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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

638 reports
Mileage unknown · May 2, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspensionVisibility

I HAVE A LEAKING HEAD GASKET, I BOUGHT THIS EQUINOX 6 MONTHS AGO AND ITS 1,200.00 TO FIX IT AT THE DEALER SHIP. I JUST PAID 306.00 TO REPLACE THE MOTOR IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. FRONT END MAKES LOTS OF NOISES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10226490

500 miles · Apr 24, 2008
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS RECESSIVE. WHEN IT SNOWS AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED, A THICK AMOUNT OF SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE ON THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH CAUSES A HUGE BLIND SPOT. TO REMOVE THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THE CONTACT HAS TO PERIODICALLY EXIT THE VE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS RECESSIVE. WHEN IT SNOWS AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED, A THICK AMOUNT OF SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE ON THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH CAUSES A HUGE BLIND SPOT. TO REMOVE THE SNOW FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THE CONTACT HAS TO PERIODICALLY EXIT THE VEHICLE AND MANUALLY REMOVE THE SNOW. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA ODI #10225634

2,400 miles · Mar 31, 2008
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING FAILURES WITH HIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURES INCLUDE THE TRANSMISSION AND BRAKES. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE BRAKES FAILED AND WATER ENTERS THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE W…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING FAILURES WITH HIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURES INCLUDE THE TRANSMISSION AND BRAKES. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE BRAKES FAILED AND WATER ENTERS THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. THE CONTACT WANTS TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN ARBITRATION. THE MANUFACTURER CALLED THE DEALER, BUT ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY SPEAKING TO SOMEONE. THE ENGINE SIZE AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,400 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,300.

NHTSA ODI #10222972

52,000 miles · Mar 21, 2008
Air BagsCrashInjury

I HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A CONCRETE WALL IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX ON DECEMBER 15, 2007. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55-60 MPH WHEN THE HEAD ON COLLISION OCCURRED. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER THE TALC POWER AND THE SMELL CAME OUT. I HAD AN INVESTIGATION DONE ON THE AIRBAGS. I WAS TOLD BY A GM INVESTIGATION REP THAT TH…

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I HAD A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A CONCRETE WALL IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX ON DECEMBER 15, 2007. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55-60 MPH WHEN THE HEAD ON COLLISION OCCURRED. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER THE TALC POWER AND THE SMELL CAME OUT. I HAD AN INVESTIGATION DONE ON THE AIRBAGS. I WAS TOLD BY A GM INVESTIGATION REP THAT THE VEHICLE HAS TO SLOW DOWN 10-15 MPH FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN 11.85 MPH WHICH FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. I NEED A SECOND OPINION BECAUSE GM STATED THAT DESPITE WHAT THE REPORT SAYS, THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT FOR THE AIRBAGS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10221964

Mileage unknown · Mar 19, 2008
Air BagsCrash

2005 CHEVY EQUINOX AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER STATES THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AND AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HE STATES THAT THE CRASH SPEED WAS ABOUT 35 MPH. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10221708

Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

I JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE A 205 CHEVY EQUINOX AND THE 2ND DAY I TOOK MY WIFE FOR A DRIVE & WE BOTH NOTICED A BAD ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTILATION. IT CAUSED HER TO GET SICK. I TOLD THE DEALER AND THEY DID AN IONIZER CLEANING THING, BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK, BECAUSE AFTER 2 DAYS, FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS I'VE BEEN SICK WITH UPSET STO…

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I JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE A 205 CHEVY EQUINOX AND THE 2ND DAY I TOOK MY WIFE FOR A DRIVE & WE BOTH NOTICED A BAD ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTILATION. IT CAUSED HER TO GET SICK. I TOLD THE DEALER AND THEY DID AN IONIZER CLEANING THING, BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK, BECAUSE AFTER 2 DAYS, FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS I'VE BEEN SICK WITH UPSET STOMACH, NAUSEA, HEADACHE, SINUS PROBLEMS, EARACHE. HAD TO TAKE OFF WORK BECAUSE I WAS FEELING BAD. I'VE READ SOME OTHER REPORTS ON THIS TYPE VEHICLE AND NOTICED PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT SAME THING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10221573

