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2005 Chevrolet W3500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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14,100 miles · Sep 26, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

PURCHASED 2005 EQUINOX ON 12/14/04 FROM CRANE CHEVROLET IN CLIFTON, NJ. HAD A FUNNY SMELL FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SMELL GOT WORSE. INFORMED BY AN AUTO-GARAGE THAT I NEEDED A FLUSH-SHOULDN'T NEED A FLUSH UNTIL ABOUT 30,000 MILES. HAD APPROX. 14,000 MILES. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER. THROUGH INTERNET RESEARCH FOUND OUT THERE WAS A …

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PURCHASED 2005 EQUINOX ON 12/14/04 FROM CRANE CHEVROLET IN CLIFTON, NJ. HAD A FUNNY SMELL FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SMELL GOT WORSE. INFORMED BY AN AUTO-GARAGE THAT I NEEDED A FLUSH-SHOULDN'T NEED A FLUSH UNTIL ABOUT 30,000 MILES. HAD APPROX. 14,000 MILES. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER. THROUGH INTERNET RESEARCH FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COOLING SYSTEM AMONG OTHER THINGS. GM NOR THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT TO DATE CONTACTED ME FOR THIS RECALL OR ANY OTHER RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. ON (5/27/05) TRUCK TO SERVICE AT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED SERVICE OF RECALL NOTICE I FOUND ON THE INTERNET. TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED HIS COMPUTER AND SAID, "OH YEAH, THERE IS A RECALL ON THE COOLING SYSTEM". THEY REPLACED COOLING SYSTEM HAD TO LEAVE TRUCK FOR A HOSE TO BE ORDERED. GOT THE TRUCK BACK-SMELL NOT AS STRONG, BUT STILL THERE. TOLD (BY DEALERSHIP-SERVICE AREA), IT WAS A RESIDUE PRIOR TO COOLING SYSTEM REPLACEMENT. SHORT TIME ELAPSED SMELL GETTING STRONGER AND NOISE (GROWLING NOISE) FROM EXHAUST. AGAIN FOR SERVICE (AT 17,083 MILES ON 7/8/05). THEY PERFORMED A FLUSH. GOT TRUCK BACK STILL HAD SMELL. ON 9/13/05 AT 21,272 MILES BACK FOR SERVICE AGAIN, IN ADDITION TO SMELL SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING VENTS ON THE DASH BOARD AND THROUGH THE DEFROST VENTS ACROSS THE FRONT/BOTTOM OF MY FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE TEMPERATURE NEEDLE MARKING OVER THE MIDDLE RED MARK, INDICATING THAT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING. SERVICE RAN THE CAR FOR 4 HOURS WITHOUT ANTIFREEZE -REPLACING IT WITH WATER. DEODORIZER WAS PLACED INSIDE THE VENTS. 9/25/05 HAVE THE TRUCK BACK STILL HAS ODOR AND SMOKING FROM THE VENTS. ODOR AND SMOKING HAPPENS WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON OR OFF. ALSO HAD THE PROBLEM; TRUCK IS IN PARK POSITION SHIFTED TO DRIVE POSITION AND IT WENT IN REVERSE, THIS HAPPENED TWICE. TRUCK HAS NOT START WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION KEY THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN THE SAME INSTANCE. IT TURNED ON AFTER THE THIRD TRY. THIS HAPPENED ONCE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10137553

Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER.*AK *TC

NHTSA ODI #10111276

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.