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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

What owners actually said

695 reports
35,000 miles · Sep 23, 2013
Unknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper

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 ATTAINE…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #10545003

150,000 miles · Aug 23, 2013
Steering

AS REPORTED BY OTHER EQUINOX OWNERS, THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CUTS OUT RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING. AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A MECHANIC WHO CAN WORK OUT WHY IT DOES THIS. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CAN CUT BACK IN AS QUICK AS IT DROPS OUT, THAT MAKES DRIVING VERY DANGEROUS. THE ONLY ADVICE…

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AS REPORTED BY OTHER EQUINOX OWNERS, THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CUTS OUT RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING. AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A MECHANIC WHO CAN WORK OUT WHY IT DOES THIS. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CAN CUT BACK IN AS QUICK AS IT DROPS OUT, THAT MAKES DRIVING VERY DANGEROUS. THE ONLY ADVICE I HAVE BEEN GIVEN, IS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN & ELECTRICS AT A GREAT COST WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL RECTIFY THE ISSUE. VERY SHOCKED THAT GM IS NOT RESPONDING TO THESE ISSUES. I GUESS THERE WILL HAVE TO BE A FATALITY BEFORE THEY SIT UP & LISTEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10536876

140,000 miles · Aug 21, 2013
Visibility/wiperInjury

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 TI…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10536437

130,000 miles · Aug 20, 2013
Visibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE HEATER BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL OF THE WINDOWS IN THE VEHICLE BECAME ICY, IN WHICH THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO VIEW THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT W…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE HEATER BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL OF THE WINDOWS IN THE VEHICLE BECAME ICY, IN WHICH THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO VIEW THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE A/C HEATER BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT FAILURE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI #10536333

100,000 miles · Aug 13, 2013
Visibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUN ROOF FAILED TO CLOSE COMPLETELY CAUSING RAIN TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THE SUN ROOF RETRACTOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUN ROOF FAILED TO CLOSE COMPLETELY CAUSING RAIN TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THE SUN ROOF RETRACTOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10535198

140,000 miles · Aug 4, 2013
Visibility

I LIVE IN ALASKA WHERE IT DOES GET COLD DURING THE WINTER TIME. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING FROM ANCHORAGE TO OUR HOME ABOUT 45 MILES AWAY WHEN SHE HAD NO HEAT INSIDE HER CAR. I REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND SENSOR CHECK THE HEATER CORE ALL WERE FINE. I COULD NOT FIGURED OUT WHY NO HEAT. NO HEAT ALSO MEANT I COULD NOT DEFROST THE WIND…

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I LIVE IN ALASKA WHERE IT DOES GET COLD DURING THE WINTER TIME. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING FROM ANCHORAGE TO OUR HOME ABOUT 45 MILES AWAY WHEN SHE HAD NO HEAT INSIDE HER CAR. I REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND SENSOR CHECK THE HEATER CORE ALL WERE FINE. I COULD NOT FIGURED OUT WHY NO HEAT. NO HEAT ALSO MEANT I COULD NOT DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD ( SAFETY HAZARD). I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND ASK OTHER EQUINOX OWNERS IF THEY HAD THE PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT THE BLEND DOOR BREAKS. THE REASON IT BREAKS IS THE BLEND DOOR MOTOR ROTATES TO FAR, BREAKING THE TABS ON THE DOOR. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS SAFETY HAZARD? LOOK ON THE INTERNET AND YOU WILL FIND MANY OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND STILL THE NHTSA DOES NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM, WHY? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10533489

34,000 miles · Aug 2, 2013
Fuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH AND NOTICED A GAS LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH AND NOTICED A GAS LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

NHTSA ODI #10533314

75,400 miles · Jul 22, 2013
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

MY 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX HAS A UN -FIXABLE [PER DEALER] A.C. PROBLEM. DRIVING IN FLORIDA WITH TEMPS IN THE HIGH NINES IN TRAFFIC THE TEMP INSIDE THE CAR IS MUCH HIGHER. BEING IN OUR SEVENTIES I NEARLY PASSED OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM IS RAMPART ON GOOGLE WITH HUNDREDS OF THE SAME ISSUE. TRYING TO DRIVE WITH IN-…

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MY 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX HAS A UN -FIXABLE [PER DEALER] A.C. PROBLEM. DRIVING IN FLORIDA WITH TEMPS IN THE HIGH NINES IN TRAFFIC THE TEMP INSIDE THE CAR IS MUCH HIGHER. BEING IN OUR SEVENTIES I NEARLY PASSED OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM IS RAMPART ON GOOGLE WITH HUNDREDS OF THE SAME ISSUE. TRYING TO DRIVE WITH IN-CAR TEMP. OVER 112 IS SCARY AND NOT SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10526146

106,000 miles · Jul 19, 2013
Fuel/propulsion System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE FUEL EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE FUEL EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO LOCATE A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN RELATED TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED ON THE 2007 CHEVROLET EQUINOX MODEL YEAR UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V459000 (FUEL SYSTEM) BUT NOT FOR THE 2006 MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10525804

100,000 miles · Jul 19, 2013
Visibility/wiper

MY HEATER QUIT BLOWING HOT AIR AND THUS, THE WINDOWS FOG UP. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND IT IS THE BLEND DOOR. UPON FURTHER READING OF THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY 2006 EQUINOX HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS A 10 HOUR LABOR JOB AND SO 1000.00 TO REPLACE. SINCE THIS EFFECTS VISIBILITY, I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10525699

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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