2006 Chevrolet Equinox

HEATER STOPPED BLOWING HOT AIR. AFTER DIAGNOSIS BY CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACTUATOR FOR THE HEATER BLEND DOOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY/DAMAGED. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL HUNDRED SAFETY COMPLAINTS FILED IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE. A RESOLUTION NEEDS TO BE ATTAINED AS THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS ITEM IS AROUND $1000. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED BY GM SINCE IT BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN THE INABILITY TO DEFROST YOUR WINDSHIELD IS NOT THERE.

THERE IS 241 SAFETY COMPLAINTS ON THE HEATER BLEND DOOR! THE BLEND DOOR ON THE 2006 EQUINOX IS DEFECTIVE CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND ANY ONE ELSE ONE THE ROAD. THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR ROTATES TO FAR CAUSING THE BLEND DOOR TO BREAK. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN OVER A SHORT PERIOD BUT OVER A LONGER TIME FRAME. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES ESPECIALLY WHEN IT GETS COLD. THE WINDSHIELD WILL FREEZE UP AND WITH NO HEAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS COULD GET FROST BITE. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO ISSUES A SAFETY RECALL NOW BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED. WHAT IS THE NHTSA DOING ABOUT THIS IF ANYTHING? *TR

FAULTY TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR. NO HEAT RESULTING IN NO DEFROST OR DEFOGGER. MAJOR PROBLEM WHEN LIVING IN THE MIDWEST IN THE COLD AND WET SEASON. YOU (GM) SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLASTIC PIECE BEING REPLACED, NOT THE CONSUMER. THIS SHOULD ALSO BE A RECALL ISSUE DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT RESULT FROM THIS PROBLEM. *TR

STARTING IN DECEMBER 2011, OUR HEATER BLEND DOOR BROKE ON OUR 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. IT IS A WIDE-SPEAD ISSUE WITH THE EXACT MAKE/MODEL OF THIS VEHICLE, EFFECTING SEVERAL HUNDRED, IF NOT THOUSANDS. CHEVROLET HAS RELEASED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN MAY OF 2012) WITH THE EXACT ISSUE, AS WELL AS RE-DESIGNED THE DOOR FOR FUTURE FIXES, BUT REFUSES TO HELP REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR ME. EVEN KNOW THE PROBLEM STARTED BEFORE THE MILEAGE FACTOR IN THE WARRANTY FOR THE PART, AND IS OVER THE MILEAGE NOW, GM REFUSES TO HELP. MY CAR HAS NO HEAT AT ALL, WINDSHIELD DOES NOT DE-FROST, DOES NOT DE-FOG. MY WIFE HAS TO USE THIS CAR TO DROP OUR AUTISTIC SON AT HIS SCHOOL AS WELL AS TO GO TO WORK, WE CAN'T HAVE NO HEAT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A COLD AND RAINY DAY, MY WINDOWS BEGAN TO GET FOGGY. I TURNED ON MY DEFROST AND MY WINDOWS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. I THEN NOTICE IT WAS BLOWING COLD AIR I TURNED THE KNOBS TO SEE IF I HAD IT ON AIR CONDITIONING INSTEAD OF DEFROST BUT IT WAS ON THE CORRECT SETTING. I BECAME VERY AFRAID BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE OUT OF MY WINDSHIELD! I HAD TO KEEP WIPING OFF THE WINDSHIELD WITH A TOWEL JUST TO GET TO WORK. I THEN I HAD TO REPEAT THE SAME PROCESS RETURNING HOME. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THIS COMMON IN 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX THERE IS A PLASTIC PIECE THAT BREAKS AFTER CONSTANT USE(HEATER BLEND DOOR) AND IT WILL CAUSE THE DEFROST TO ONLY BLOW EITHER COLD OR HOT AIR. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST 800-1000 TO FIX OR MORE DEPENDING WHO FIXES IT. I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN RAINY WEATHER AND SOON WINTER WILL ARRIVE. GM SHOULD REALLY REPLACE THIS PART BEFORE SOMEONE DIES FROM A FAULTY PIECE OF PLASTIC. *TR

THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTUAL INCIDENT. I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF THE SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE LACK OF HEAT AND DEFROSTING CAPABILITIES OF THE 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX MAY CAUSE. IF THE ISSUE OF THE PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A WINDOW WILL NOT BE DEFROSTED AND THE DRIVERS VIEW WILL BE OBSTRUCTED. THERE IS ALSO THE HEALTH ISSUE FOR NOT ONLY THE DRIVER BUT ANY PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. NOT BEING WARM OR ABLE TO SEE AND CAUSE RISING COSTS OF BOTH CARE AND HEALTH CARE COSTS. HELP PUSH THE ISSUE TO GMC AND GET THE PROBLEMS FIXED AT THEIR COST. *TR

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED OUR 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX IN JANUARY OF 2011, 10 1/2 MONTHS AFTER OWNING IT (OUT OF WARRANTY OF COURSE), THE HEATER BLEND DOOR/ACTUATOR PROBLEM OCCURRED ON OUR CHEVROLET AS WELL. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR/MAKE/MODEL, AND IT'S EFFECTING VISIBILITY IN THE COOLER MONTHS. WE LIVE IN WESTERN WASHINGTON, AND DURING THE FALL/WINTER, YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD (ONLY HAVE COLD AIR AVAILABLE THROUGH VENTS). *TR