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
695 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Feb 2, 2015
BRAKES LOCKUP INTERMITTENTLY HAS CAUSED VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE SPENT OVER $700.00 AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. *TR
Visibility, Jan 31, 2015
THE HEATER IS BLOWING OUT COLD AIR, IT'S IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE TO DRIVE TO WORK WITH A BLANKET ON MY LAP, HEAVY JACKET AND GLOVES. THE BLANKET ON THE LAP IS NOT THE SMARTEST CHOICE BUT I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $800 - $1000 TO GET THIS FIXED. I ALSO HAVE TO HAVE MY CHILDREN BRING BLANKETS SO THEY STAY WARM. WE LIVE IN A SOUTHERN STATE BUT WE STILL GET COLD HERE. I CAN'T IMAGINE LIVING UP NORTH AND DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM. NEEDS TO BE FIXED. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 30, 2015
WHEN I TURN ON MY TURN SIGNAL EITHER WAY, THE HIGH-BEAMS COME ON. I THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY DOING, BUT I PAYED ATTENTION MANY TIMES AND IT WILL ALWAYS DO IT. *TR
Electrical system, Engine, Jan 30, 2015
VEHICLE RUNS FINE, SHUT IT OFF IT WON'T START. SOMETIMES IT WILL TAKE 2 OR 3 TURNS TO START IT OTHER TIMES 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO START IT. REPLACED IGNITION CYLINDER, SWITCH AND TUMBLERS, THINKING THIS WAS IT. NO. NO ONE CAN FINE PROBLEM. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OTHER 2006 EQUINOX FROM THE FORUMS I READ. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE IT LEAVES PEOPLE LIKE ME STRANDED. I HAVE EMAILED CHEVROLET ONCE ALREADY AND TOLD THEM IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME WHEN I GET STRANDED FOR MY FAMILY TO SUE THEM. CHEVROLET TOLD ME TO TAKE MY CAR TO A DEALER, I CALLED AND THE PERSON I TALKED TO TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN AND IF THE PROBLEM DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE THE CAR WAS THERE , THEY WOULD CHARGE ME $ 85.00 PER HR. , IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY , IT MIGHT GO A MONTH WITHOUT DOING IT AND THEN IT MIGHT DO IT 3 TIMES IN ONE DAY. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR JANUARY 2014. I HATE TO TRADE IT IN, BECAUSE THEY WILL JUST SELL IT TO SOMEONE AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SOMEONE WITH CHILDREN AND HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO THEM. SO, IN ENDING THIS COMPLAINT I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS 2006 EQUINOX PROBLEM. THANK YOU !! ( THIS GETS SCARY TO A 63 YR. WOMEN AT NIGHTTIME ). *TR
Electrical system, Jan 29, 2015
THE SWITCH HANGS UP WHEN TRYING TO CRANK THE AUTO. IT KEEPS TRYING TO CRANK THE ENGINE WHEN YOU RELEASE THE SWITCH. *TR
Engine, Jan 22, 2015
CAR WONT START, TURNS OVER BUT HAVE TO PUT FOOT ON GAS TO MAKE IT START. SPUTTERS FOR A FEW SECONDS AND IS THEN OK. SOMETIMES IT TAKES MORE THAN 1 TIME TO START IT. *TR
Electrical system, Jan 19, 2015
NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT STARTING WHEN CRANKED.\I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY AND CHANGED IT, BUT STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THE POWERTRAIN/ENGINE CONTROL MODULES WERE THE ISSUES IN NUMEROUS CHEVY EQUINOX WHICH MAY BE THE REASON FOR THE CAR NOT STARTING. *TR
Engine, Jan 14, 2015
EQUINOX OVERHEATED. WE IMMEDIATELY REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP. DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE EQUINOX IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP, THE TESTS SHOWED THE EQUINOX HAS TWO CRACKED HEADS. *TR
Other or unspecified, Jan 6, 2015
THE ISSUE WITH THE HVAC APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, NO HEAT JUST COLD AIR, DEFROSTER WILL NOT DEFROST WINDOWS BUT FOGS THEM ALL UP, WHICH IS REALLY A PROBLEM @ 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. SPOKE TO DEALER ABOUT TSB # 11135 ISSUED BY GM MAY OF 2012 AND THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT WHAT IS CONTAINED IN THIS BULLETIN. WENT BACK TO DEALER CONCERNING CRUISE CONTROL JUST SHUTTING OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THEY COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO REPLICATE THIS (WHAT NO FAULT CODES). INTERMITTENT NO START WHEN ACTUALLY USING KEY TO START, DEALER CLAIMS THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THIS ALSO. IT APPEARS THAT THE DEALERSHIP IS VERY GOOD AT NOT WANTING TO FIX OR ABLE TO REPLICATE ANY OF THESE ISSUES. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT MARCH 25, 2014 WITH 99,704 MILES ON IT, CURRENT MILEAGE IS JUST SHY OF 103,000. COME ON GM STAND BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT AND TELL YOUR DEALERS TO BE TRUTHFUL WHEN RESALING A VEHICLE THAT HAS A TRACK RECORD LIKE THIS.
