2006 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility is the leading concern among 695 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2006 reports, 16 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 20 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: visibility
280 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility, Apr 12, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONLY COLD AIR BLEW FROM THE VENTS. THE CONTACT HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VENT THAT SHIFTED BETWEEN HEAT HAD BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
Visibility, Apr 10, 2012
TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HEAT NO LONGER BLEW THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE A REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 68,000.
Visibility, Mar 9, 2012
2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX LT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A SAFETY CONCERN WITH DEFROSTER FAILURE, BLEND DOOR AND ACTUATOR FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BLEND DOOR WAS REMOVED FROM THE DASH OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO A FAILED PLASTIC END PIECE THAT WAS SHEARED OFF THE DOOR BY THE ACTUATOR THAT CAUSED THE DOOR TO ROTATE WHICH MADE THE HEAT AND DEFROSTER INOPERABLE. THERE WAS VISIBLE BUBBLES IN THE PLASTIC PORTION THAT SHEARED OFF. *JB
Visibility, Mar 8, 2012
MY CAR BLOWS COLD AIR. I HAD EVERYTHING CHECKED ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS THE AIR FLOW BLEND DOOR INSIDE THE HEATER SYSTEM. THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS TO BE REMOVED. TO REPAIR IT WILL COST $1291.00 AND $96.86 FOR THE DEALER TO TELL ME THAT THIS IS THE PROBLEM. I LIVE IN CHICAGO , MY WINDOWS WILL NOT DEFROST, I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE A CAR WHEN YOU CAN'T GET A CLEAR WINDSHIELD NOT MENTION DRIVING IN A FREEZING COLD VEHICLE. *TR
Visibility, Feb 10, 2012
THIS VEHICLE BLOWS OUT COLD AIR WHEN THE HEAT IS ON. IT DOES NOT DEFROST AND TAKE CLOSE TO 30 MINUTES TO COME TO A TOLERABLE HEAT TEMPERATURE. I SPENT 500.00 TRYING TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. *TR
Visibility, Feb 4, 2012
THE HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR NO MATTER WHAT TEMPERATURE SETTING IT IS ON. THERE IS ALSO NO DEFROST ON THE FRONT WINDOW. *KB
Visibility, Other or unspecified, Jan 18, 2012
I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT NOT WORKING IN MY CAR. TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND AFTER THEY CHARGED ME $50.00 TO LOOK AT IT, DISCOVERED IT WAS THE BLEND AIR DOOR THAT WAS BROKEN. MECHANIC ALSO SAID IT WAS ODD THAT THE PART WAS IN STOCK. THIS IS NOT A COMMON PROBLEM TO HAVE. $40.00 PART FOR A $900.00-$1200.00 FIX. HAD TO GET IT REPAIRED AS WE NEED THE HEAT IN WI. ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHEN I DRIVE. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. I AM NERVOUS TO EVEN USE MY HEAT AS I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE, THIS IS HAPPENING OFTEN. I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO KEEP FIXING THIS.
Visibility, Jan 13, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER WAS INOPERABLE AND WOULD NOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS WHETHER USING COLD OR HOT TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE SHUTTER DOOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Electrical system, Visibility, Jan 12, 2012
I WAS READING THROUGH OTHER COMPLAINTS AND I HAD THE SAME ISSUE AS EVERYONE ELSE A YEAR AGO. MY 2006 EQUINOX WAS BLOWING OUT COLD AIR. I TOOK IT IN TO GET FIXED (WHILE STILL UNDER WARENTY) AND HAD TO PAY ABOUT $900. WELL, ABOUT $750 FOR LABOR. THEY SAID SINCE IT'S REGULAR WEAR & TEAR I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF IT BEFORE. THE HAD TO TAKE OFF MY ENTIRE DASH BOARD! IT WAS JUST A PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT BROKE OFF THAT DOOR BEHIND ALL THE CONTROLS. I ACTUALLY GOT ON HERE BECAUSE RECENTLY MY SAFETY/AUTO THEFT LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON WHILE I'M DRIVING! THE OTHER DAY MY CAR WOULDN'T EVEN START AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS TO DO WITH IT OR NOT! HAS ANYONE ELSE BEEN HAVING THESE PROBLEMS? IS IT A BIG DEAL? HELP? *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Visibility, Jan 3, 2012
