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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
150,000 miles · Jun 1, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)SuspensionUnknown Or Other

1. MY ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COME ON ALMOST EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE CAR. MOST OF THE TIME THEY COME ON FOR NO REASON, JUST DRIVING ON SMOOTH/GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS THEY COME ON OR PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. 2. DOESN'T MATTER IF THE ABS LIGHT IS ON OR OFF, I'VE HAD TO SMASH DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES SO I DON'T HI…

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1. MY ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COME ON ALMOST EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE CAR. MOST OF THE TIME THEY COME ON FOR NO REASON, JUST DRIVING ON SMOOTH/GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS THEY COME ON OR PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY. 2. DOESN'T MATTER IF THE ABS LIGHT IS ON OR OFF, I'VE HAD TO SMASH DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES SO I DON'T HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE THE BREAKS FEEL LIKE THEY AREN'T GRABBING. LUCKILY MY DAUGHTER WASN'T IN THE CAR ANY OF THE TIMES IT'S HAPPENED. I HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT BY A TECHNICIAN AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND HE FOUND NO ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES. 3. THE FRONT END OF THIS VEHICLE IS HORRIBLE. I'VE REPLACED THE FRONT HUBS RECENTLY, AND THAT DID NO GOOD WITH EITHER OF THESE ISSUES. 3. I WAS GOING THROUGH A DRIVE THRU, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE E-BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON, LOUD SOUND CAME OUT OF SPEAKERS WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL, AND A NUMBER OF LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON. LUCKILY GOT OUT OF THE DRIVE THRU, AND SHUT THE CAR OFF, AND IT WOULDN'T TURN BACK ON. IT JUMPED STARTED BUT WE FIGURED OUT THAT THE WIRE FROM THE STARTED TO THE ALTERNATOR WAS LOOSE AND CAUSING IT TO NOT CHARGE THE BATTERY. WE TIGHTENED IT DOWN AND IT FIXED THAT PROBLEM. 4. I GOT INTO MY CAR, STARTED IT UP, AND WENT TO REVERSE AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. I PULLED BACK INTO THE SPOT AND TURNED OFF THE CAR & THEN BACK ON & IT CAME BACK. MY HUSBAND WAS JUST DRIVING THE CAR BEFORE ME AND HE HAD NO ISSUES. I HOPE THERE IS SOMETHING RECALLED ON THIS CAR. I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THESE SAME TYPE OF COMPLAINTS. IT'S DANGEROUS!!!

NHTSA ODI #11099127

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)StructureUnknown Or Other

ANY TIME THERE IS RAIN OR GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH MY CAR HAS A LEAK OF WATER THAT COLLECTS IN MY FLOORBOARD. I HAVE READ A MILLION REVIEWS ONLINE AT CHEVROLETFORUM.COM AND NUMEROUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS DOCUMENTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL. IF GM PLANS ON CHARGING FOR AN UPGRADE LIKE A SUNROOF THEN IT SHOULD PROPERLY W…

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ANY TIME THERE IS RAIN OR GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH MY CAR HAS A LEAK OF WATER THAT COLLECTS IN MY FLOORBOARD. I HAVE READ A MILLION REVIEWS ONLINE AT CHEVROLETFORUM.COM AND NUMEROUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS DOCUMENTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL. IF GM PLANS ON CHARGING FOR AN UPGRADE LIKE A SUNROOF THEN IT SHOULD PROPERLY WORK. THE REASON FOR CONCERN ON THIS, THE WATER LEAKS THROUGH THE DASH AND EVEN SOMETIMES COLLECTS IN THE LIGHT FIXTURES OF THE ROOF. WITH STANDING WATER ON THE FLOOR BOARDS I HAVE A HUGE CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY FROM BEING ELECTROCUTED OR BEING E POSED TO ANY TYPE OF MOLD CAUSED FROM THE WET CARPET. THERE ARE APPARENTLY ISSUES WITH SEVERAL SEALS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS MODEL AND I FEEL IT HAS BEEN OVERLY DOCUMENTED THAT IS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. NOT TO MENTION OF DRIVING IN RAIN WHICH IS SOMETIMES INEVITABLE, YOU WILL BE DRIVING IN YOUR OWN MONSOON. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE ARE REFUSING TO STATE THAT THEIR IS ANY SAFETY CONCERN. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT DRIVING MY VECHICLE, I AM. I HAVE EVEN PERSONALLY EMAILED CHEVROLET ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THEY ARE STATING SINCE THERE IS NO ACTIVE RECALL OPENED THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A DESIGN, HARDWARE MALFUNCTION. NOT SOMETHING CAUSE BY WEAR AND TEAR, LIKE TIRES OR BRAKES. THIS LEAK HAS ALSO BEEN KNOW TO START CAUSING ELECTRICAL ISSUES FROM POWER LINES BEING SATURATED IN STANDING WATER. MY CAR STARTS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND THE POWER WILL FLUCTUATE BECAUSE OF WATER LEAKING INSIDE CABIN AND UNDERNEATH DASH WHERE POWER CABLES ARE EXPOSED. THIS HAS CAUSED MY CAR TO STOP WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY PREVIOUSLY.

