2005 Chevrolet Equinox

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO AVOID A CRASH AND THE BRAKES FAILED. SHE CRASHED INTO A CEMENT OVERPASS AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE CONTACT NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. SHE FEELS THAT THE ABS FAILED AND CAUSED THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO FAIL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISED RIBS AND LACERATIONS TO THE FOREHEAD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INSURANCE LOT FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, BUT THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. UPDATED 05/05/09 *BF UPDATED 05/06/09.*JB

REAR HATCH 'PUMPS' STOPPED WORKING. ONE COULD LOSE A LIMB OR BECOME DECAPITATED. THEREFORE, THE REAR SECTION OF CAR IS NOT USABLE, NOR CAN ONE CLEAN THE INSIDE OF THE REAR WINDOW. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT THE OWNER SHOULD HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING. I HAVE NEVER HAD (OUT OF MANY GM LIFT BACK VEHICLES) THIS TYPE OF THING HAPPEN. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE EQUINOX WITH LESS THAN 23000 MILES THIS VEHICLE SHIFTS IN GEAR EXTREMELY HARD WHICH AT TIMES PROPELS YOU FORWARD. IT ALSO HITS HIGH RPM BEFORE IT SHIFTS INTO GEAR. ONE TIME IT HIT ALMOST 6000 RPMS WHILE DRIVING UP HILL BEFORE IT KICKED INTO GEAR. THIS SAME VEHICLE HAS ALSO FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WHEN TRYING TO PUT IT INTO REVERSE FROM PARK. I RECEIVED A GM BULLETIN FROM MY LOCAL DEALER AND TOLD THIS IS A PROBLEM GM IS AWARE OF BUT WILL NOT COVER TO BE FITTED DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT REQUIRING IT. DOES SOMEONE HAS TO BE KILLED FROM THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. *TR

IN JANUARY, 2008, I STARTED TO NOTICE AN ANTIFREEZE ODOR WHENEVER THE WEATHER WARMED A LITTLE. ON FEBRUARY 2, I STOPPED TO GET THE CARE WASHED AND WHILE I WAS DRYING IT OFF NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, WITH A STRONG ANTIFREEZE ODOR. I DROVE THE CAR DIRECTLY TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC, ONE THAT I USE EXCLUSIVELY FOR AFTER-WARRANTY REPAIRS IN MY TOWN. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD WHAT SEEMED TO BE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON INITIAL EXAMINATION, BUT THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW FOR SURE AFTER THEY WERE ABLE TO CHECK IT FURTHER. INDEED IT WAS WHAT THEY THOUGHT, AND IT COST ME $970 TO REPAIR. I ASKED THEM WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SUCH A THING IN A 2005 CHEVY EQUINOX THAT WASN'T EVEN 4 YEARS OLD. I WAS TOLD THAT CHEVROLET USES DEX-COOL ORANGE COOLANT IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. IT HAS ONLY BEEN NOW,MONTHS LATER, THAT I HAVE LEARNED GM AGREED TO SETTLE A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT TIED TO THE ENGINE COOLANT IN VEHICLES BEGINNING IN 1995. I HAVE OBTAINED A COPY OF THE PAPERWORK FOR THE CLASS-ACTION SUIT AND AM AWARE THAT THE YEARS INVOLVED ARE 1995 TO 2003 FOR THE GROUP A VEHICLES WITH 3.1 LITER OR 3.4 LITER V6 ENGINES MANUFACTURED BEFORE 4/10/2003. I WAS NOT FORTUNATE TO BELONG WITHIN THIS GROUP OF CARS WHO COULD BE COMPENSATED, AND MISSED THE FILING DEADLINE OF OCTOBER 27, 2008. HOWEVER, I AM EXTREMELY UPSET THAT GM CONTINUED TO USE THIS COOLANT IN A BRAND NEW MODEL IN 2005 KNOWING THERE HAD BEEN SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR THE SAME TYPE ENGINE FOR YEARS OF USING IT. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY WAY I CAN RECOUP THE COST OT REPAIRING MY CAR DURING A TIME WHEN I STILL OWED ALMOST 1 1/2 YEARS PAYMENTS BEFORE IT WAS PAID OFF. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SALESMAN TOLD ME IF I HAD OWNED A 2007 MODEL IT WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. THAT WAS A HEARTWARMING THING TO HEAR. *TR

37000 MILES THE BRAKES WERE GRINDING AND CAR SHIMMIED WHEN THE WERE APPLIED. TOOK CAR TO DEALER STATED NEEDED NEW PADS, PUT ON NEW PADS. WORKED FINE FOR 800 MILES, STARTED GRINDING AGAIN DEALER STATED NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND CALIPERS NOW. TOOK CAR TO DIFFERENT DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CARS FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS WARPING THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS. THE PARTS ARE NOT UNDER WARRANTY OVER 36000 MILES. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLES!!! *TR

MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX STARTING MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES AND TURNING. IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS LOCKED FROM THE MIDDLE OF MY CAR TO THE BACK OF MY CAR. I WAS TOTALLY CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND WAS VERY SHAKEN. I STOPPED AND LOOKED AT MY TIRES AND TO SEE IF ANYTHING WAS HANGING DOWN FROM THE CAR. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING THAT WAS OBVIOUS. IT WAS 9:00AM. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP SO I DROVE THERE. I WAS SCARED AND SHAKEN AND DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM WAS GOING TO CAUSE ME TO HAVE A WRECK OR POSSIBLY BE STRANDED. WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP, A GENTLEMAN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WENT FOR A DRIVE WITH ME. MY CAR DIDN'T MAKE THE LOUD GRINDING, BUT ONLY A LITTLE. HE SAID THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WOULD TAKE OFF ALL 4 WHEELS AND CHECK THE BRAKES. MY HUSBAND LEFT WORK TO PICK ME UP AS THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE DONE BEFORE LUNCH. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED ME AT WORK AND SAID IT WAS NOT THE BRAKES, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, BUT HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND HE WOULD CALL ME AFTER LUNCH. HE ASKED IF I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR, I SAID NO, BUT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A 3 YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. HE AGREED. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED 5 MONTHS TODAY, JANUARY 24TH AND MY MILEAGE IS PAST THE WARRANTY BY 1,424 MILES. MY CAR HAS 37,700 MILES ON IT. MY HUSBAND OWNS A 1996 CHEVY S10 PICKUP WITH OVER 200,00 MILES ON IT AND NOTHING THIS MAJOR HAS EVER HAPPENED WITH HIS TRUCK. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. HE SAID HE WOULD BUILD A BUSINESS CASE DOCUMENT TO PRESENT TO GM BOARD FOR REVIEW. I THINK GM SHOULD PAY FOR EXPENSES TO HAVE THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. I MADE A PUN COMMENT THAT SINCE THIS COST WAS AROUND $2400 THAT I WANTED GM TO BAIL ME OUT, COMPARED TO THE BILLIONS THEY JUST RECEIVED FROM AMERICAN TAXPAYERS. GM SUCCESS DEPENDS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. AGAIN MY CAR ONLY HAS 37,700 MILES ON IT. *TR