AFTER A MONTH OF PURCHASING MY EQUINOX THE HEAT QUIT WORKING. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MAKE VEHICLE. I TOOK MY EQUINOX TO MY LOCAL GM DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING WAS WITH THE AIR TEMPERATURE DOOR BLEND BREAKING DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ACTUATOR THAT OPENS AND CLOSES THE DOOR. THE ACTUATOR WILL PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE DOOR CAUSING IT TO BREAK OVER TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN COLD WEATHER STATES BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE HEAT TO DEFROST YOUR WINDOW PROPERLY. IF THIS DOOR BREAKS ON A ROAD TRIP YOU ARE LIKELY UNABLE TO SEE UNTIL YOU GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. I BELIEVE THAT GM IS UNWILLING TO RECALL THIS PART DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS SO LABOR INTENSIVE TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THE COST SHOULD NOT BE THE ISSUE AS PEOPLE'S SAFETY SHOULD BE THEIR MAIN CONCERN! I AM ASKING THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND MAKE GM FIX THIS PROBLEM! *TR
Electrical system, Visibility, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Jan 3, 2012
HEATER STOPPED BLOWING HOT AIR WHICH CAUSES THE WINDOWS TO UNSAFELY FOG UP ON COLD SNOWY AND OR RAINY DAYS. ALL VISIBILITY IS GONE AS THE INSIDE FOGS UP WIPERS ARE UNABLE TO CLEAR THE GLASS. MAY CAUSE POTENTIAL SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. IT IS TO MY KNOWLEDGE THIS IS HAPPENING WITH EVERY 2006 EQUINOX OUT THERE. THE ACTUATOR GOES OUT OF ALIGNMENT CAUSING THE BLEND DOOR TO BREAK AND NOT ALLOW THE HEAT IN. *TR
Electrical system, Visibility, Jan 1, 2012
I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED BLOWING COLD AIR WHEN THE HEAT SHOULD BE ON. I REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. IT'S NOT. IT IS THE TEMP ACTUATOR DOOR. ACCORDING TO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE BY A CHEVY DEALER THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 EQUINOX. I EMAILED GENERAL MOTORS WHO OFFERED TO PAY 10% OF THE $1000.00 CHARGE IT WILL TAKE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I DO NOT HAVE THIS MONEY. AND AFTER READING SEVERAL WEBSITES THERE ARE A TON OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLES. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. I LIVE IN COLORADO WHERE IT IS 20 DEGREES OUTSIDE. MY WINDOWS WILL NOT DEFROST WITHOUT HEAT. PLEASE HELP ALL OF US THAT ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN YOU MAY BE DRIVING IN DRY WEATHER...AND THEN IT STARTS SNOWING OR RAINING. HOW ARE WE TO SEE WHEN THE WINDOWS FOG OR FREEZE UP. AS WE SAY IN COLORADO...WAIT FIVE MINUTES AND THE WEATHER WILL CHANGE. BUT IT MAY BE TOO LATE IF MY WINDOWS WON'T DEFROST AND I'M OUT ON THE PLAINS OR IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THERE ARE NO TOWNS FOR 150 MILES. THIS A VERY REALISTIC DANGER. GENERAL MOTORS DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS A PROBLEM WITH THE 2006 MODEL, ALTHOUGH APPARENTLY THEY DO REALIZE IT ON THE 2010 MODEL. I HAVE BEEN A LIFE LONG CHEVY OWNER, AND MY FATHER RETIRED AFTER 32 YEARS WITH GM. IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE...I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER GENERAL MOTORS PRODUCT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Electrical system, Visibility, Dec 28, 2011
HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR. HEATER JUST STOPPED BLOWING HOT AIR. AFTER DIAGNOSIS THE DEALER FOUND THE TEMP (AIR BLEND )DOOR BROKE AND IN THE DEFAULT COLD POSITION. HAD TO REPLACE THE TEMP DOOR AND THE ACTUATOR. PARTS $163 LABOR $930.60 PLUS MISC. TOTAL COST $1184.12. *TR
Visibility, Dec 21, 2011
IT JUST GOT COLD IN MY REGION AND I NOTICED MY HEATER WAS NOT WORKING. IT JUST BLOWS COLD AIR OUT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND SAW THAT THERE WERE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT A HEAT BLEND DOOR BREAKING IN THIS MODEL. THE PART COSTS APPROXIMATELY 30 DOLLARS TO BUY BUT THE ASSOCIATED LABOR IS OVER $1200 DOLLARS. CHEVROLET HASN'T RECALLED THIS EVEN THOUGH IT'S KIND OF DANGEROUS TO NOT HAVE A DEFROSTER IN ICY WEATHER. *TR