Electrical system, Dec 31, 2014
ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO PARK THE KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION. *JS
Engine, Dec 17, 2014, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE INJECTOR O-RING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A POLICE AND A FIRE REPORT WERE NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,381.
Visibility, Dec 15, 2014
THE HEATER BLEND DOOR IS BROKEN. THE COST OF REPLACING THE DOOR IS $1000 +. I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Dec 14, 2014
HEATER AND DEFROSTER ARE NOT WORKING. BLOWER WORKS GREAT BUT IN THE WINTER COLD AIR DOES NOT DEFROST WINDSHIELD. THERE IS NO WARM AIR AT ALL. THIS MAKES DRIVING CONDITIONS VERY DIFFICULT IN THE COLD WEATHER. MY WIFE DEPENDS ON THIS CAR TO GET TO WORK EVERY DAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ISSUE IS A PART THAT COSTS ABAUT $65 BUT THE LABOR COST IS ABAUT $1000 WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THAT. CHEVROLET SHOULD STEP UP AND PUT A RECALL ON FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR
Air bags, Dec 7, 2014, crash
I PURCHASED A CAR FROM DRIVETIME, IN THE YEAR OF 2012, A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX [AWD]. ON NOVEMBER 22, 2014, I WAS IN MY CAR AND ENTERING A BLINF CURVE, WHEN ANOTHER CAR CAME HEAD TO HEAD TOWARDS MY SUV. I TURNED TO THE RIGHT TO KEEP FROM GOING HEAD ON WITH THE CAR. THERE WAS A 6 FOOT DROP DITCH ON MY PASSENGER SIDE. I SWIRLED TO KEEP FROM GOING INTO THE DITCH AND HIT A TELEGRAM POLE INSTEAD. I DO NOT REMEMBER MUCH, BECAUSE I BLINK OUT FOR AT LEAST TEN MINUTES, MY NEPHEW SAID. IN THE COURSE OF THIS HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT, MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. AFTER I WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL, I CALLED MY MECHANIC TO CHECK MY CAR TO SEE IF THE DAMAGES CAN BE FIXED WITHOUT USING MY INSURANCE. TO MY SHOCKED, HE EXPRESSED THAT MY AIRBAG WAS NEVER CONNECTED IN MY TRUCK. I CONTACTED DRIVETIME DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID IT WS EXPRESSED IN MY CONTRACT THAT THEY DID NOT WARRANT THE AIRBAG NEITHER DID THEY GUARANTEE THAT THE WORK. I ENTERED A PANIC PHASE, AND THE NIGHTMARES NEVER STOP. I ALMOST DIED BECAUSE THEY SOLD ME A TRUCK WITH DISCONNECTED AIRBAGS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR, BECAUSE NEXT TIME I MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY. THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP, AND THEY ARE HARASSING ME TO PAY THE CAR NOT, AND WHEN WILL I GET THE CAR OUT OF THE SHOP. I ASKED THEM WILL THEY FIX THE AIRBAG, THEY SAID NO, AND IF I DO NOT PAY THE CAR NOTE THAT THEY WOULD REPOSSES MY CAR, AND IT WOULD EFFECT MY CREDIT. I AM AFRAID OF THIS CAR. II AM DISABLED AND I TRAVEL WITH A SERVICE DOG [GERMAN SHEPPARD]. SHE WAS HURT FOR A FEW DAYS, AFTER THE INCIDENCE. *TR
Visibility, Dec 6, 2014
THE HEATER IS CURRENTLY BLOWING OUT COLD AIR. I HAVE TRIED EVERY SETTING TO TRY TO SEE IF ANY OF THE SETTINGS HELP BUT ALWAYS BLOWS OUT COOL/COLD AIR. ANOTHER COSTLY REPAIR TO ADD TO THIS VEHICLE. AVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE, THE WORST CHEVY MODEL I HAVE EVER OWNED. HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 16 MONTHS HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 5, 2014
THE FAN IS MY CAR ONLY BLOWS OUT COLD AIR. NOT GREAT WHEN THE WEATHER IS 25 DEGREES AND SNOWING. REALLY GM, STEP UP TO THE PLATE. *TR
Other or unspecified, Nov 21, 2014
THE HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR AND AFTER HAVING MY '06 EQUINOX TO THE GM DEALERSHIP TWICE NOW (THEY SAID THEY FIXED WHAT THE BULLETIN NO.: 11135 SAID TO FIX) BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND THEY SAID IT'S GOING TO COST ME $1085 TO FIX IT. I SAY THAT GM NEEDS TO PAY FOR THIS...I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Visibility, Equipment adaptive/mobility, Nov 18, 2014
