IllustrationWIPERS RUN CONTINUOUSLY AND DON'T SHUT OFF. LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF. SMOKE COMES FROM DASHBOARD WHEN CAR STARTS AND/OR CAR WON'T START. PROBLEM HAPPENS BOTH WHILE CAR IS STOPPED OR IN MOTION.
2005 Chevrolet Equinox
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 382.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Equinox years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
910–25K
7725–50K
10450–75K
9775–100K
104100–150K
34150K+
507 reports with mileage · 131 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 159 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 114 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
56 crash reports13 fire reports32 injury reports
Visibility/wiper complaints
5 reportsTHE HEAT AND AC BOTH STOPPED WORKING. SINCE THERE IS NO HEAT TO DEFROST IN THE WINDOW, THE WINDOW FREEZES OVER WHILE DRIVING IN THE WINTER.
WATER NOISE IN DASH FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. LOOSING ANTIFREEZE BUT CAN'T FIND WHERE. NOW THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK, ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. CAN BECOME AN ISSUE WHEN DRIVING SINCE WINDSHIELD CAN FOG UP AND YOU CAN'T GET RID OF IT WITH YOUR DEFROSTER... *TR
FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS FOG UP AND DEFROST DOES NOTHING. VISIBILITY IS SEVERELY LIMITED AND THIS CREATES VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. NOTHING HELPS TO ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE. I HAVE TRIED WIPING THE WINDSHIELD, CLEANING IT, ALCOHOL, RAIN X, DEFROST, HOT AIR, COLD AIR, WINDOWS DOWN, WINDOWS UP, SUNROOF HALFWAY OPEN, DOING BACK …
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FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS FOG UP AND DEFROST DOES NOTHING. VISIBILITY IS SEVERELY LIMITED AND THIS CREATES VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. NOTHING HELPS TO ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE. I HAVE TRIED WIPING THE WINDSHIELD, CLEANING IT, ALCOHOL, RAIN X, DEFROST, HOT AIR, COLD AIR, WINDOWS DOWN, WINDOWS UP, SUNROOF HALFWAY OPEN, DOING BACK FLIPS AND NOTHING HELPS. BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS. HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY STARTING 3 MONTHS, 3,500 MILES AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT IN 2005 AND HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $8,500 ON REPAIRS AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 50,000. TRANSMISSION DROPPED, A/C REPAIRED 2X, SOLENOIDS & SENSORS REPLACED, WINDSHIELD WIPER LEAK, RADIATOR REPLACED 2X, STRUTS, CALIPERS, NOW, AMONGST ALL THE OTHER ISSUES I'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE, THE A/C-HEAT KNOB NO LONGER TURNS, GLOVE BOX LID JUST FELL DOWN ONE DAY B/C THE LATCH SUDDENLY BROKE, HAVE TO GET MY BRAKE CALIPERS & ANOTHER WHEEL HUB REPLACED FOR THE 4TH TIME, WATER STILL LEAKS THROUGH THE MAP LIGHTS, I COULD GO ON. *TR
I AM EXPERIENCING SERIOUS WATER LEAKS IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AWD LT. WHENEVER IT RAINS, WATER ACCUMULATES IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL AND OVERFLOWS ONTO THE FLOOR UNDER THE REAR SEATS. IT ALSO CREATES A DISTURBING SHORT OUT OF THE SPEAKER SYSTEM. THE CARPET SMELLS AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MOLD, AS WELL AS FIRE FROM THE EL…
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I AM EXPERIENCING SERIOUS WATER LEAKS IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AWD LT. WHENEVER IT RAINS, WATER ACCUMULATES IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL AND OVERFLOWS ONTO THE FLOOR UNDER THE REAR SEATS. IT ALSO CREATES A DISTURBING SHORT OUT OF THE SPEAKER SYSTEM. THE CARPET SMELLS AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MOLD, AS WELL AS FIRE FROM THE ELECTRICAL SHORTING OUT. ANOTHER ISSUE IS THAT IT CAUSES THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP, ESPECIALLY WHEN I RUN THE HEATER TO TRY TO DRY IT OUT. *TR
Official recalls
104V302000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jun 30, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 114, 'THEFT PROTECTION.' AN IGNITION KEY PARK LOCK CABLE END FITTING WAS NOT FULLY SEATED ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTER NAIL HEAD DURING INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN PREVENT THE CABLE AUTO-SET FROM CORRECTLY ADJUSTING THE CABLE. AN INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED CABLE PREVENTS THE SHIFTER FROM LOCKING IN THE 'PARK' POSITION WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED FROM THE KEY CYLINDER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING SHIFT LOCK WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED. DEALERS WILL REPAIR VEHICLES THAT EXHIBIT THE SUBJECT CONDITION. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.