IGNITION. WHEN KEY IS INSERTED IN IGNITION IT IS VERY DIFFICULT...TAKES A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF TRIES TO GET IT TO TURN ON.
2006 Chevrolet Equinox
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2006 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
602 reports with mileage · 93 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.
- Visibility. Review the 247 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 141 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
141 reportsMY CARS ENGINE LIGHT AND LOW ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION REDUCING MY SPEED AND NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT! WHEN IT RAINS, SNOWS OR GOES THROUGH A CAR WASH THIS HAPPENS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND NO MECHANIC HAS BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.
MY HEATER IS ONLY BLOWING OUT A LITTLE BETTER THAN COOL AIR I WOULD SAY IT IS RIGHT BELOW WARM AND I HAVE A 14 MONTH OLD CHILD THE FIX IS 750.00 DOLLARS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE MAYBE A RECALL IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ??
I PURCHASED MY 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX NEW. AT 53K MILES MY IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE MY KEY FROM MY RUNNING CAR. THERE WAS NO RECALL AND I HAD TO PAY THE DEALER LAST YEAR IN 2015. NOW IT IS HARD TO START AND AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR I HAVE TO OPEN ANOTHER DOOR BESIDES THE DRIVER DOOR TO DISABLE POWER TO THE D…
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I PURCHASED MY 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX NEW. AT 53K MILES MY IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE MY KEY FROM MY RUNNING CAR. THERE WAS NO RECALL AND I HAD TO PAY THE DEALER LAST YEAR IN 2015. NOW IT IS HARD TO START AND AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR I HAVE TO OPEN ANOTHER DOOR BESIDES THE DRIVER DOOR TO DISABLE POWER TO THE DASH INSTRUMENTS, INTERIOR LIGHTING AND RADIO.
1. 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASED THIRD TAILLIGHT SHORTED OUT DIDN'T KNOW HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. TOOK TO DEALER 7 TIMES AFTER WIRING HARNESS, THIRD TAILLIGHT REPLACED BECAUSE SPOILER CRACKED, HATCH UNABLE TO OPEN. DEALER MOVED HATCH HINGES AND SPOILER KEPT CRACKING. STILL HAVING THIRD TAILLIGHT NO BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM IS WITH WIRING FAUL…
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1. 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASED THIRD TAILLIGHT SHORTED OUT DIDN'T KNOW HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. TOOK TO DEALER 7 TIMES AFTER WIRING HARNESS, THIRD TAILLIGHT REPLACED BECAUSE SPOILER CRACKED, HATCH UNABLE TO OPEN. DEALER MOVED HATCH HINGES AND SPOILER KEPT CRACKING. STILL HAVING THIRD TAILLIGHT NO BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM IS WITH WIRING FAULTY. TAILLIGHTS ALL LEAK CAUSING WIRING SHORT IN FUSES. OTHER ISSUE IS FIRST BREAK SERVICE ABS SENSOR STAYED ON BREAK PEDAL PULSATED FOR 2 YRS 2 DEALERS 1 MECHANIC REPLACED ABS SENSOR 3X DIDN'T FIX ENDED UP PAYING FOR NEW FRONT WHEEL HUB ALSO CAUSED 3 ACCIDENTS COULD NOT STOP BECAUSE OF IT. MILEAGE IS 68700 REC 1 RECALL FOR HEATER. WHERE ARE REST?
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE BELL STARTED RINGING, THEN THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. TC-ABS-BRAKE, THEN THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED UP AS LIKE STANDARD BEFORE POWER STEERING. I PULLED OVER IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I WENT TO A GM AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP THE SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO DO???? …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE BELL STARTED RINGING, THEN THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. TC-ABS-BRAKE, THEN THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED UP AS LIKE STANDARD BEFORE POWER STEERING. I PULLED OVER IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I WENT TO A GM AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP THE SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO DO???? I WAS TALKED INTO PUTTING A NEW BRAIN IN THE EQUINOX SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS $$$$$ AND IT STILL DID THE SAME THING. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER (CHEVY) THEY HAD THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, CALLED AND SAID THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM, YEA A BENT WIRE?? WORKED FINE FOR A FEW MONTHS AND NOW ITS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. OH BY THE WAY I WAS INFORMED THAT I DID NOT NEED TO PUT A NEW BRAIN IN THE CAR THE OLD ONE WAS VERY GOOD. GM IS A REALY BAD PLACE TO BUY ANY CAR ANY MORE, THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMER ONLY THE $$$ THEY SOLD ME A CAR THEY NEW FULL WELL HAD PROBLEMS.
I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF CAUSING LOST OF STEERING,BRAKES ETC...GOT TRUCK PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD TRIED TO RESTART IT TOOK 6 TRIES BEFORE RESTARTING,THEN ON THE SAME DAY STOPPED AT STORE CUT OFF TRUCK RETURNED AND TRUCK WOULD NOT START AGAIN TAKING 6 TRIES IT MADE NO NOISE WHEN TRYING TO START AND THE…
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I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF CAUSING LOST OF STEERING,BRAKES ETC...GOT TRUCK PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD TRIED TO RESTART IT TOOK 6 TRIES BEFORE RESTARTING,THEN ON THE SAME DAY STOPPED AT STORE CUT OFF TRUCK RETURNED AND TRUCK WOULD NOT START AGAIN TAKING 6 TRIES IT MADE NO NOISE WHEN TRYING TO START AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIT UP WITH ALL THE SEVERAL WARNINGS THEN IT WOULD MAKE A CLICKING NOISE AND EVERYTHING FLASHED ON THE CLUSTER..THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR OTHER TIMES AND I AM VERY CONCERNED CAUSE IT HAPPENS WITH NO NOTICE.ON AUG 17 2015 I WENT TO START THE TRUCK AND IT WOULD START AND REPEATED THE SAME THINGS LISTED ABOVE. AFTER ABOUT SIX HRS I WENT TO START IT AGAIN IT STARTED..THIS IS PROBLEM CAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL SHUT DOWN IF II AM DRIVING IN TOWN OR THE HIGHWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIMMER SWITCH MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING SUB. NEW BATTERY, ALL LIGHTS AND RADIO WORKS, KEY SLIDES OUT WHEN CARE IS ON. ENGINE AND FAN COME ON FOR NO REASON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH HOUSING FAILED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE LOSING POWER WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH HOUSING FAILED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE LOSING POWER WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WA NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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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