40,000 miles · Mar 17, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THEN DIMMED AFTER ONE MINUTE. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND DID NOT TURN BACK OFF. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED DUE TO CONFLICTING HOURS. THE CONTACT …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THEN DIMMED AFTER ONE MINUTE. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND DID NOT TURN BACK OFF. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED DUE TO CONFLICTING HOURS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS AND THEY ALL STATED THAT THEY COULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

NHTSA ODI #10221434

25,000 miles · Mar 13, 2008
Electrical System

ISSUE STARTED AROUND IN EARLY 2007 THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. NOW IN 2008 THIS HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY. WHEN I GO TO START THE CAR IT SOUNDS LIKE IT TRIES TO START THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT LETS ME KNOW I DID NOT CRANK THE CAR. OCCURS MORE SO AFTER I HAVE HAD TO RUN ERRANDS AND START…

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ISSUE STARTED AROUND IN EARLY 2007 THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. NOW IN 2008 THIS HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY. WHEN I GO TO START THE CAR IT SOUNDS LIKE IT TRIES TO START THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT LETS ME KNOW I DID NOT CRANK THE CAR. OCCURS MORE SO AFTER I HAVE HAD TO RUN ERRANDS AND START THE CAR A NUMBER AMOUNT OF TIMES IN A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME. I HAVE TAKEN TO THE GM DEALER AND HAVE HAD IT CHECKED A NUMBER OF TIME. THEY HAVE CLEANED THE INJECTORS, REFLASHED THE COMPUTER, AND UPDATED THE COMPUTER TO THE LATEST LEVELS. THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS THE SAME NO CODES GENERATED NO PROBLEM FOUND. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220995

32,000 miles · Feb 16, 2008
Air BagsEquipmentPower TrainCrashInjury

NUMEROUS FAILURES ON THIS CAR. THE A/C AND TRANSMISSION DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST 100 MILES. THE POWER WINDOW FAILED. TRANSM. SHIFTED ON CURVES AND WOULD MOMENTARILY LOSE ALL CONTROL OF CAR. COMPLAINED THAT HAD NO WHEEL DRIVE IN WET OR SNOW. WOULD JUMP SIDEWAYS OR SKID. ,NOW HEAD-ON INTO PHONE POLE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, SEA…

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NUMEROUS FAILURES ON THIS CAR. THE A/C AND TRANSMISSION DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST 100 MILES. THE POWER WINDOW FAILED. TRANSM. SHIFTED ON CURVES AND WOULD MOMENTARILY LOSE ALL CONTROL OF CAR. COMPLAINED THAT HAD NO WHEEL DRIVE IN WET OR SNOW. WOULD JUMP SIDEWAYS OR SKID. ,NOW HEAD-ON INTO PHONE POLE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK. AS A RESULT, HIT STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD. INJURIES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218190

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2008
Electrical System

IT STARTED AROUND THE SUMMER OF 2007 THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THE CAR WOULDN'T START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. AS IT GOT CLOSER TO THE END OF THE YEAR AND NOW INTO THE BEGINNING OF 2008 THIS HAPPENS A LOT MORE. WHEN I GO TO CRANK THE CAR IT SOUNDS LIKE IT TRIES TO START THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT LETS ME KNOW I DID NOT CRANK THE CAR. T…

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IT STARTED AROUND THE SUMMER OF 2007 THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THE CAR WOULDN'T START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. AS IT GOT CLOSER TO THE END OF THE YEAR AND NOW INTO THE BEGINNING OF 2008 THIS HAPPENS A LOT MORE. WHEN I GO TO CRANK THE CAR IT SOUNDS LIKE IT TRIES TO START THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT LETS ME KNOW I DID NOT CRANK THE CAR. THIS HAPPENS MORE SO AFTER I HAVE HAD TO RUN ERRANDS AND CRANK THE CAR A FREQUENT AMOUNT OF TIMES IN A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10217621

Official recalls

1

04V302000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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