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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
65,000 miles · Nov 20, 2009
Visibility

TRIED TO TURN ON THE HEAT. WILL ONLY BLOW COLD AIR. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, I'M FINDING THERE ARE A LOT OF OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM: BLEND DOOR/ACTUATOR ISSUE. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292991

66,000 miles · Nov 19, 2009
Visibility

2006 CHEVY EQUINOX HEATER BLEND DOOR SHAFT BROKEN AND NO HEAT IS COMING OUT. DEALER WANTS $1100 TO FIX IT, CANNOT AFFORD IT. I AGREE, GM SHOULD RECALL, SAFETY HAZARD WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE OUT OF THE WINDOWS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292942

44,580 miles · Nov 19, 2009
Visibility

I HAVE A 2006 EQUINOX. THE HEAT JUST COMPLETELY GAVE OUT, ONLY BLOWING COLD AIR. I TOOK IT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND NOT ONLY DID MY ENTIRE DASH HAVE TO BE REMOVED, BUT IT WAS 7+ HOURS OF LABOR AND $1000+ OF REPAIR. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THAT THE ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTED, AND THE BLEND DOOR WAS POORLY CONSTRUCTED. WHILE ONE END WAS PRO…

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I HAVE A 2006 EQUINOX. THE HEAT JUST COMPLETELY GAVE OUT, ONLY BLOWING COLD AIR. I TOOK IT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND NOT ONLY DID MY ENTIRE DASH HAVE TO BE REMOVED, BUT IT WAS 7+ HOURS OF LABOR AND $1000+ OF REPAIR. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THAT THE ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTED, AND THE BLEND DOOR WAS POORLY CONSTRUCTED. WHILE ONE END WAS PROPERLY INTACT, THE OTHER LOOKED AS IF IT HAD BEEN CHEWED OFF. CHEVY SUGGESTED TO THE MECHANIC THAT HE LOOK FOR SUSPICIOUS OBJECTS THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WAS FOUND. IT SEEMED TO BE A COMPLETE DEFECT OF THE MANUFACTURER. AFTER BEGINNING MY RESEARCH, I AM NOTICING THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. IT'S AMAZING HOW GM'S EXCUSE IS THAT, "CARS MESS UP" BUT I AM FINDING THAT SEVERAL EQUINOX ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292906

41,457 miles · Nov 19, 2009
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. SHE STATED THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT WAS INOPERABLE AND WOULD ONLY BLOW COLD AIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ACHD CASE TEMPERATURE DOOR FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE REPAIRS WERE ESTIMATED AT COSTS OVER $800 AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. SHE ALSO STATED THAT…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. SHE STATED THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT WAS INOPERABLE AND WOULD ONLY BLOW COLD AIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ACHD CASE TEMPERATURE DOOR FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE REPAIRS WERE ESTIMATED AT COSTS OVER $800 AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER WINDOWS DID NOT OPERATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 41,457.

NHTSA ODI #10292887

60,000 miles · Nov 18, 2009
Visibility

MY HEAT JUST STOPPED WORKING WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. CAN NOT DEFROST WINDOWS. ONLY AIR BLOWS. I WAS TOLD THAT MY TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR IS BROKEN, AND THAT THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR MODEL/MAKE. IT WILL BE $1000.00 TO REPAIR, WHICH I DO NOT HAVE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292706

134,000 miles · Nov 14, 2009
Visibility

I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX MY HEATER JUST WENT OUT I SEARCHED ON THE WEB SIGHT AND FOUND OUT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE ACTUATOR OR BLEND DOOR OR EVEN HEATER CORE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW WHAT CAN WE DO OUR FAMILY DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURES DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10292145

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2009
Visibility

2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. HEATER STARTED BLOWING COLD AIR. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND IT WAS THE AIR TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR. MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10291529

41,350 miles · Nov 5, 2009
Visibility

MY 06 CHEVY EQUINOX BLEND DOOR FAILED WHEN LEAVING MY WORK 2 NIGHTS AGO. HEAT WAS NOT EVEN ON AND I HEARD IT THE WALL OF CHAMBER. I HAVE 4 ASE CERTIFICATIONS. SO WHEN MY HEAT DID NOT WORK LAST NIGHT WITH MY PREGNANT WIFE AND 2 KIDS IN THE CAR. I NEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. VERIFIED TODAY THAT THE BLIND DOOR IS NON-RESPONSIVE AND…

