOUR OTHER VEHICLES. UPON IMPACT,EST DUAL AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY TO IT'S FULL CAPACITY. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. *AK........THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS ONLY AFTER THE EQUINOX MADE CONTACT WITH OTHER VEHICLES. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED TO THE STREET AFTER IMPACT, THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STRUCK FROM BEHIND. THE RIGHT WHEEL ON PASSENGER'S SIDE CAME OFF. ALSO, THE SHERIFF ON THE SCENE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE PEDAL AFTER THERE WAS ACCESS TO THE VEHICLE.*AK
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE AIR BAG MODULE. WHEN INSTALLED A BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) WAS ALSO NEEDED. WHEN THE BCM WAS INSTALLED DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO PROGRAM IT TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE AIR BAG MODULE IN ORDER FOR THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT OR IMPACT. DEALERSHIP OR …
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AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE AIR BAG MODULE. WHEN INSTALLED A BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) WAS ALSO NEEDED. WHEN THE BCM WAS INSTALLED DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO PROGRAM IT TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE AIR BAG MODULE IN ORDER FOR THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT OR IMPACT. DEALERSHIP OR MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK
Official recalls
104V302000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jun 30, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, 'THEFT PROTECTION.' AN IGNITION KEY PARK LOCK CABLE END FITTING WAS NOT FULLY SEATED ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER NAIL HEAD DURING INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN PREVENT THE CABLE AUTO-SET FROM CORRECTLY ADJUSTING THE CABLE. AN INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED CABLE PREVENTS THE SHIFTER FROM LOCKING IN THE 'PARK' POSITION WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED FROM THE KEY CYLINDER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING SHIFT LOCK WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED. DEALERS WILL REPAIR VEHICLES THAT EXHIBIT THE SUBJECT CONDITION. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.