← New search

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.

About this comparison →

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
42,000 miles · Feb 19, 2010
Visibility

THE HEATER ON OUR 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX WENT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD TRIP IN THE WINTER. WE EXPERIENCED VISIBILITY ISSUES AND ENDURED COLD TEMPERATURES FOR THE BALANCE OF THE TRIP. TURN OUT THE HEATER BLEND ASSEMBLY DOOR BROKE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THOUSANDS OF 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX AND PONTIAC VIBE MODELS. THE BR…

Read full complaint

THE HEATER ON OUR 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX WENT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD TRIP IN THE WINTER. WE EXPERIENCED VISIBILITY ISSUES AND ENDURED COLD TEMPERATURES FOR THE BALANCE OF THE TRIP. TURN OUT THE HEATER BLEND ASSEMBLY DOOR BROKE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THOUSANDS OF 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX AND PONTIAC VIBE MODELS. THE BREAK HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS AFTER OUR MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. GM HAS REFUSED TO GOODWILL THE FIX, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE PART IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT BREAKS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10312158

51,651 miles · Feb 16, 2010
Visibility

BLEND DOOR MALFUNCTION CAUSING NO HEAT IN 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. HEATER BLOWING COLD AIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10311060

52,336 miles · Feb 9, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE WEEK AT ABOUT 40 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10308212

69,000 miles · Feb 2, 2010
Visibility

I DRIVE A 06 CHEVY EQUINOX IT HAS 70,000 MILES NOW AND A FEW MONTHS AGO MY HEATER WENT OUT I LIVE IN COLORADO AND IT'S WINTER I HAVE A 1 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MY CAR WILL NOT DEFROST IN THE MORNING ITS EXTREMELY COLD AND IT SUCKS TO DRIVE WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE BECAUSE IT FREEZES ON THE INSIDE AND OUT OF MY WINDOWS AND ITS SO COLD …

Read full complaint

I DRIVE A 06 CHEVY EQUINOX IT HAS 70,000 MILES NOW AND A FEW MONTHS AGO MY HEATER WENT OUT I LIVE IN COLORADO AND IT'S WINTER I HAVE A 1 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER MY CAR WILL NOT DEFROST IN THE MORNING ITS EXTREMELY COLD AND IT SUCKS TO DRIVE WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE BECAUSE IT FREEZES ON THE INSIDE AND OUT OF MY WINDOWS AND ITS SO COLD ITS RIDICULOUS....THIS WEBSITE I WENT TO PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS ITS VERY COMMON AND A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE THE I DON'T HAVE 1200 TO FIX THIS DUMB BLEND DOOR PART THEY MADE SO CHEAP. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHY WONT THEY RECALL IT??? GO CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF ALL THE PROBLEMS THIS DUMB CAR IS CAUSING....HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-EQUINOX/TNMHVCTE76U9HGTH4/P9. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10303952

49,200 miles · Jan 30, 2010
Visibility

I OWN A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. THIS MODEL ALSO HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM THAT THE 2010 MODEL HAS. THE HEAT DOES NOT WORK FOR THE CAR OR DEFROSTER. IT CAUSES POOR VISION AND CREATES UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THERE IS A DOOR THAT IS DEFECTIVE THAT CONTROLS THE HEAT. THE WHOLE DASH HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER 800 DOLLARS. CHEVY …

Read full complaint

I OWN A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. THIS MODEL ALSO HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM THAT THE 2010 MODEL HAS. THE HEAT DOES NOT WORK FOR THE CAR OR DEFROSTER. IT CAUSES POOR VISION AND CREATES UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THERE IS A DOOR THAT IS DEFECTIVE THAT CONTROLS THE HEAT. THE WHOLE DASH HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER 800 DOLLARS. CHEVY KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT FAILS TO DO A RECALL. THERE ARE NUMEROUS ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10303342

Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 2010
Interior LightingSeat BeltsVisibility

I HAD TO PAY $700 TO HAVE A DOOR IN MY HEATER REPLACED BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING A LOT AND NOW THEY ARE PLACING METAL DOORS IN THE HEATER INSTEAD OF PLASTIC SO WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED? I THINK I SHOULD BE REFUNDED MY MONEY SINCE THEY FIGURED OUT IT IS A MALFUNCTION OF THEIRS. MY SEAT BELT …

Read full complaint

I HAD TO PAY $700 TO HAVE A DOOR IN MY HEATER REPLACED BECAUSE MY WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING A LOT AND NOW THEY ARE PLACING METAL DOORS IN THE HEATER INSTEAD OF PLASTIC SO WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED? I THINK I SHOULD BE REFUNDED MY MONEY SINCE THEY FIGURED OUT IT IS A MALFUNCTION OF THEIRS. MY SEAT BELT ALSO GOT STUCK WHERE MY CHILD'S CAR SEAT SITS SO I HAD TO GET A NEW ONE PUT IN. MY INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO HAVE A SHORT IN THEM. *TW

NHTSA ODI #10302920

90,000 miles · Jan 26, 2010
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. HE STATED THAT THE DEFOG AND DEFROST SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED WHICH HAS CAUSED COLD AIR TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS. THE MALFUNCTION CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR HIS VEHICLE AND THAT WAS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. THE …

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. HE STATED THAT THE DEFOG AND DEFROST SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED WHICH HAS CAUSED COLD AIR TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS. THE MALFUNCTION CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR HIS VEHICLE AND THAT WAS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO TAKE THE DASHBOARD APART TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91000.

NHTSA ODI #10302411

50,000 miles · Jan 26, 2010
Visibility

NO HEAT AS OF JANUARY 2010. CANNOT DEFROST WINDSHIELD, VERY LOW VISIBILITY. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED BROKEN MODE DOOR. $1211 TO REPAIR, PLUS PARTS AND TAXES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10302405

34,636 miles · Jan 24, 2010
Visibility

OWNED A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX WITH 34636 MILES, HEATER GAVE UP ON US, AND WENT TO FIND OUT THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. FOUND OUT THAT THE HEATER CASE DOOR NEEDS REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATE OF $1500, WITH 9HRS OF LABOR. NO ACCIDENTS LEADING TO, OR INJURIES, AS OF YET, HOWEVER, THE INTERIOR WINDOWS DO FOG UP CAUSING, MY WIFE AND I, TO C…

Read full complaint

OWNED A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX WITH 34636 MILES, HEATER GAVE UP ON US, AND WENT TO FIND OUT THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM. FOUND OUT THAT THE HEATER CASE DOOR NEEDS REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATE OF $1500, WITH 9HRS OF LABOR. NO ACCIDENTS LEADING TO, OR INJURIES, AS OF YET, HOWEVER, THE INTERIOR WINDOWS DO FOG UP CAUSING, MY WIFE AND I, TO CLEAR THE INTERIOR FOG, AND THEN MOVE ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10302120

38,500 miles · Jan 23, 2010
Visibility

2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX HEATER DOOR ASSEMBLY HAS GONE OUT, HAZARDS UNABLE TO DEFROST WINDOWS ADEQUATELY AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY FAMILY. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE ON THIS MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10302037

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.

Go deeper into Chevrolet Equinox problems