2006 Chevrolet Equinox

WHILE LEAVING A PARKING LOT DURING A RAIN STORM ON THE NIGHT OF JUNE 18TH, 2011, I TURNED ON THE HEATER AND HEARD A CLICKING SOUND FROM THE DASH AREA, AND THE HEATER WOULDN'T BLOW HOT AIR. THERE WAS/IS STILL COOL AIR BLOWING FROM THE VENT(S). BECAUSE OF THIS, THE DEFROSTER ON THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT/DOESN'T WORK EITHER, IT TOO ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. I HAD TO CRACK THE WINDOWS OPEN IN ORDER FOR THE WINDOWS NOT TO FOG UP DURING MY DRIVE HOME. BELIEVING THIS WAS JUST A SIMPLE MATTER OF REPLACING A HEATER CORE OR THERMOSTAT, AND BECAUSE I WOULDN'T NEED THE HEATER DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS I DIDN'T START LOOKING INTO THE MATTER UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO. IN HAVING THE PROBLEM CHECKED, IT SEEMS THAT IT IS A FAULTY HEATER BLEND DOOR/ACTUATOR. THE COST TO FIX IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE, DUE TO THE LABOR INVOLVED. CHEVROLET SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL THAT NOT BEING ABLE TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM, THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ THAT CHEVY RECALLED A 2010 EQUINOX BECAUSE OF A DEFECT THAT CAUSED AN INOPERABLE DEFROST SYSTEM, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE 2006 MODEL. (FAILURE MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATE). *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE PARKED THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE DEFROSTER AND NOTICED THAT THE HVAC SYSTEM ONLY EMITTED COLD AIR AND WOULD NOT CLEAR UP THE WINDOWS. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE BLENDOOR FOR THE HEATER WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR TEMPERATURE CONTROL BLEND DOOR WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

MY CAR CONTINUES TO OVERHEAT. I HAD THE RADIATOR FLUSHED AND NEW FLUIDS PUT IN A NEW THERMOSTAT PUT IN BUT IT CONTINUED TO OVER HEAT. WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOK AT (VAN DORN AUTO), I WAS TOLD THAT THE COOLING FANS ARE NOT WORKING. THE MECHANICAL SHOP (VAN DORN AUTO) CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD BY THE CHEVY DEALER THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FANS BECAUSE OF THE SIZING AND THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO ORDER A DIFFERENT SIZE TO SEND TO VAN DORN AUTO TO BE REPLACED IN MY VEHICLE. WHEN I CALLED FOR A RECALL THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL. HOW CAN THAT BE IF THE ORIGINAL PARTS HAVE TO BE RESIZED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. 2ND ISSUE THE WINDOWS OPERATED LIKE THEY ARE OFF TRACK WHEN IT RAINS. THIS HAS BEEN SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN 2006. EVERY TIME I GO TO THE DEALER, THEY TRY TO GET ME TO REPLACE THE PART BUT THEY WONT OFFER ANY DISCOUNTS. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURE AND I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED. *KB

VEHICLE NO LONGER BLOWS HOT AIR WHEN HEAT IS ON THEREFORE THE DEFROSTER WILL NOT BLOW HOT AIR AS WELL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! IF WINDOWS ARE FOGGED OR ICED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER YOU CAN NOT SEE AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN FATALITIES. I FOUND OVER 500 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH A PLASTIC TEMPERATURE DOOR VALVE (TEMPERATURE BLEND DOOR) THAT IS BROKEN. ACCORDING TO OTHER CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND THE SERVICE DEPT MANAGER AT OUR LOCAL GM DEALER, THE COST TO REPLACE THE FAULTY PART IS AROUND $1300 FOR $50-$80 METAL PART. FURTHERMORE, BY REPLACING THE PLASTIC PART PREVIOUSLY USED TO A METAL PART IN THE NEWER VEHICLES CLEARLY SUGGEST GM KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CRAPPY PLASTIC PART PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND GM NEED TO STEP TO THE PLATE AND RECALL THIS ITEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. MY WIFE ALREADY DAMAGED THE CAR AND TOOK OUT A MAILBOX DUE TO REDUCE VISIBILITY. *TR

CHEVY EQUINOX 2006-BROKEN BLEND DOOR DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE ACTUATOR. COST FOR DIAGNOSES $44, COST TO REPAIR $1,000. HAVE NOTICED THAT NUMEROUS OWNERS OF THIS YEAR AND MAKE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AROUND THE 50,000 MILE MARK, MINE IS AT 51,000. PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD IN THAT THE HEAT CEASES WITHOUT WARNING. DEFROST IS NOT USABLE. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL FROM THE MANUFACTURER DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF EQUINOX OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED AND SHOULD BE UPDATED WITHOUT COST TO THESE CHEVROLET OWNERS. *TR