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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Electrical System complaints

159 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2022
Electrical System

Upon purchasing the vehicle from a buy here pay here they did not enclose any possible or current failures or problems with the vehicle. It started with the battery and within 2 months of purchase the check engine light came on. I had previously taken the vehicle to the dealership 3 times to assess the issue in which they repeat…

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Upon purchasing the vehicle from a buy here pay here they did not enclose any possible or current failures or problems with the vehicle. It started with the battery and within 2 months of purchase the check engine light came on. I had previously taken the vehicle to the dealership 3 times to assess the issue in which they repeatedly informed me nothing was wrong even though my check engine light was still on. A month later my CV axel went out and my alignment begin to come out of place. I took the vehicle to an auto shop in which they gave me an estimate of all the issues wrong with the car. I have since done repairs for what was necessary. I then began to look for a recall on the vehicle in which I found that there was a manufacturer recall that was I repaired regarding the Safety lock theft prevention. My ignition switch does not register properly when it is in “off mode”. The engine still runs and numerous attempts to stop it have failed. I contacted the dealership and they have not been willing to work with me in any way. I called the manufacturer number and was directed to a Chevrolet dealership near me in which they told me there are no recalls even though the NHTSA.gov website states there is as well as numerous others but that they have not been repaired. When I place my vehicle in the park position and remove the key from the ignition I am still able to move the gear shift into any selected gear, both with and without the normal brake and the emergency brake. I cannot afford to take it to a shop for repair but did take it to be inspected and was informed that this was an issue along with others and that it could be the reason my battery is not holding the power it needs and why I cannot remove my key sometimes as well as why the engine remains running after switching to the off position and removing my key.

NHTSA ODI #11489278

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

unknown replaced complete ac system/starter/new battery/ key inserted no response at all ingigtion seems to be a problem turn on key let go it was starting now nothing

NHTSA ODI #11437047

15,900 miles · May 13, 2021
Electrical SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed ControlInjury

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT AS NEEDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO EXCEED 20 MPH. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SURGE THAT WENT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING AN INJURY TO THE CONTACT. MEDIC…

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THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT AS NEEDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO EXCEED 20 MPH. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SURGE THAT WENT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING AN INJURY TO THE CONTACT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE BATTERY TERMINALS WERE DISCONNECTED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET NORFOLK (6252 E. VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD, NORFOLK, VA 23502, (757) 266-5804) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,900.

NHTSA ODI #11416474

18,000 miles · Jan 21, 2021
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE OWNER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THE OWNER HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED SEVERAL SAFETY RELATED FAILURES WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE INVOLVING THE BRAKING SYSTEM THE TRANSMISSION, THE POWER TRAIN AND THE H…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE OWNER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THE OWNER HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED SEVERAL SAFETY RELATED FAILURES WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE INVOLVING THE BRAKING SYSTEM THE TRANSMISSION, THE POWER TRAIN AND THE HEATING SYSTEM. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER(UNKNOWN) AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ODI #11389216

35 miles · Dec 5, 2020
Electrical SystemSeat BeltsUnknown Or Other

VEHICLE IS ABLE TO DRIVE WHILE KEY IS OUT OF IGNITION WHEN ENGINE IS ALREADY RUNNING. SEAT BELT DISCONNECTS RANDOMLY. VEHICLE CAN BE OPEN WITH A NICKEL COIN. ECU TRIGGERS WARNING LIGHTS RANDOMLY

NHTSA ODI #11377995

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2020
Electrical System

WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN 2015 TO THE PADDOCK CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN KENMORE NY, MY BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THIS CAUSED THE CD CHANGER TO NO LONGER WORK. IT IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING, CDS WONT EJECT AND ALL IT DOES IS MAKE A CLICKING SOUND.

NHTSA ODI #11341431

156,000 miles · Mar 12, 2020
Electrical System

KEY FALLS OUT OF THE IGNITION SINCE I GOT IT A YEAR AGO I HAVE REPLACED 02 SENSOR AC COMPRESSOR AND A WATER TANK. IT WAS ACTING LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING FUEL LIKE LOSING POWER AND THEN I KILLED IT WENT TO START IT THE NEXT DAY AND IT WON'T CRANK IT WILL TURN OVER AND ACT LIKE IT WANTS TO RUN BUT IT DIES

NHTSA ODI #11317722

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2019
Electrical System

MY KEY TO MY CAR WON'T TURN. AND WHEN YOU DO GET IT STARTED BY HITTING IT THE KEY FALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS MY THIRD TIME REPLACING IT BUT SAW THERE'S BEEN RECALLS FOR THE LOCK IGNITION SWITCH FOR THIS MODEL. IT'S STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN A YEAR AFTER I LAST REPLACED THE LOCK IGNITION SWITCH.

NHTSA ODI #11288680

182,427 miles · Aug 12, 2019
Electrical SystemFire

MY UNDER HOOD FUSE BOX WENT UP IN FLAMES WHILE DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD IN MY HOME TOWN. I WAS DOING 45 MPH WHEN THEN TRUCK SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. I AT FIRST THOUGHT WAS THE FUEL PUMP WENT. WHEN I OPENED MY DRIVERS DOOR I COULD SMELL SOMETHING WAS BURNING. I PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE AS I EXITED KINDLY DOWN AND LOOKED UNDER THE …

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MY UNDER HOOD FUSE BOX WENT UP IN FLAMES WHILE DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD IN MY HOME TOWN. I WAS DOING 45 MPH WHEN THEN TRUCK SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. I AT FIRST THOUGHT WAS THE FUEL PUMP WENT. WHEN I OPENED MY DRIVERS DOOR I COULD SMELL SOMETHING WAS BURNING. I PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE AS I EXITED KINDLY DOWN AND LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK DID NOT SEE AND SMOKE. I THEN WENT AND OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE UNDER HOOD FUSE BOX WAS ON FIRE AND WAS BEING FUELED BY THE BATTERY I RASH TO THE BACK AND GRABBED A PAIR OF PLIERS TO DISCUSS CONNECT THE BATTERY. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE BECAUSE I HAD TO CALL 6 DIFFERENT JUNK YARDS SOME THE PARTS WERE ALREADY REMOVED AND OTHERS DID NOT HAVE ALL BUT HAD ONE OF THEM AND A COUPLE THE PARTS WERE MELTED AND BURNT.

NHTSA ODI #11243321

118,140 miles · Mar 22, 2018
Electrical System

MY KEY COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION NO MATTER WHAT GEAR IT IS IN. THE VEHICLE JUST SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING AS I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN ON A CITY STREET. I AM NOW UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE KEY IS ALSO TOUGH TO PULL OUT SOMETIMES.

NHTSA ODI #11080874

Official recalls

1

04V302000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Chevrolet Equinox problems