2005 Chevrolet Equinox

SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE, THERE HAS BEEN A STRONG ODOR IN THE CABIN OF THE CAR. I NOTICED THE COOLANT HAS CHANGED FROM PINK TO BLACK WITH SLUDGE FLOATING IN IT. I AM ALSO GETTING FAR LESS AVERAGE GAS MILEAGE THAN WAS LISTED. I AM AVERAGING LESS THAN 17 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. NOT CLOSE TO THE 25 THAT IS ADVERTISED. WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THAT THE SMELL AND OTHER COOLANT ISSUES IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE (05 CHEVROLET EQUINOX). WITH THE HEAT ON AND WINDOWS UP, THE CAR IS ALMOST UNDRIVABLE DUE TO THE SMELL. *AK

WE PURCHASED A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX ON MARCH 30, 2004. IN JULY WE STARTED TO NOTICE A STRANGE ODOR IN THE CAR. MY HUSBAND WOULD GET HEADACHES AND EXPERIENCE DIZZINESS WHEN RIDING IN THE CAR. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK 5 TIMES FOR THE ODOR PROBLEM AND HAVE BOTH HAD MULTIPLE UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS REQUIRING MEDICAL TREATMENT. 2 OF THE 5 TIMES THEY FOUND STANDING WATER IN THE TIRE WELL AND WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ORIGIN THEY REPLACED REAR GATE SEALS (THE CARGO MAT CARPET IN THE BACK WAS NOT EVEN WET). ANOTHER TIME THEY REPLACED THE CARPET IN THE BACK PASSENGER SEAT BECAUSE THEY SAID IT GOT WET WHEN THERE WAS WATER IN THE TIRE WELL AND WAS CAUSING THE ODOR. THE NEXT TIME THEY FLUSHED THE RADIATOR COOLANT BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO DO SO. THE LAST TIME THEY CHANGED THE RADIATOR HOSES. THE DEALERSHIP (PORTER CHEVROLET IN NEWARK, DE) STATES THAT THEY CANNOT REPLACE OR REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE AS WE HAVE REQUESTED. THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER FOR GM SAID HE RODE IN THE CAR AND DID NOT SMELL ANYTHING SO THERE IS NO BASIS FOR HIM TO REPLACE OR REPURCHASE THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN ABOUT AN ODOR AND THEY SAID THEY CONTACTED GM AND THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY COMPLAINTS EITHER. THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON EDMUNDS.COM FROM EQUINOX OWNERS WHO HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALERSHIPS AND GM FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. IS THIS PROBLEM KNOWN TO GM? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND IS IT HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THIS ODOR PROBLEM? *JB

2005 EQUINOX - I HAD ABOUT 300 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT STARTED SMELLING OF A PROPANE ODOR/DEAD ANIMALS. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY FLUSHED THE COOLANT SYSTEM BUT THE ODOR RETURNED. THEN THE CAR OVERHEATED DUE TO THE COOLANT SYSTEM. THEY PUT A NEW THERMOSTAT AND FLUSHED ONCE AGAIN. STILL A BAD ODOR, THE CAR LEAKS WATER AND IT RUNS HOT. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES AND THEY STILL CAN NOT FIX THE ODOR.*AK

I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. SOON AFTER I RECEIVED THE NEW VEHICLE (WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED MILES) I BEGAN NOTICING A VERY DISTINCT AND HORRIBLE SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE SMELL IS NOTICEABLE FROM 10 FEET AWAY FROM THE CAR AND COMES IN THROUGH THE CABIN VENTS WHEN THE AIR IS ON AND THE CAR IS STANDING STILL AND RUNNING. IT DOES NOT ENTER THE CABIN WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING. GM THINKS THE SMELL IS DUE TO THE DEXCOOL COOLANT REACTING WITH THE HOSES IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM AND HAS FLUSHED MY COOLANT SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY BUT THE SMELL KEEPS COMING BACK. I HAVE BEEN READING OF THIS PROBLEM FROM MANY, MANY OTHERS ACROSS THE US AND CANADA WHO OWN EQUINOX AND SO FAR GM HAS NOT ANNOUNCED A RECALL DESPITE PEOPLE BEING UNABLE TO SPEND MORE THAN 5 MINUTES IN THESE VEHICLES BEFORE GETTING HEADACHES OR JUST BEING UNABLE TO HANDLE THE SMELL. PLEASE URGE GM TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FAST! *JB

IN THE 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX THE COOLANT MAY BE CONTAMINATED AND TURN A DARK BROWN OR BLACK AND SOMEHOW EMIT FUMES INTO THE CABIN THAT CAUSE THE OCCUPANTS TO FEEL LIGHT HEADED. THIS CONDITION CAN START ANYWHERE FROM 400 TO 1800 MILES ANDS WORSENS OVER TIME. IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE FUMES ARE TOXIC SO THE VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE AT THAT POINT.*AK