2006 Chevrolet Equinox

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATING SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACTUATOR IN THE BLEND DOOR WAS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AS THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,500.

THE HEATER/DEFROSTER ON MY 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX FAILED TO PRODUCE HEAT. AS A RESULT, I COULD NOT DEFROST MY WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A PLASTIC AIR BLEND DOOR (PART# CH19130554) THAT IS CONTROLLED BY AN ELECTRIC ACTUATOR (PART# CH15781467). THE ACTUATOR IS NOT CALIBRATED APPROPRIATELY AND PLACES EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE PLASTIC AIR BLEND DOOR CONNECTION. OVER TIME, THE PLASTIC BREAKS, DISABLING THE DOOR AND NOT ALLOWING HEAT TO BE DIRECTED INTO THE CABIN. THE REPAIR REQUIRES THE REMOVAL OF THE DASHBOARD, DRIVING CONTROL CONSOLES AND STEERING COLUMN TO ACCESS THE BLEND DOOR. IT COST ME $1,145.08 TO REPLACE AND REQUIRED MY CAR TO BE IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR 2 DAYS. I LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA AND NEEDED THE REPAIR COMPLETED SO I COULD SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BY GM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT. I WAS LUCKY TO DISCOVER THE PROBLEM IN THE EARLY FALL MONTHS. I COULD ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT BROKE IN THE WINTER. SINCE GM HAS YET TO ADDRESS THE DESIGN ISSUES, I AM CONCERNED THAT I WILL EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. FROM MY INTERNET RESEARCH, I HAVE IDENTIFIED MANY OTHERS WHO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE THE SAME CONCERN. SOME CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE THE REPAIR AND ARE OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HEAT/DEFROST. I AM WRITING IN THE HOPES THAT THE NHTSA CAN INFLUENCE GM TO IMPROVE THE DESIGN, TO EXTEND VEHICLE WARRANTIES TO COVER THE REPAIR AND TO ASSIST THOSE WHOM ALREADY PAID FOR THIS REPAIR. *TR

THE HEAT SETTING BLOWS OUT ONLY COLD AIR. GM REPAIR SERVICE SAID THAT THE PLASTIC AIR TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR WAS BROKEN AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. GM REP SAID THAT GM DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SUCH A PROBLEM EXISTS. THE DEFECTIVE PART IS SITUATED WITHIN THE DASHBOARD REQUIRING THE DASH TO BE COMPLETELY REMOVED. GM REPAIR WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND HOW TO REPAIR IT YET GM REP FROM CORPORATE SAYS GM IS UNAWARE OF SUCH A PROBLEM. *TR

THE BLEND DOOR FOR THE HEATER SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK THEY CRACK.$ 1200.00 TO REPAIR THE ITEM AS THEY REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD. WE CALLED GM AND THEY WOULD NOT OFFER US A PENNY. THIS IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE AND THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE POINT BEING HOW DO YOU DRIVE IN THE NORTHEAST OR ANY COLD CLIMATE AND SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD THIS WENT OUT AS WE WERE DRIVING IN SNOW CONDITIONS AND THE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP WE HAD TO PULL OVER OFF THE HIGHWAY AS WE WOULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HEATER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BLEND DOOR WOULD CLOSE AND THE HEAT WILL NOT COME THROUGH TO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THEY WOULD NOT OFFER ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

MY 2006 EQUINOX WAS DIAGNOSED ON MONDAY WITH A BROKEN BLEND DOOR, DAMAGED ACTUATOR (DUE TO BLEND DOOR BEING BROKEN AND LEAKING), AND DAMAGED HEATING CORE (DUE TO BLEND DOOR BEING BROKEN AND LEAKING). THE REASON I NEEDED TO GET A DIAGNOSIS IS BECAUSE IN MID APRIL THE FAN WAS BLOWING BUT NO HEAT WAS COMING OUT. AT THIS STAGE THERE WAS ABOUT 55,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND WE WERE JUST DRIVING NORMAL CITY DRIVING LIMITS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAD THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AND THE TOTAL REPAIR COST ME $1500. THE SERVICE GUY I SPOKE TO TOLD ME HE SEES ABOUT 1 IN 25 EQUINOXS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND IS IT NOT A SAFETY ISSUE IF WE DO NOT HAVE HEAT? IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER WE CANNOT DEFROST OUR WINDOWS!! THIS BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE PEOPLE OUT ON THE ROAD DRIVING WITH IMPAIRED VISION DUE TO FOGGY, SNOW COVERED, OR ICE COVERED WINDOWS WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS. GM SHOULD DEFINITELY RECALL THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS REASON ALONE WHICH IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE!! WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE KIDS? YOU ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT NOT LEAVING YOUR KIDS IN THE CAR IN EXTREME HEAT...I THINK THAT THE SAME APPLIES TO EXTREME COLD. WITHOUT HEAT THE SAME PROBLEMS CAN OCCUR AS WITH HEAT. HEAT IS A NECESSITY IN THE WINTER! *TR

THE PROBLEM WITH THE TEMP. DOOR NOT WORKING IS IF YOU NEED TO DEFOG OR DEFROST YOUR WINDOWS AND THE HEAT WON'T WORK YOU CANT SEE. AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN. THANK GOD I WAS JUST TRYING TO TAKE THE CHILL OUT OF MY VEHICLE ON A COOL FALL EVENING, NO MATTER WHAT I DID NO HEAT. STOP TO GET GAS, STARTED THE TRUCK....... HEAT CAME ON, NOW IT WON'T GO OFF. *TR