IllustrationWIPERS RUN CONTINUOUSLY AND DON'T SHUT OFF. LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF. SMOKE COMES FROM DASHBOARD WHEN CAR STARTS AND/OR CAR WON'T START. PROBLEM HAPPENS BOTH WHILE CAR IS STOPPED OR IN MOTION.
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
Exterior Lighting complaints
15 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE USING THE TURN SIGNALS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE USING THE TURN SIGNALS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILLAGE WAS 212,000.
THE FRONT LIGHTS ON THE CAR COMES ON AT NIGHT WHEN CAR IS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, NOT BEING USED BY PERSONS. THIS CAR MAY NOT START IN THE MORNING BECAUSE THE BATTERY MAYBE DEAD, DUE TO LIGHTS COMING ON BY IT SELF. WE HAD THE DEFECTIVE SWITCH REPLACED IN THE PAST WEEK, AND THAT'S WHEN THE LIGHTS STARTED TO ACT UP. *TR
THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING, THE HEADLIGHTS ONLY WORK ON HIGHBEAM, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK EXCEPT FOR THE SMALL ONE IN THE MIDDLE. THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO START EVEN AFTER THE KEY IS REMOVED. THE CAR CURRENTLY RUNS HOT SO THE FAN RUNS CONSTANTLY AND RUNS THE BATTERY DOWN. I HAVE…
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THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING, THE HEADLIGHTS ONLY WORK ON HIGHBEAM, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK EXCEPT FOR THE SMALL ONE IN THE MIDDLE. THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO START EVEN AFTER THE KEY IS REMOVED. THE CAR CURRENTLY RUNS HOT SO THE FAN RUNS CONSTANTLY AND RUNS THE BATTERY DOWN. I HAVE PARKED THE CAR AND WONT DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
WENT TO START MY CAR AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. I JIGGLED IT FOR A LONG TIME AND IT FINALLY TURNED BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WONT WORK NOW. I LOOKED ON LINE AND SAW A FEW OTHER HAVE THIS ISSUE. I CANNOT DRIVE AT NIGHT NOW. *TR
CONDENSATION WATER IN HEADLIGHTS SOMETIMES VERY BAD,,,,, *TR
CPSC: I12C0328A. 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER STATED THAT HEADLIGHT LENSES ON VARIOUS NEWER VEHICLES MADE FROM THE CLEAR PLASTIC FADES AND BECOMES CLOUDY AND IS NO LONGER SAFE. *LN
I STARTED THE ENGINE, PUT IT IN DRIVE, AND MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT INDICATOR BLINKED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DAYTIME RUNNNING LIGHTS ARE NOT ON.
I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW WITH 4 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER. SINCE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED IN 2007 ($1400). MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR COSTLY REPAIRS. MY KEY COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE DRIVING, AND IT IS HARD TO START. I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE KEY EVERY O…
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I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW WITH 4 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER. SINCE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED IN 2007 ($1400). MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR COSTLY REPAIRS. MY KEY COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE DRIVING, AND IT IS HARD TO START. I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE KEY EVERY OTHER TIME I TRY TO START MY CAR. I'VE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR STARTING. WHEN I GO TO CRANK IT UP IT SOUNDS LIKES IT TRIES TO START THEN DIES. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN. MY CAR IS NOT IN THE SHOP DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE. THERE A LARGE COLLECTION OF WATER WITH MY SPARE TIRE, AND THE FLOOR IN THE BACK SEAT IS SOAKED. I WAS TOLD FROM THE GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEY SEE THIS OFTEN IN MY MODEL VEHICLE BUT NO RECALL FOR IT AT THIS TIME SO IT'S OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. ALSO I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR MY STEERING WHEEL. IT MAKES A LOUD SOUND EVERY TIME THE WHEEL IS TURNED AND THEY CANNOT SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS VERY OFTEN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT HEADLIGHT BULBS CONSTANTLY FAILED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE SEALANT WAS LOOSE, WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER AND BLOW OUT THE BULB. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIR WAS $500. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTUR…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT HEADLIGHT BULBS CONSTANTLY FAILED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE SEALANT WAS LOOSE, WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER AND BLOW OUT THE BULB. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIR WAS $500. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
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.