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2006 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 382.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

602 reports with mileage · 93 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.

  • Visibility. Review the 247 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 141 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports9 fire reports11 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

141 reports
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175,469 miles · Jan 19, 2015
Electrical System

NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT STARTING WHEN CRANKED.\I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY AND CHANGED IT, BUT STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THE POWERTRAIN/ENGINE CONTROL MODULES WERE THE ISSUES IN NUMEROUS CHEVY EQUINOX WHICH MAY BE THE REASON FOR THE CAR NOT STARTING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10676397

113,000 miles · Dec 31, 2014
Electrical System

ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO PARK THE KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10669360

145,000 miles · Nov 13, 2014
Electrical SystemService Brakes

WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FOR OUR COLLEGE STUDENT. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM SEEKER TOYOTA IN ST. ROBERT MO. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE THE. BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOCKED UP. THIS WAS SUPPOSEDLY INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. WE REPLACED THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKES PADS, AND THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, …

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WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FOR OUR COLLEGE STUDENT. WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM SEEKER TOYOTA IN ST. ROBERT MO. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE THE. BRAKE SYSTEM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE LOCKED UP. THIS WAS SUPPOSEDLY INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. WE REPLACED THE CALIPERS, ROTORS, BRAKES PADS, AND THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER IT LOCKED UP AGAIN AND TRIED TO CATCH FIRE. NOW HAVE TO FIX AGAIN. THE HEATER STOPPED WORKING ABOUT A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE, THE CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING THE DAY AFTER PURCHASE. WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO WARRANTY AFTER SPENDING NEARLY $5000 FOR THIS VEHICLE. WE FEEL LIKE WE WERE RIPPED OFF AND WHY ISN'T THE BRAKE PROBLEMS AND HEAT ISSUES NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10654760

100,000 miles · Oct 26, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WILL FLICKER WHEN STARTED AND WILL SOMETIMES DO IT WHEN BREAKS ARE APPLIED. DOES NOT START ON FIRST TRY SOMETIMES. SOUNDS LIKE IT IS STARTING BUT JUST STOPS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10650154

120,000 miles · Sep 30, 2014
Electrical System

THE IGNITION GETS STUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10640320

150,000 miles · Sep 26, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD RELEASE.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE IGNITION AND REPLACED THE KEYS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ODI #10639221

105,000 miles · Aug 21, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ENTER THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TO BE REMOVED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ENTER THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND TO BE REMOVED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ODI #10627226

110,000 miles · Aug 21, 2014
Electrical System

THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD LOCK UP AND SOMETIMES IT TURNS OVER CONTINUOUSLY, LIKE IT IS STUCK. THE AIR CONDITION BLOWER HAS STOPPED WORKING 3 TIMES. IT WOULD SMELL LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING BUT THE SWITCH ACTUALLY WOULD BE BURNING OUT. I HEAR OTHERS THAT HAVE CHEVROLET VEHICLES HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. MY HUSBAND HAS A 2007 CH…

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THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD LOCK UP AND SOMETIMES IT TURNS OVER CONTINUOUSLY, LIKE IT IS STUCK. THE AIR CONDITION BLOWER HAS STOPPED WORKING 3 TIMES. IT WOULD SMELL LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING BUT THE SWITCH ACTUALLY WOULD BE BURNING OUT. I HEAR OTHERS THAT HAVE CHEVROLET VEHICLES HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. MY HUSBAND HAS A 2007 CHEVROLET COLORADO AND WE HAVE REPLACED THE BLOWER TWICE IN IT IN LAST THAN A YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10627184

65,000 miles · Aug 6, 2014
Electrical SystemEngine

IN THE LAST MONTH MY 2006 EQUINOX'S ENGINE HAS FAILED 5 TIMES, 3 TIMES WHILE SITTING AT INTERSECTIONS AND TWICE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. ALL 5 TIMES THE LIGHTS HAVE GONE ON THE DASH AND THEN ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE HAS BEEN LOST. IT TAKES A GOOD MINUTE BEFORE THE ENGINE WILL TURN OVER AGAIN. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SHO…

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IN THE LAST MONTH MY 2006 EQUINOX'S ENGINE HAS FAILED 5 TIMES, 3 TIMES WHILE SITTING AT INTERSECTIONS AND TWICE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. ALL 5 TIMES THE LIGHTS HAVE GONE ON THE DASH AND THEN ALL POWER TO THE ENGINE HAS BEEN LOST. IT TAKES A GOOD MINUTE BEFORE THE ENGINE WILL TURN OVER AGAIN. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SHOP FOR EXTENSIVE WORK (INCLUDING WHEEL BEARINGS AND IGNITION SWITCH) AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX OR EVEN PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT THE 2005 EQUINOX WAS RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE AND WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE '06 WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST??? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10619462

42,000 miles · Aug 5, 2014
Electrical SystemEngine

I FIRST REPORTED TO CHEVROLET IN 2011 THAT MY IGNITION/KEY IN MY 2006 EQUINOX WOULD GET "STUCK". IT WOULDN'T TURN AND I'D SPEND SOMETIMES SEVERAL MINUTES JUST TRYING TO GET THE KEY TO TURN SO I COULD START THE CAR. I SOMETIMES HAD TO TAP THE KEY FORWARD WITH A SCREWDRIVER HANDLE. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I FOUND NUMEROUS…

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I FIRST REPORTED TO CHEVROLET IN 2011 THAT MY IGNITION/KEY IN MY 2006 EQUINOX WOULD GET "STUCK". IT WOULDN'T TURN AND I'D SPEND SOMETIMES SEVERAL MINUTES JUST TRYING TO GET THE KEY TO TURN SO I COULD START THE CAR. I SOMETIMES HAD TO TAP THE KEY FORWARD WITH A SCREWDRIVER HANDLE. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. CHEVROLET SIMPLY SAID THANKS FOR TELLING US THAT YOU AND MANY MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NOW I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BLOWER FAN NOT WORKING. IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMONLY REPORTED ISSUE AS WELL BUT I CANT SEEM TO FIND AN ACTUAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE BLOWER RESISTOR MOTOR/FAN PROBLEM. I'M JUST SO DISAPPOINTED IN CHEVY! CAN'T THEY AT LEAST OFFER FREE LABOR IF YOU BUY THE PARTS OR SOMETHING? WHEN ISSUES ARE WIDELY REPORTED??? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10619101

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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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