2005 Chevrolet Equinox

AUTO WAS AT REST AT A STOP LIGHT JUST AFTER EXITING EXPRESSWAY. AUTO SEEMED TO LOSE POWER WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TEMP GAUGE WAS READING HOT. I SLOWLY DROVE ABOUT A MILE HOME. AT THIS TIME I TURN OFF THE AUTO AND OPENED THE HOOD. I LET IT SIT TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, AT THAT TIME I TRIED TO START THE AUTO AND IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. I LET IT SIT OVERNIGHT AND TRIED TO START NEXT MORNING, IT TURNED OVER HARD AND STARTED. I TURNED IT OFF, CHECKED THE COOLANT IT WAS VERY LOW. I ADDED COOLANT, LET IT RUN ABOUT 10MIN, LOTS OF STEAM COME FROM TAIL PIPE AND NO HEAT FROM VENTS. I THEN CHECKED ENGINE OIL, IT SEEMED WATERED DOWN. A FRIEND WHO KNOWS CARS TOLD ME HEAD GASKET. MY 3YEAR OLD CHEVY NOW NEEDS AT LEAST $1500 TO $2000 WORTH OF REPAIRS THAT MAY NOT BE UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AT 24,000 MILES, THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES HAVE NOT WORKED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. THE PURCHASE DATE, VIN, POWERTRAIN, AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000. UPDATED 12/07/07

CURRENTLY MY VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP FOR A HEAD GASKET REPAIR. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR A TSB ON THE COOLING SYSTEM TO HAVE THE SYSTEM FLUSHED AND NEW HOSES AND COOLANT REPLACED. A FOUL ODOR WAS BEING RELEASED FROM THE VEHICLE AND A SLUDGE AND DISCOLORATION WAS BUILDING UP IN THE RESERVE TANK. I RECENTLY STARTED TO NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING HOT (NEAR RED LINE AT STOP LIGHTS). UPON CHECKING MY COOLANT LEVEL IT WAS VERY LOW. IT IS A CLOSED COOLING SYSTEM AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. UPON A SERVICE WRITER OPENING THE HOOD THE VEHICLE WAS SIZZLING AND BOILING. HE QUICKLY POINTED OUT THE SLUDGE AND DISCOLORATION AGAIN IN MY RESERVE TANK AND HE TOLD ME THIS WAS INDICATIVE OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON LINE AND SEEN THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH NUMEROUS OTHER 2005 EQUINOX OWNERS RESULTING IN MAJOR ENGINE PROBLEMS AND FAILURES. EVERYTHING FROM GASKETS AND HEADS TO WATER PUMPS AND ENTIRE ENGINES HAVING TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED IS ON RECORD. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE AVAILABLE TO THE CONSUMER IN THE EVENT THAT PROBLEMS SHOULD CONTINUE AFTER THIS MAJOR REPAIR? MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND I STILL OWE A VERY SUBSTANTIAL BALANCE. I CANNOT AFFORD CONTINUING MAJOR REPAIR COSTS IN ADDITION TO MY MONTHLY PAYMENTS WHEN IT APPEARS THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT/PROBLEM. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. DONNA HUFF-BOLEK SHADY SIDE, MARYLAND *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT'S RIGHT FOOT BECAME CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PEDAL IS APPROXIMATELY FOUR INCHES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 38,000. UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB THE CONSUMER LIFTED HIS FOOT TO TRY STOP, BUT HE HIT THE HEEL OF HIS RIGHT FOOT AND MISSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HIT THE FLOORBOARD INSTEAD. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS 4 INCHES TO NARROW. IT SHOULD BE 5 INCHES WIDE. UPDATED *JB

MY CHEVY EQUINOX HAS A LOUD GROAN, GRINDING NOISE WHEN MAKING LOW SPEED TURNS SUCH AS IN PARKING LOTS OR SHARP TURNS. THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FROM 2004 TO JANUARY 2006 BUT CHEVROLET INFORMS ME THAT MY VEHICLE IS 3 NUMBERS OFF SO THEY WILL NOT MAKE REPAIRS. SINCE IT WAS FOR THE CHEVY EQUINOX I DON'T SEE THAT IT MATTERS WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE IF MY VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND CHEVROLET WITH NO POSITIVE RESPONSE. I QUESTION WHETHER THIS IS CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING AND WHETHER IT IS SAFE. *TR

OCT 8, WAS IN CLASS FOR 30 MINUTES CAME OUT CAR WAS DEAD, EVERYTHING WORKED BUT STARTED JUST CLICKED. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE.. TOOK TOO LONG; CALLED CAMPUS SECURITY GOT A JUMP START, CAR DROVE FINE DIED AGAIN UNTIL OCT 13. JUMP STARTED AGAIN, OCT 18 DIED AGAIN, CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HAD IT TOWED TO HERB ADCOX CHEVY. THEY STILL HAVE IT AND SAY IT IS RUNNING FINE...NO DIAGNOSTIC PROBLEMS SHOWING ON COMPUTER. FILED AN ISSUE WITH 800CHEVUSA.... THEY SAY EVEN THOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY(CAR STILL IN ORIGINAL WARRANTY NOW) THAT THIS ISSUE MAY NOT BE COVERED. THE CAR IS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. CHEVY CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS SO I AM STUCK WONDERING WHEN IT WILL DIE AGAIN. I ALSO REPORTED NOXIOUS FUMES (SMELLS LIKE RANCID BUTTER)MOST LIKELY FROM ANTIFREEZE PROBLEM LIKE OTHER 2005 EQUINOX'S AND A BRAKE SHIMMY PROBLEM AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS(ENTIRE CAR SEEMS UNSTABLE). THIS IS THE LAST CHEVY I WILL EVER BUY. I HATE TO EVEN TRADE IT IN AND GIVE THE ISSUES TO SOMEONE ELSE. THIS IS WRONG. I BELIEVE CHEVY IS AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND DOING NOTHING TO RECALL OR REPAIR THEM. I WAS TOLD IF THERE IS NO DIAGNOSTIC THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *JB

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 AWD CHEVY EQUINOX, INCLUDING THE HEAD GASKETS BLOWING, LOSING ACCELERATION ON THE 270/HIGHWAY, ONGOING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS, AND OTHER PROBLEMS WHICH STILL CONTINUE. I HAVE BEGGED FOR CHEVY TO HELP GET THE CAR FULLY REPAIRED AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES JUST KEEP TELLING ME TO BRING IT INTO THE DEALER. I'VE TRIED TWO DEALERS AND RETURNED TO THE PURCHASING DEALER WHO WILL ONLY MAKE REPAIRS IF THEY CAN PULL A CODE - THEY REPORT I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY SPARK PLUG WIRES - FIRST THEY REATTACHED IT, AND THEN REPLACED ONE BUT CAR STILL DOESN'T DRIVE AS IT DID BEFORE HEAD GASKETS BLEW. PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME - I'VE HAD MY CAR IN THE SHOP 8 TIMES IN 4 MONTHS AND THE DEALER AND CHEVY WILL NOT PROVIDE ME WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY - CAR WARRANTY ENDS IN 6 MONTHS OR HELP REPAIR PROPERLY. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS CAR AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AS THEY DON'T TAKE MY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY AS THE ONLY WAY THEY DIAGNOSE IS BY PULLING CODES. *TR