CAR OVERHEATED GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE (ABOUT 65 MPH). BLEW A HEAD GASKET, FIXED THAT. THEN OVERHEATED A WEEK LATER WHILE IN TOWN DRIVING (ABOUT 45 MPH) BLEW A HEAD GASKET AGAIN. *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
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.
What owners actually said
638 reportsWHEN I WOULD TRY TO START THE CAR THE STARTER WOULD STICK AND JUST KEEP TURNING OVER AND OVER, AND WOULD NOT START, WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT TO START I WOULD BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE RPM'S WOULD SHOOT UP BETWEEN 3 AND 6 AND DROP TO 0 IN A MATTER OF SECONDS AND EVERYTHING IN THE CAR WOULD SHUT DOWN, THIS IS WHILE I AM DRIVING DO…
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WHEN I WOULD TRY TO START THE CAR THE STARTER WOULD STICK AND JUST KEEP TURNING OVER AND OVER, AND WOULD NOT START, WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT TO START I WOULD BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE RPM'S WOULD SHOOT UP BETWEEN 3 AND 6 AND DROP TO 0 IN A MATTER OF SECONDS AND EVERYTHING IN THE CAR WOULD SHUT DOWN, THIS IS WHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND SET THERE UNTIL IT DECIDED TO START, SOMETIMES IT TOOK AWHILE AND OTHERS IT WOULD START RIGHT UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER TO MANY TIMES TO COUNT, THIS CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS, I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT VERY BADLY. ALSO THE KEY WOULD STICK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT TURN I WOULD HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND ROCK IT BACK AND FORTH IN ORDER FOR IT TO TURN TO START THE CAR. I HAD EVERYTHING POSSIBLE DONE TO THIS CAR THAT THE MECHANIC COULD POSSIBLY THINK OF, EVEN A NEW COMPUTER AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS LATER IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY BAD WRONG WITH THE CAR AND IT NEED TO BE FIXED. I AM TIRED OF PUTTING OUT MONEY AND IT NOT BEING RESOLVED. HAVE PAPER WORK ON ALL THE WORK DONE TO THE CAR. MORE THEN 1 MECHANIC HAS LOOKED AT IT AND THEY ARE STILL SCRATCHING THERE HEADS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE KEY CAME OUT OF THE IGNITION INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE KEY CAME OUT OF THE IGNITION INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION LOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. UPDATED 01/07/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION WOULD LOCK MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE KEY. THE PASSLOCK LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. THE CONSUMER OWNS 2 CHEVROLETS WITH THE SAME MALFUNCTION. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED THE FAILURE RECURRED. UPDATED 9/28/15*JS
FOUND KEY WOULD NOT TURN PAST 'OFF' POSITION. AFTER WIGGLING KEY FINALLY TURNED ON AND WAS OK. AFTER A FEW DAYS FOUND KEY COULD BE REMOVED WHILE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. SEVERAL DAYS LATER FOUND KEY WOULD NOT MOVE SWITCH TO FULL OFF POSITION. JUST FOUND THIS SITE AND SEE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR TROUBLES. LOOKS TO ME LIKE T…
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FOUND KEY WOULD NOT TURN PAST 'OFF' POSITION. AFTER WIGGLING KEY FINALLY TURNED ON AND WAS OK. AFTER A FEW DAYS FOUND KEY COULD BE REMOVED WHILE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. SEVERAL DAYS LATER FOUND KEY WOULD NOT MOVE SWITCH TO FULL OFF POSITION. JUST FOUND THIS SITE AND SEE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WITH SIMILAR TROUBLES. LOOKS TO ME LIKE THESE SWITCHES ARE POORLY MANUFACTURED AND SHOULD BE REPLACE BY GM AT NO OR MINIMAL CHARGE TO OWNERS WHO TRUSTED THEY WERE PURCHASING A TOP NOTCH VEHICLE WITH A TRUST-WORTHY MANUFACTURER. MILEAGE AT FAILURE 90,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARK, THE SHIFT LEVER INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO DRIVE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARK, THE SHIFT LEVER INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO DRIVE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 166,000.