A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, I BEGAN EXPERIENCING AN ISSUE WITH MY 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. THE HEAT STOPPED WORKING. THE FAN WOULD WORK AND BLOW AIR - BUT NO HEAT. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A GM DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE ISSUE. IMMEDIATELY UPON TELLING THEM THE SYMPTOMS, THEY DIAGNOSED MY VEHICLE WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT. THE SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS "KNOWN ISSUE" WITH THE EQUINOX, THAT ALMOST 4 OUT OF 5 VEHICLES OF THAT MAKE/MODEL/YEAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. HE TOLD ME THE GOOD NEWS WAS THAT THE PART TO FIX IT WAS ONLY $65, BUT THE BAD NEWS WAS THAT THE LABOR WAS $1000. I WAS TOLD THAT THE HINGE ON THE TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR" WAS BROKEN AT THE ACTUATOR AND THAT THE ENTIRE DASH ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO GET TO THE BROKEN PART. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND HAD ALMOST THE SAME ANSWER - ALTHOUGH, TO THEIR CREDIT, THEY DID ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE VEHICLE BEFORE DIAGNOSING IT. BOTH OF THESE GM/CHEVY DEALERSHIPS SHOOK THEIR HEADS AND ALMOST LAUGHED AT ME - SAYING THAT IT WAS A "KNOWN ISSUE". I DECIDED THAT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY $1000 TO FIX A "KNOWN ISSUE", SO I CALLED CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE. KEEP IN MIND THAT MY VEHICLE IS SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP DURING ALL THIS. AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK, CHEVY TELLS ME THAT MY WARRANTY EXPIRED (I WAS 20K MILES OVER THE WARRANTY) AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. THEY CONVINCE THE DEALERSHIP TO KNOCK 10% OFF MY BILL. GEE... THANKS. *TR
Engine, Nov 16, 2014
WE JUST PURCHASED OUR 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX ON 11-15-2014 AN AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP WE WERE CAUGHT IN A SNOW STORM AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE HEAT TO WARM UP INSIDE. THE HEAT WASN'T HOT AND THE DEFROST WOULD NOT WORK EITHER AND SO NEED LESS TO SAY WE HAD TO USE A/C AN CRACK THE WINDOWS AN CONSTANTLY WIPE WINDSHIELD TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE HOME. THAT BEING SAID I BEGAN TO DO RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM AN AS SEARCHING I AM FINDING OUT THAT THERE ARE NEUROMAS COMPLAINTS OF THE CHEVY EQUINOX HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM I HAVE DESCRIBED. READING THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE FOUND OUT THE REPAIRS ARE COSTLY AND GM HAS NOT MADE ANY ATTEMPTS TO RECALL THE FAULTY PARTS. AN SO I FELT THAT I HAD A DUTY TO STEP UP AN JOIN THE PATRONS WHO ARE ALSO OR HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY GM NEEDS TO STEP UP AN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEMS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF FAULTY PARTS. *TR
Other or unspecified, Nov 15, 2014
I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX THAT THE HEATER WILL ONLY BLOW COLD AIR , NO HEAT , TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THIS COULD COST ME $1200, OR $800, , I ALREDY REPLACED ONCE AND NOW HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
Other or unspecified, Nov 14, 2014