NHTSA ODI #11078836

57,700 miles · Feb 24, 2018
Visibility/wiper

MY HEATER ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. WHEN MY WINDSHIELD HAS A LAYER OF FROST OR SNOW ON IT, I HAVE NO ABILITY TO CLEAR IT BY WAY OF UTILIZING MY DEFROST. I DRIVE WITH ALL OF MY WINDOWS DOWN AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS MOVING CONSTANTLY IN ATTEMPTS TO SEE. CHEVY IS AWARE THAT THEY MADE A PART THAT IS DEFEC…

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MY HEATER ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. WHEN MY WINDSHIELD HAS A LAYER OF FROST OR SNOW ON IT, I HAVE NO ABILITY TO CLEAR IT BY WAY OF UTILIZING MY DEFROST. I DRIVE WITH ALL OF MY WINDOWS DOWN AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS MOVING CONSTANTLY IN ATTEMPTS TO SEE. CHEVY IS AWARE THAT THEY MADE A PART THAT IS DEFECTIVE. THEY EXTENDED A WARRANTY ON A CHEAP PLASTIC PART THAT TENDS TO BREAK AT 60,000 THAT WAS COVERED UNTIL 2016 OR 120,000 MILES. I HOWEVER DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES UNTIL OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY. I DON'T SCAN RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE IF I'M NOT EXPERIENCING ISSUES AT THE TIME. MY CHEAP DEFECTIVE PART BROKE WHEN UNDER 58,000 MILES AND UNFORTUNATELY IN 2017. CHEVY HIDES BEHIND THIS AND IS NOT WILLING TO FIX A DEFECTIVE PART AND ULTIMATELY DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING ISSUE THAT CHEVY DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND IS ULTIMATELY A SAFETY ISSUE. CHEVY NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED-PERIOD.

NHTSA ODI #11074605

140,000 miles · Feb 16, 2018
Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE WILL NOT START! PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN KEY FOB UNLOCK BUTTON WOULD NOT WORK, SO KEY WAS USED TO OPEN DOOR, ALARM ACTIVATED, DEACTIVATED ALARM, TRIED TO START, LOCKED CAR ICON INDICATING SECURITY SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND WILL NOT RELEASE, EVEN WHEN DISCONNECTING THE CAR BATTERY AND RECONNECTING IT.

NHTSA ODI #11073215

140,000 miles · Feb 16, 2018
Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE DOES NOT GET WARM. BLOWS COLD AIR.

NHTSA ODI #11073214

127,000 miles · Feb 14, 2018
EngineVisibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE DID NOT WORK, AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSIS THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE DID NOT WORK, AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSIS THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

NHTSA ODI #11072966

78,000 miles · Jan 11, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

LOSS CONTROL OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING STABILIZER LIGHT CAME ON COULDN'T TURN STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ODI #11062186

52,000 miles · Dec 7, 2017
Visibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE HEATER BLOWER ONLY BLEW OUT COLD AIR AND WAS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (JIM BUTLER CHEVROLET IN FENTON, MO) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLOWER ARM WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHIC…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE HEATER BLOWER ONLY BLEW OUT COLD AIR AND WAS UNABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (JIM BUTLER CHEVROLET IN FENTON, MO) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLOWER ARM WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

NHTSA ODI #11052930

98,000 miles · Nov 13, 2017
EngineStructure

3.4L GM POWER PLANT USED IN UNTOLD AMOUNTS OF VEHICLES BLOWING HEAD GASKETS, AND INTAKE GASKETS SINCE 1996. I DESIGN FLAW THAT WAS NEVER ADDRESSED. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT. WE CANT KEEP ALLOWING COMPANIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HARD WORKING PEOPLE BUY SELLING THEM JUNK. ALL OF THEM NEED TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER …

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3.4L GM POWER PLANT USED IN UNTOLD AMOUNTS OF VEHICLES BLOWING HEAD GASKETS, AND INTAKE GASKETS SINCE 1996. I DESIGN FLAW THAT WAS NEVER ADDRESSED. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT. WE CANT KEEP ALLOWING COMPANIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HARD WORKING PEOPLE BUY SELLING THEM JUNK. ALL OF THEM NEED TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD.

NHTSA ODI #11045609

191,000 miles · Nov 4, 2017
Unknown Or Other

BROUGHT VEHICLE IN DUE TO NO HEAT - THEY INFORMED ME THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE 200 EQUINOX FOR THE HEATER CORE - AT THIS POINT I AM OUTSIDE THE 10 YR AND THE 120000 MILE WARRANTIES FOR THE RECALL. I BELIEVE IF THERE IS A RECALL IT SHOULD BE HONORED AT ANY TIME THE SITUATION ARISES IF NO FORMER KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWN OF THE SIT…

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BROUGHT VEHICLE IN DUE TO NO HEAT - THEY INFORMED ME THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE 200 EQUINOX FOR THE HEATER CORE - AT THIS POINT I AM OUTSIDE THE 10 YR AND THE 120000 MILE WARRANTIES FOR THE RECALL. I BELIEVE IF THERE IS A RECALL IT SHOULD BE HONORED AT ANY TIME THE SITUATION ARISES IF NO FORMER KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWN OF THE SITUATION.

NHTSA ODI #11043186

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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