WATER NOISE IN DASH FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. LOOSING ANTIFREEZE BUT CAN'T FIND WHERE. NOW THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK, ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. CAN BECOME AN ISSUE WHEN DRIVING SINCE WINDSHIELD CAN FOG UP AND YOU CAN'T GET RID OF IT WITH YOUR DEFROSTER... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED GEARS EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFAC…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED GEARS EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AT THE FRONT DOOR. VEHICLE WENT RIGHT AFTER IMPACT AT FULL THROTTLE INTO A 12 FT DITCH. TURNED 90 DEGREES OUT OF THE DITCH,CAME OUT OF THE DITCH, ACROSS A 4 LANE ROAD. FRONT LEFT WHEEL CAUGHT ON A CURB, VEHICLE STILL A FULL THROTTLE WITH DRIVER TRYING TO BRAKE. VEERED TO THE LEFT, JUMPED …
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VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AT THE FRONT DOOR. VEHICLE WENT RIGHT AFTER IMPACT AT FULL THROTTLE INTO A 12 FT DITCH. TURNED 90 DEGREES OUT OF THE DITCH,CAME OUT OF THE DITCH, ACROSS A 4 LANE ROAD. FRONT LEFT WHEEL CAUGHT ON A CURB, VEHICLE STILL A FULL THROTTLE WITH DRIVER TRYING TO BRAKE. VEERED TO THE LEFT, JUMPED A 2 FT DITCH, WENT TO THE RIGHT, HIT A 3 FT ROCK, KNOCKED THE ROCK INTO THE DITCH AND CAR ENDED UP ON TOP OF THE ROCK. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT THIS THIS. VEHICLE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 953 FT AT FULL THROTTLE BEFORE HITTING THE ROCK. GM HAD REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH ONCE UNDER POLICY VEHICLE WOULD NOT COME OUT OF GEAR WHEN PARKED SOMETIMES. EVEN AFTER REPLACING IGNITION SWITCH WE CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS REMOVING KEY FROM IGNITION. NATIONWIDE INSURANCE HAS POSSESSION OF THE CAR AND IS PAYING AN OUTSIDE VENDOR TO DOWN LOAD THE DATA FROM THIS ACCIDENT. GM WAS CALLED AN WE GOT ONE PHONE CALL BACK ABOUT THIS ACCIDENT A WEEK AGO. DO HAVE PICTURES AND VIDEO FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE. ALSO HAVE A DIAGRAM OF THE DISTANCES THE CAR TRAVELED WHILE CHANGING DIRECTIONS AFTER BEING HIT. BEST TIME TO CALL IS BETWEEN 10AM AND 1PM AS I DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS AND CAN NOT TALK. OR AFTER 6PM TO 9PM. *TR
IGNITION SWITCH WON'T TURN UNLESS YOU WIGGLE IT SOMETIMES FOR 10 MINUTES. DEALER SAYS NEEDS IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED I HAVE 5 KEYS NONE WORK. WILL COST $300-$400 TO REPLACE. I HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES 15 _ 25 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. IT SEEMS CHEVY WILL ONLY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF SOMEONE DIES. I AM VERY DI…
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IGNITION SWITCH WON'T TURN UNLESS YOU WIGGLE IT SOMETIMES FOR 10 MINUTES. DEALER SAYS NEEDS IGNITION CYLINDER REPLACED I HAVE 5 KEYS NONE WORK. WILL COST $300-$400 TO REPLACE. I HAVE HAD MANY VEHICLES 15 _ 25 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE. IT SEEMS CHEVY WILL ONLY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF SOMEONE DIES. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY. I HAVE READ MANY OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS BUT NO HELP. *TR
I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND GO TO TURN KEY OVER, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE TO SIT THERE AND WIGGLE UP AND DOWN AND BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE KEY TO FINALLY TURN SO I CAN START THE CAR. NO ONE ELSE CAN DRIVE MY CAR, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE…
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I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND GO TO TURN KEY OVER, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE TO SIT THERE AND WIGGLE UP AND DOWN AND BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE KEY TO FINALLY TURN SO I CAN START THE CAR. NO ONE ELSE CAN DRIVE MY CAR, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE KEY TO TURN OVER. ALSO, MY KEYS COME OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE CAR IS IN THE ON OR OFF POSITION. I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE RECALLS ON THE GM AND CHEVY VEHICLES AND BELIEVE I AM HAVING THE SAME IGNITION ISSUE AS THE OTHER RECALLED VEHICLES. I HAVE TALKED WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT GMC ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HELP ME. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THE 2005 CHEVY EQUINOX YET. *TR
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.
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