IllustrationCOOLANT WAS TURNING BROWN AND STARTING TO SMELL. DEFECTIVE HOSES WERE THE PROBLEM. HOSES HAD TO BE REPLACED, ENGINE FLUSHED, NEW COOLANT, ETC. CHEVY KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT INFORMED ANY OWNERS.
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
What owners actually said
638 reportsCOMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES, AND I AM WAITING ON A CALL FROM THE DEALER NEXT WEEK FOR UPDATED INFORMATION. THE PROBLEMS ARE: 1) FOUL ODOR, HOSES FOR ANTI-FREEZE SYSTEM REPLACED PER BULLETIN; 2) REAR SQUEAKING, LUBED SAME; 3) TRANSMISSION. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT BRAKES, BUT WAS TO…
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COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES, AND I AM WAITING ON A CALL FROM THE DEALER NEXT WEEK FOR UPDATED INFORMATION. THE PROBLEMS ARE: 1) FOUL ODOR, HOSES FOR ANTI-FREEZE SYSTEM REPLACED PER BULLETIN; 2) REAR SQUEAKING, LUBED SAME; 3) TRANSMISSION. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT BRAKES, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED, AND THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO ADJUST ITSELF ACCORDING TO DRIVING CONDITIONS/ EACH DRIVER'S HABITS, AND 4) POPPING NOISE HEARD WHEN STARTING OR WHEN STOPPED WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. NOISE SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM GAS TANK AREA. ASKED FOR FUEL LINE/EXHAUST SYSTEM TO BE CHECKED. AS OF THIS TIME REPAIR CENTER CANNOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE NO IDEAS. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND A TOTAL OF 6 DAYS. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS IN LIMBO AS THEY ARE 'LOOKING INTO IT' AND WILL CALL ME BACK.*AK
VERY ERRATIC STEERING WHEN CHANGING LANES AT 50 MPH CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A GRASSY DITCH. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I NOTICED THE STEERING WAS VERY DIFFERENT THEN I HAVE EVER FELT. AFTER HITTING THE DITCH THE CAR ROLLED. REMARKABLY, I WAS NOT INJURED AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY SEAT BELT KEPT ME FROM INJ…
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VERY ERRATIC STEERING WHEN CHANGING LANES AT 50 MPH CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A GRASSY DITCH. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I NOTICED THE STEERING WAS VERY DIFFERENT THEN I HAVE EVER FELT. AFTER HITTING THE DITCH THE CAR ROLLED. REMARKABLY, I WAS NOT INJURED AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY SEAT BELT KEPT ME FROM INJURY. THERE WASN'T ANY BROKEN GLASS. THE CAR HELD UP TO THE 5 STAR SAFETY. MY CONCERN IS THE BOBBLE EFFECT WHEN CHANGING LANES AND THE TOO TIGHT STEERING. FORTUNATELY, NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. MY EQUINOX SUFFERED ABOUT $10500 DAMAGE. $4500 WERE FOR THE AIRBAGS AND RELATED PARTS. MY CAR IS STILL IN GETTING FIXED. MY ONLY COMPLAINT IS THE STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WILL NO LONGER HAVE CONFIDENCE IN DRIVING THIS ON THE HIGHWAY.*AK
CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2005, PRESSED ACCELERATOR CAR LUNGED BACKWARD. *BF THE CONSUMER HIT A BACK WALL AND THE VEHICLE HAD CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE POINT IT WAS DECLARED TOTALED.*JB
WINDHIELD PRESENTED A STRESS CRACK - DEALERSHIP REPAIRED. TWO WEEKS LATER, ANOTHER CRACK APPEARED ON NEW WINDSHIELD, DEALER STATED WINDSHIED CRACK WAS NOT A STRESS CRACK, JUST A COINCIDENCE. DEALERSHIP ALSO NOTED WINDSHIELD WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO REPLACE.*AK
VEHICLE IS NOT MEETING MILEAGE CLAIMANT BY MANUFACTURER 19 MPG TO 25 MPG. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT WOULD IMPROVE AFTER 1500 MILES. VEHICLE AT 5000 MILES AND A FEW LONG ROAD TRIPS IS ON AN AVERAGE OF 13 MPG CITY AND 16 MPG HIGHWAY. DEALER HAS NO RESPONSE. *JB
TERRIBLE GAS MILEAGE. STICKER SAID 18CITY/25HWY. WE ARE GETTING 14 CITY AND 20/21 HWY. *JB
THE CONSUMER STATED THE CONSOLE AND HOOD PRODUCED EXTREME HEAT. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL CATCH FIRE. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
FOUL ODOR IN CABIN COMING FROM HEATER, ALSO SMELL IS NOTICABLE OUTSIDE THE CAR. CHECKED THE COOLANT AND IT IS DARK BROWN AND HAS A STRONG FOUL ODOR. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT GET ANYWHERE NEAR THE MILEAGE PER GALLON THAT GM STATES IT SHOULD GET OF 19 AND 25. LUCKY IF IT GET 13MPG CITY AND 15 HIGHWAY.*AK
THE RADIATOR IS LEAKING COOLANT, INCREASING THE CHANCE OF THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK
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.