I STARTED THE CAR IN THE MORNING AROUND 6:10 TO TAKE MAY DAUGHTER TO THE BUS STOP. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES FOR THE CAR TO GET WARM AND BEFORE I WENT TO PULL OFF, I TURNED ON THE HEAT, THE TEMP SETTING WAS SET IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN HOT AND COLD. I TURNED THE KNOB ALL THE WAY TO HEAT AND THEN TURNED THE BLOWER SETTING UP. NOTHING BUT COLD AIR. WE SAT AT THE BUS STOP AND EVEN AFTER IT CAME THERE WAS STILL NO HEAT. LATER THAT MORNING I TOOK MY OTHER CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. I SIT IN A VERY LONG CAR POOL LINE AND DROP THEM OFF AT THE FRONT DOOR. THE ENTIRE TRIP WAS WITHOUT HEAT. IN THE AFTERNOON I REPEAT THE MORNING BY PICKING UP THE CHILDREN WITHOUT HEAT. THE ENGINE WAS HEATED UP THERE WAS NO REASON THAT I KNEW OF THAT THE HEATER SHOULD NOT WORK. AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND CHEVY HAS NOT DONE A RECALL. I WAS ALSO INFORMED OF WHAT THIS WOULD COST ME TO REPAIR AND WHY.I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO A PLASTIC PART AND REQUIRES THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD BE TAKEN APART. *TR
Visibility, Nov 14, 2014
06 CHEVY EQUINOX LT2, HEAT STARTED BLOWING COLD AIR. I DIDN'T KNOW THE PROBLEM BUT FORTUNATELY I WENT INTO MY ONSTAR ACCOUNT TO LOOK FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT SINCE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON IT COULDN'T TELL ME. BUT WHILE IN MY ACCOUNT IT WAS SHOWING ACTIVE WARRANTY. IT SHOWED ME THERE WAS AN ACTIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM GM, COVERING ACTUATOR DOOR DEFAULT. ALL EQUINOX OWNERS ARE COVERED TO 120,000 MILES OR 1/1/2016.....SO IF YOU HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH HEAT BLOWING COLD TAKE IT TO AUTHORIZED CHEVY GM DEALER BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE WHOLE DASH OUT TO FIX A 10.00 PART, THE LABOR CHARGE IS $2600 MY DEALER TOLD ME. ALSO IF YOU PAID FOR THIS ISSUE OUT OF POCKET THEY WILL REIMBURSE YOU. GOOGLE THIS ISSUE , THERE IS A SPECIAL BULLETIN NUMBER FOR THIS. GET THAT NUMBER AND CALL YOUR DEALER!!!!! THEY WON'T TELL YOU IT'S COVERED AND CHARGE YOU BECAUSE MOST OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS DON'T EVEN KNOW IT EXISTS. NOW THAT'S NOT RITE.....THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THIS BEING COVERED, IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE CONSUMER. *TR
Electrical system, Service brakes, Nov 13, 2014
WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FOR OUR COLLEGE STUDENT. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM SEEKER TOYOTA IN ST. ROBERT MO. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE THE. BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOCKED UP. THIS WAS SUPPOSEDLY INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. WE REPLACED THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKES PADS, AND THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER IT LOCKED UP AGAIN AND TRIED TO CATCH FIRE. NOW HAVE TO FIX AGAIN. THE HEATER STOPPED WORKING ABOUT A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE, THE CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING THE DAY AFTER PURCHASE. WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO WARRANTY AFTER SPENDING NEARLY $5000 FOR THIS VEHICLE. WE FEEL LIKE WE WERE RIPPED OFF AND WHY ISN'T THE BRAKE PROBLEMS AND HEAT ISSUES NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Nov 12, 2014
HEATER / DEFROST SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. ONLY BLOWING COLD AIR. LIVE IN IDAHO AND TEMPERATURES GET BELOW ZERO. NO WAY TO DEFROST WINDSHIELD CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. CHEVY DEALERSHIP QUOTED REPAIR OF THE HEATER VENT DOOR ACTUATOR AT $1200.00, SINCE THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. HISTORY SHOWS SEVERAL ISSUES WITH DOOR ACTUATOR MALFUNCTION. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Oct 26, 2014
ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WILL FLICKER WHEN STARTED AND WILL SOMETIMES DO IT WHEN BREAKS ARE APPLIED. DOES NOT START ON FIRST TRY SOMETIMES. SOUNDS LIKE IT IS STARTING BUT JUST STOPS. *TR