Electrical system, Visibility, Dec 15, 2011
2006 EQUINOX; AIR TEMP BLEND DOOR NOT OPERATING, NO HEAT NO DEFROST ON SUV. THIS POSES A ISSUE DURING WINTER MONTHS. CAUSING ISSUES VISIBILITY FOR DRIVER. HAVE SEEN SEVERAL FORUMS THAT DISCUSS MANY MANY EQUINOX SUV WITH SAME PROBLEM WITH VIN STARTING WITH 2CNDL. REALLY NEEDS A RECALL ON THIS ASAP... OVER $1000 TO REPAIR $35 TO $100 PART. (NOTE. I AM ENTERING COMPLAINT FOR A FRIEND WHO WORKS 2/3 JOBS AND DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO DO THIS HERSELF. I AM THE CONTACT PERSON). *TR
Visibility, Dec 14, 2011
BLEND DOOR ISSUE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHEN IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR
Visibility, Dec 11, 2011
THE HEATER BLEND DOOR AND /OR ACTUATOR HAVE FAILED. THERE IS NO HEAT OR DEFROSTER. IT IS NOW WINTER AND BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS, THE DEALER CANNOT GET REPAIRED IN THE NEXT WEEK OR MORE. PART COST = $55. ESTIMATED LABOR COST $1500. THIS REPAIR IS OVER 10% VALUE OF THE CAR AND I AM TOLD REQUIRES REMOVING THE ENTIRE DASH. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THE CAR IS NOW UNUSABLE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. *TR
Visibility, Dec 7, 2011
MY AIR BLEND DOOR BROKE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE WINDOWS FOG UP. *TR
Visibility, Dec 5, 2011
VEHICLE HAS A BROKEN "HEATER BLENDER DOOR" WITH A REPAIR COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1000 (THE MAJORITY OF THE COST IS FOR LABOR; THE PART IS REASONABLY "CHEAP"). TURNING ON THE HEAT, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY PRODUCE COLD AIR. CONSIDERING IT IS WINTER, THIS PRESENTS A CONSIDERABLE SAFETY HAZARD AS THERE IS NO DEFROST FUNCTION FOR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. WINDSHIELD EASILY FOGS UP AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFOG IT. *TR
Visibility, Dec 5, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BLEND AIR DOOR WAS FRACTURED AND AS A RESULT, THE DEFROST SYSTEM WAS INOPERABLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, NOR WAS THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,714 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
Electrical system, Visibility, Dec 1, 2011
YESTERDAY THE HEATER STOPPED BLOWING HOT AIR. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BLEND DOOR AND THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR NEEDED REPLACED. FROM RESEARCHING THE ISSUE THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY GM. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Visibility, Nov 28, 2011
NO HEAT COMING IN THE SUV TO DEFROST WINDOWS OR TO WARM UP THE INSIDE. TOTAL REPAIR WILL BE $800.00 FOR A $30.00 PART. PLASTIC PLATE THAT CONTROLS THE AIR AND HEAT IS DEFECTIVE. APPARENTLY THE PART AFTER SOMETIME GET WEAK FROM HOT AND COLD CONDITIONS. ONLY WAY TO FIX IS TO TEAR COMPLETE DASH BOARD OUT TO REACH BLOWER ASSEMBLY, REPLACE VENT DOOR AND REASSEMBLE THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD. *KB
Engine and engine cooling, Visibility, Nov 28, 2011
MY HEATER QUIT WORKING IN MY 2006 EQUINOX. APPARENTLY IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE AIR TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR. SINCE THE POTENTIAL DANGER IS THERE DURING THE WINTER GM SHOULD PUT OUT A RECALL ON THIS PART! *KB
Electrical system, Visibility, Nov 24, 2011
HEAT SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING IN TRUCK. MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED BY OTHER OWNERS , PERTAINING TO THE TEMP BLEND DOOR BEING DEFECTIVE. *TR
Electrical system, Visibility, Nov 19, 2011
THE AIR TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE LOSS OF HEAT AND THE ABILITY TO DEFOG THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND IS A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN DUE TO THE LACK OF VISIBILITY. ALSO THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE BY CHEVY WITH THOUSANDS OF FAILURES REPORTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES ACROSS THE INTERNET. *TR