THE HEADLIGHTS IN MY VEHICLE SHUT ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE CAR IS PARKED AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME SHUTTING THEM OFF AFTER DRIVING AND ARRIVING TO MY DESTINATION. I ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM MY STEERING WHEEL.
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.
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
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.
Exterior Lighting complaints
11 reportsMY HEADLIGHT ALWAYS GET FOGY AND BUILDING UP WATER INSIDE WHICH IT MIGHT CAUSE SHORTAGE IN THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OR EVEN CAUSE FIRE IN THE CAR, THE SEAL IS IN GOOD SHAPE. I TRIED TO FIND WHAT IS CAUSING THAT BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. MY ONLY GUESSING IS THE BULBS ARE CAUSING HEAT THAT MAKES FOG THEN TURNS TO BUILD UP WATER IN…
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MY HEADLIGHT ALWAYS GET FOGY AND BUILDING UP WATER INSIDE WHICH IT MIGHT CAUSE SHORTAGE IN THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OR EVEN CAUSE FIRE IN THE CAR, THE SEAL IS IN GOOD SHAPE. I TRIED TO FIND WHAT IS CAUSING THAT BUT I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. MY ONLY GUESSING IS THE BULBS ARE CAUSING HEAT THAT MAKES FOG THEN TURNS TO BUILD UP WATER INSIDE. I CHECKED ONLINE AND I FOUND THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. HOPEFULLY CHEVY HAVE A SOLUTION FOR MY ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE BELL STARTED RINGING, THEN THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. TC-ABS-BRAKE, THEN THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED UP AS LIKE STANDARD BEFORE POWER STEERING. I PULLED OVER IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I WENT TO A GM AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP THE SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO DO???? …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE BELL STARTED RINGING, THEN THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. TC-ABS-BRAKE, THEN THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED UP AS LIKE STANDARD BEFORE POWER STEERING. I PULLED OVER IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I WENT TO A GM AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP THE SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO DO???? I WAS TALKED INTO PUTTING A NEW BRAIN IN THE EQUINOX SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS $$$$$ AND IT STILL DID THE SAME THING. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER (CHEVY) THEY HAD THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, CALLED AND SAID THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM, YEA A BENT WIRE?? WORKED FINE FOR A FEW MONTHS AND NOW ITS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. OH BY THE WAY I WAS INFORMED THAT I DID NOT NEED TO PUT A NEW BRAIN IN THE CAR THE OLD ONE WAS VERY GOOD. GM IS A REALY BAD PLACE TO BUY ANY CAR ANY MORE, THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE CUSTOMER ONLY THE $$$ THEY SOLD ME A CAR THEY NEW FULL WELL HAD PROBLEMS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, THEY DID NOT FULLY ILLUMINATE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY WAS DIMINISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT R…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, THEY DID NOT FULLY ILLUMINATE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY WAS DIMINISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
WHEN I TURN ON MY TURN SIGNAL EITHER WAY, THE HIGH-BEAMS COME ON. I THOUGH IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY DOING, BUT I PAYED ATTENTION MANY TIMES AND IT WILL ALWAYS DO IT. *TR
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL MECHANISM WOULD ILLUMINATE CONTINUOUSLY WHEN ACTIVATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HEADL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL MECHANISM WOULD ILLUMINATE CONTINUOUSLY WHEN ACTIVATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.
I HAVE A 2006 EQUINOX THAT I BOUGHT USED WITH 91,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY ONE PREVIOUS OWNER WITH CLEAN CAR FAX. I LOVE THE CAR, BUT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK IT ACTS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT TO CRANK. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL TO EVEN GET IT TO CRANK. I'M ASSUMING THIS A FUEL PRESSURE PROBLEM OF SOME SORT. ALSO, ONCE CRANKED T…
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I HAVE A 2006 EQUINOX THAT I BOUGHT USED WITH 91,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY ONE PREVIOUS OWNER WITH CLEAN CAR FAX. I LOVE THE CAR, BUT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK IT ACTS LIKE IT DOESN'T WANT TO CRANK. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL TO EVEN GET IT TO CRANK. I'M ASSUMING THIS A FUEL PRESSURE PROBLEM OF SOME SORT. ALSO, ONCE CRANKED THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES IDLE ITSELF DOWN FROM 1 RPM TO 0 RPM THEN BACK TO 1 RPM. THERE IS ALSO A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM BACK END OF CAR WHERE THE FUEL PUMP IS. I HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH HAVING THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED BECAUSE WATER GETS INTO THE HEADLIGHTS. MOST OF THE EQUINOX'S THAT I SEE ON THE ROAD HAVE WATER IN THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS WILL BURST WHEN WET AND YOU HAVE NO HEADLIGHT UNTIL YOU HAVE IT FIXED. (WHICH YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS YOURSELF BECAUSE PART STORES REFUSE TO DO THE LABOR FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT TO EVEN REPLACE A BULB. THIS SEEMS TO ME THAT CHEVROLET DID THAT SO IF YOU ARE A WOMAN, LIKE MYSELF, YOU ARE FORCED TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE AND HAVE IT REPLACED.) THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WEARING TOO FAST. I HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE RESISTOR ON THE BLOWER MOTOR TWICE IN 2 YEARS. THESE MAY NOT BE BIG PROBLEMS TO GM, BUT I RELY ON MY CAR TO TAKE ME TO WORK AND SCHOOL AND THE FACT THAT THEY GENUINELY DON'T CARE HAS FORCED ME TO NOT WANT TO BUY ANOTHER CHEVROLET AGAIN. SEEING AS THEY HAD TO HAVE A GOVERNMENT BAIL OUT PREVIOUSLY TO EVEN STAY IN BUSINESS, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD VALUE THEIR CUSTOMERS! *JB
LIGHTS DON'T TURN OFF,HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *TR
MY SEATBELT IN THE BACK WHERE MY 4 YR OLD SIR BROKE, MY CD PLAYER MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WILL NOT TAKE CD'S. I DO NOT HAVE HEAT BUT MY A/C WORKS JUST FINE. *TR... UPDATED 10/26/11 *BF
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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