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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

Visibility complaints

247 reports
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32,000 miles · Jan 4, 2010
Visibility

2006 EQUINOX WITH 32,000 MILES. NO HEAT. DEALER SAID CONTROL WAS BAD, REPLACED THAT THEN SAID THE BLEND DOOR WAS ALSO BAD. HAD TO REPLACE THAT ALSO. THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS FOR A 3 YR OLD CAR, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY BY A COUPLE OF MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10298140

69,986 miles · Dec 31, 2009
Visibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH THE HEATING SYSTEM ACTIVATED, THE HEATING SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,986. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10297667

66,537 miles · Dec 23, 2009
Power TrainVisibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHEN WATER MADE CONTACT WITH THE TRANSMISSION THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE TO THE NORMAL SPEED. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT WHENEVER WATER ENTERED THE TRANSMISSIONS PROTECTION SHIELD IT CAUSED THE VEHICLES SPEED TO DECREASE. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHEN WATER MADE CONTACT WITH THE TRANSMISSION THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE TO THE NORMAL SPEED. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT WHENEVER WATER ENTERED THE TRANSMISSIONS PROTECTION SHIELD IT CAUSED THE VEHICLES SPEED TO DECREASE. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SHIELD. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS $570.00. THE CONTACT IS ALSO UNABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD SINCE THE HEATER MOTOR FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE FAILURE WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE WARRANTY EXPIRED; THEREFORE, THEY WILL NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 66,537.

NHTSA ODI #10296840

40,000 miles · Dec 15, 2009
Visibility

CAR STOPPED BLOWING HOT AIR, DEALER WANTED UPWARDS OF $1500 TO FIX. I TRADED THE CAR AS IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE A REPAIR BASED ON THE WORTH AND AGE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10295754

Mileage unknown · Dec 13, 2009
Visibility

I HAVE CHEVY EQUINOX 2006 AND IT HAVE 63 THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND MY HEATER STOP WORKING AND I WENT TO THE WEBSITE AND COME TO FIND OUT THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BLEND DOOR AND I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY ADVISE ME THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY TRUCK AND I DO NOT HAVE $1200 HUNDREDS DOLLARS TO FI…

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I HAVE CHEVY EQUINOX 2006 AND IT HAVE 63 THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND MY HEATER STOP WORKING AND I WENT TO THE WEBSITE AND COME TO FIND OUT THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BLEND DOOR AND I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY ADVISE ME THAT IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY TRUCK AND I DO NOT HAVE $1200 HUNDREDS DOLLARS TO FIX IT AND IT IS GETTING COLD WHERE I LIVE IN MARYLAND .THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS AND IT SHOULD BE A (RECALL) ON THEM I WILL BE CALLING THE GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE . *TR

NHTSA ODI #10295513

51,000 miles · Dec 11, 2009
Visibility

NO WARM AIR AS THE BLEND DOOR ON MY 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX IS BROKEN. ESTIMATED REPAIR BILL IS $1,200. CANNOT AFFORD THIS SO MY FAMILY AND I WILL FREEZE THIS WINTER AS THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE. THIS IS BUT ONE OF A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED BY VARIOUS OWNERS CONCERNING THIS GM SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10295411

44,000 miles · Dec 9, 2009
Visibility

THE BLEND DOOR BROKE IN THE HVAC CASE. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT CAUSED THIS, THOUGH MY MECHANIC SAID THIS IS CAUSED BY THE HEAT BEING RUN THROUGH AT TOO HIGH A TEMPERATURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10295108

97,000 miles · Dec 9, 2009
Visibility

AS I COME TO FIND OUT, MAY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AS I AM. THE HEATER WILL NOT FUNCTION DUE TO, AS I WAS TOLD, A FAILURE OF A PLASTIC VENT DOOR HINGE DEEP BEHIND THE DASH. APART FROM THE INCONVENIENCE OF NO HEAT, LAST NIGHT ON MY HOME IT WAS RAINING AND THE TEMPERATURE WENT AS ABOUT 40…

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AS I COME TO FIND OUT, MAY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AS I AM. THE HEATER WILL NOT FUNCTION DUE TO, AS I WAS TOLD, A FAILURE OF A PLASTIC VENT DOOR HINGE DEEP BEHIND THE DASH. APART FROM THE INCONVENIENCE OF NO HEAT, LAST NIGHT ON MY HOME IT WAS RAINING AND THE TEMPERATURE WENT AS ABOUT 40 DEGREES F. WHEN MY WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT DEFROST MY VISIBILITY WAS DIMINISHED AND A NARROWLY AVOIDED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I WAS LUCK LAST NIGHT, BUT ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED IF GM DOES NOT RECALL THIS MAJOR FLAW IN THEIR DESIGN. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH GM AND THEY HAVE DESIGNED A METAL REPLACEMENT PART. THIS TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WANT TO TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT. PLEASE LOG MY COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND URGE GM TO RECALL THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10295088

39,700 miles · Dec 7, 2009
Visibility

CHEVROLET 2006 EQUINOX - NO HEAT/DEFROST - BROKEN BLEND DOOR WINDOWS FOGGING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10294736

72,000 miles · Dec 6, 2009
Visibility

I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX AND NOW THAT WINTER IS HERE, MY HEATER AND DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. I GET A POPPING SOUND WHEN I TURN ON THE HEATER AND ALL I GET IS COLD AIR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR 2005, 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX'S. I CAN'T DEFROST MY WINDSHIELD AND THAT MAKES DRIVING A HAZARD…

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I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX AND NOW THAT WINTER IS HERE, MY HEATER AND DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK. I GET A POPPING SOUND WHEN I TURN ON THE HEATER AND ALL I GET IS COLD AIR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR 2005, 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX'S. I CAN'T DEFROST MY WINDSHIELD AND THAT MAKES DRIVING A HAZARD. CHEVY HAD TOLD ME ITS MY PROBLEM AND THAT ITS OUT OF WARRANTY. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR MANY AMERICANS AND CHEVY GETS THE PASS AND DOESN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10294675

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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