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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.

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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.

16 crash reports9 fire reports11 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

141 reports
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60,000 miles · Jul 1, 2014
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine And Engine Cooling

SAME AS REPORTED BELOW, ABS ISSUES, IGNITION SWITCH, OVER HEATING, WATER SOUND IN DASH, BLEND DOOR ISSUES. ONLY HAVE 80K ON CAR BUT PROBLEMS SURPASS VALUE. WHY ARE THERE NO RECALLS FOR EQUINOX? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607250

380 miles · Jun 30, 2014
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

OUR CAR IGNITION FROM DAY ONE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE .THERE ARE TIMES YOU TRY TO START IT WONT .WE TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER THEY TOLD ME I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO START MY CAR,ONE TIME THE IGNITION SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ,ONSTAR CAME ON AND HAD ME GO OUTSIDE CAR AND REDO FUEL CAP,THEN TURN KEY ON WITH OUT STARTING ,FINALLY SHE HAD ME REST…

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OUR CAR IGNITION FROM DAY ONE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE .THERE ARE TIMES YOU TRY TO START IT WONT .WE TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER THEY TOLD ME I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO START MY CAR,ONE TIME THE IGNITION SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ,ONSTAR CAME ON AND HAD ME GO OUTSIDE CAR AND REDO FUEL CAP,THEN TURN KEY ON WITH OUT STARTING ,FINALLY SHE HAD ME RESTART CAR. WE STILL HAVE IGNITION ISSUES ,I EVEN CONTACTED GM THOUGH EMAIL GOT NO RESPONSE. THEY SEEM NOT TO CARE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607245

83,000 miles · Jun 29, 2014
Electrical System

2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. NOW HAS 095431 MILES ON IT AND THIS STARTED AROUND THE 83K MILES POINT. KEY WILL NOT ROTATE FROM OFF POSITION TO ON POSITION, THUS THE CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED AND THIS HA. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL CHEVROLET VEHICLES UTILIZING HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIME. THE SAME IGNITION CYLINDER; HOWE…

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2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. NOW HAS 095431 MILES ON IT AND THIS STARTED AROUND THE 83K MILES POINT. KEY WILL NOT ROTATE FROM OFF POSITION TO ON POSITION, THUS THE CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED AND THIS HA. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL CHEVROLET VEHICLES UTILIZING HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIME. THE SAME IGNITION CYLINDER; HOWEVER CHEVROLET HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10606855

60,000 miles · Jun 26, 2014
Electrical System

2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. KEY WILL NOT ROTATE FROM OFF POSITION TO ON POSITION, THUS THE CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE IGNITION CYLINDER PRESUMED, AS THE FACTORY KEY IS INCAPABLE OF EVEN BEING ROTATED TO THE ON POSITION. A SECOND FACTORY ISSUED KEY THAT HAS BEEN SPARINGLY USED SINCE PURCHASED WAS SUBSTITUTED F…

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2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. KEY WILL NOT ROTATE FROM OFF POSITION TO ON POSITION, THUS THE CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE IGNITION CYLINDER PRESUMED, AS THE FACTORY KEY IS INCAPABLE OF EVEN BEING ROTATED TO THE ON POSITION. A SECOND FACTORY ISSUED KEY THAT HAS BEEN SPARINGLY USED SINCE PURCHASED WAS SUBSTITUTED FOR THE ORIGINAL (PROBLEM KEY). THIS SECOND KEY APPEARED TO HAVE RESOLVED THE PROBLEM, FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF USE, HOWEVER NOW THIS NEW KEY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL EITHER. BASED ON MY RESEARCH VIA THE WEB, THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL CHEVROLET VEHICLES UTILIZING THE SAME IGNITION CYLINDER; HOWEVER CHEVROLET HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10606356

35,000 miles · Jun 18, 2014
Electrical System

I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT AT TIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT START THE FIRST TIME I TURNED THE KEY. I WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO OFF POSITION AND TRY AGAIN, THIS COULD SOMETIMES TAKE A COUPLE OF TIMES. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY OVER AND OVER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE COMPLAINT. THEN FINALLY IN…

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I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT AT TIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT START THE FIRST TIME I TURNED THE KEY. I WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO OFF POSITION AND TRY AGAIN, THIS COULD SOMETIMES TAKE A COUPLE OF TIMES. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY OVER AND OVER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE COMPLAINT. THEN FINALLY IN 2013 THEY DID AND STATED THAT IT WAS INDEED THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH WOULD COST A GOOD AMOUNT TO GET FIX. THEY ALSO SHOWED ME THAT WHILE THE KEY IS IN RUNNING POSITION THAT IT COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. WITH THE LATEST OF MANY RECALLS ON THE GM VEHICLES I BELIEVE THE EQUINOX SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THIS AS THEY EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10599074

80,000 miles · Jun 3, 2014
Electrical SystemVisibility

THE BLEND DOOR ON THE HEATED IS BROKEN. I SEE THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS? IF NOT WHY ISN'T THERE? I SEE YOU ISSUED A RECALL ON THE 2010 EQUINOX FOR THIS PROBLEM. MY DAUGHTER WHO IS A COLLEGE STUDENTS DRIVES THIS CAR AND CAN'T AFFORD THE $1000+ TO REPAIR IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10595820

98,546 miles · Apr 4, 2014
Electrical SystemSteering

EN BREAKING 90% OF THE TIME.WHEN I WAS COMING TO A STOP ON THE FREEWAY MY STEERING COLUMN STARTED VIBRATING AND CONTINUES TO DO SO . WHEN STARTING TRUCK THE IGNITION KEEPS GOING AS IF THE TRUCK IS ON REPEAT START. SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION OFF THE TRUCK STAYS ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577528

99,000 miles · Apr 1, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT HAD SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND EXITED WHEN THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY RESTARTED WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAIL…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT HAD SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND EXITED WHEN THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY RESTARTED WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

NHTSA ODI #10576429

88,859 miles · Mar 20, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED IN 2010. MOST RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE STALLED SPORADICALLY AND LOST STEERING. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY CONTINUOUSLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED IN 2010. MOST RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE STALLED SPORADICALLY AND LOST STEERING. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY CONTINUOUSLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,859 AND THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 04/29/14 MA THE CONSUMER STATED THE BACK LOCK CYLINDER INTERMITTENTLY TURNED FREELY. UPDATED 05/2/2014 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10573672

82,000 miles · Mar 16, 2014
Electrical System

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM A LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN AUGUST OF 2010. AT THE TIME OF THE PURCHASE I NOTICED THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD PARTIALLY JAMMED WHEN TRYING TO START. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY PUT GRAPHITE IN THE SWITCH. IT STILL JAMS TO THIS DAY. I WAS CURIOUS IF THIS COULD BE RELATED TO THE RECAL…

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I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM A LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN AUGUST OF 2010. AT THE TIME OF THE PURCHASE I NOTICED THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD PARTIALLY JAMMED WHEN TRYING TO START. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY PUT GRAPHITE IN THE SWITCH. IT STILL JAMS TO THIS DAY. I WAS CURIOUS IF THIS COULD BE RELATED TO THE RECALL I RECENTLY READ ABOUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10572626

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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