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MY 06 CHEVY EQUINOX BLEND DOOR FAILED WHEN LEAVING MY WORK 2 NIGHTS AGO. HEAT WAS NOT EVEN ON AND I HEARD IT THE WALL OF CHAMBER. I HAVE 4 ASE CERTIFICATIONS. SO WHEN MY HEAT DID NOT WORK LAST NIGHT WITH MY PREGNANT WIFE AND 2 KIDS IN THE CAR. I NEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. VERIFIED TODAY THAT THE BLIND DOOR IS NON-RESPONSIVE AND YES THE A/C IS WORKING FINE. NOW SINCE THE HEAT DOES NOT BLOW AND DEFROST DOES NOT WORK THIS IS A SAFETY AND HEALTH CONCERN. EVEN MORE SO ONE COLD NEW JERSEY DAYS/ NIGHTS. BUNDLED UP PEOPLE IN A VEHICLE CAUSES HEAT BUILDUP THUS FOGGING THE WINDOWS ONCE YOU START DRIVING. WHICH CAN LEAD TO A VARY BAD ACCIDENT. I HAVE ALSO FOUND A FORUM WITH ABOUT 140 PEOPLE SAME ISSUE FOR THE KNOWN ISSUE OF TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR. AND ALSO JUST BY GOOGLING THE ISSUE. LIKE STATED PREVIOUSLY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY AND HEALTH CONCERN. WITH A VEHICLE THAT ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10291171

34,000 miles · Nov 4, 2009
Visibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE ACTUATOR FOR THE HEAT BLOWS OUT COLD AIR. THE DEALER STATED IT WILL COST $1,300 TO REPLACE THE ACTUATOR FOR THE HEATER. SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED AT THE DEALER. T…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE ACTUATOR FOR THE HEAT BLOWS OUT COLD AIR. THE DEALER STATED IT WILL COST $1,300 TO REPLACE THE ACTUATOR FOR THE HEATER. SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10290942

55,000 miles · Oct 31, 2009
Visibility

2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. NO EVENTS LED UP TO FAILURE I WENT TO TURN ON MY DEFROST ONE MORNING BEFORE GONG TO WORK AND THE HEAT DID NOT WORK. THE COST TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IS B/W $1,000 AND $1,500. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED YET AS I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS AT THIS TIME TO FIX CAR. WILL TRY TO REPLACE PART MYSELF. THE BLOWER WORK…

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2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. NO EVENTS LED UP TO FAILURE I WENT TO TURN ON MY DEFROST ONE MORNING BEFORE GONG TO WORK AND THE HEAT DID NOT WORK. THE COST TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IS B/W $1,000 AND $1,500. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED YET AS I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS AT THIS TIME TO FIX CAR. WILL TRY TO REPLACE PART MYSELF. THE BLOWER WORKS BUT IT ONLY PUTS OUT COLD AIR. RESEARCHED ONLINE AND IT SEEMS ALOT OF EQUINOX OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND SAYS GM HAS REDESIGNED PART (TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR). GM HAD TO REALIZE A PROBLEM WITH THE PART DESIGN THAT CAUSED IT TO FAIL, SO WHY HAS NO RECALL BEEN ISSUED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO DEFROST YOUR WINDOWS. POOR VISIBILITY CAN AND WILL RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. GM NEEDS TO STEP UP AND CORRECT THE ISSUE FOR THEIR CURRENT OWNERS. I AM SURE THAT MANY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE CHILDREN AND IF WE HAVE TO TRANSPORT THEM WE WILL BE PLACING THEM IN A UNSAFE SITUATION DUE TO THE INABILITY TO DEFROST WINDOWS IN THE WINTER, PROVIDE HEAT FOR THEM AND EVEN IN THE RAIN WHEN THE WINDOWS FOG UP HOW ARE YOU TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS W/O THE HEATING SYSTEM WORKING PROPERLY. I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND YOU WILL SEE MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR EQUINOX AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN! THANK YOU! 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX OWNER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10290455

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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