CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2006 Equinox is plagued by a heating problem, as in the heater only blows cold air.
The reported cause of this problem is a small door, known as the air temperature blend door, which allows air to flow past the heater core. This door has a plastic connecting shaft to an electric motor and the shaft is prone to breaking after a few years. The problem has a typical repair cost of over $800.
The 2006 Equinox also has a number of reported problems ranging from the key getting stuck in the ignition, to failing speed sensors, and trouble starting the engine. All in all, this car sounds like one worth avoiding.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
91,644 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Vehicle keeps over heating fixed everything that can cause it to overheat and the problem still consists read many complaints over 700 with the same issue even when the problem get temporarily fixed it starts overheating again in a couple month car will mainly over heat at idle the heat won-??t work it-??s a bad antifreeze smell it-??s a problem that has many complaints but still nothing is being done I have 5 children I didn-??t think I would be driving with my children wondering if my car was going to over heat and us having to pull over on a free way or a street being stranded bc of a problem that-??s happening with these vehicles and nothing is being done
Car stalls no matter if I'm am not moving or goin 65 mile an hour, without warning, I live in rural area lot of curvy roads, key will not work at times in ignition, why was there no recall on 06 Equinox ignition switch along with many others, I am petrified to drive it, but need to work, it doesn't matter where you are or how fast your going car stalls without warning, have had car since 2013 or so and always been key problem but never stalled.
I bought this car about 18 months ago from a used dealer ship after the car turned 12 months the car started saying it was over heating but when looking at the vehicle it was not hot at all the sensor just said overheating all the way to the red when the car read overheating the radiator fluid overflowed with out being hot when opening the lid there where air bubbles with no heat. I have spent over $1000 dollars trying to fix the problem with still no success when it said over heating the car starts slowing down and then it stops where ever you are at right away sometimes in the middle of the road. When at time it said over heating the heater stops working. I have had to let the air out several time a day and now it said overheating as soon as I leave my home. I have done some research and I am not the only one with this problem I have tried everything others have suggested but nothing works. I have got a new radiator, water pump, temperature sensor, thermostat, filter and still nothing. I took it to get it checked with the computer and 18 sensors went off and 8 where failed sensors. I wanted to bring this to your attention it has happened to a lot of other people just google it and you will see. I just want people to be safe and this car is not safe I have children and I live in a area that has cold weather for 3 months. I have been stuck in that car when it read over heating when it was not. I have bought about over 39 bottles of radiator fluid to keep it full but one bottle last me less the a day. Thank you very much for letting me inform you of this concern. I have gotten stuck on he highway and street with my kids. The car is now just seating in my drive way.
Ever since I got this vehicle I have always heard what sounds like water in the dash when pressing on the gas pedal. I'm constantly refilling the antifreeze daily, I've been reading that it is a known problem and it contributes to the antifreeze which in some cases leaked out of the air vents into the vehicle. Leaking antifreeze some where in the engine. I've already had to replace the engine heads due to the leakage. Antifreeze leaks into the engine oil cause white smoke out of the exhaust. I've already flushed the cooling system and they also did a reverse flush and the water gushing noice is still there. GM needs to get this fixed...
- La Mesa, CA, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that mist from the heater blew inside the vehicle and created an abnormal odor. In addition, the instrument control indicators illuminated. The mist prevented the contact from seeing out of the windows. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that a new water pump was needed. The mechanic flushed out the system and placed a new heat system in the engine with new anti-freeze. The failure recurred later the same week. The manufacturer and dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 167,000.
In April of 2015 I purchased a 2006 Chevy Equinox from sid dillion Chevy dealership. Approximately 1 month after having the vehicle it rained and water had leaked into driver side floor board. When I started the vehicle it started but there was no acleration and the car wouldn't drive when put in gear. I informed the dealership and was instructed to bring the vechical back out the dealership to be looked at. In finding they informed me that it was sunroof drain that backup and leaked water into my driver side floor board, also leaking water on to the throttle sensor which is located on the gas pedal. They informed me that drain had been blown out and the error code was reset and the vechical ran again. This problem happened again a few months later and I was again instructed to bring the vehicle back to the dealership, this the same procedure was done as before and I asked what can be done to fix this problem and was informed that due to the design of the sunroofs drain, when it rains I will have water that leaks into vechical if there is large amounts of rain and that because there are no broken parts the problem can not be fixed. I informed Chevrolet main center of the issue and was informed that there has never been any recalls on the vechical and to take it to the dealership to have the problem fixed. I've taken preventive measures but keeping the drian cleared and when the problem happens resetting the error codes, but last week 06-07-18 I had the line cleared and the following day it rained and the throttle sensor errored reset the code and vechical ran. Yesterday while driving I got caught in heavy rainfall the vechical completely stopped in the middle of a 4 lane busy road and would not move, water began leaking into the driver side and also from the pedal and intior lights. I'm very fearful of driving the vechical. This problem is very dangerous and unsafe.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. While driving various speeds, the check engine indicator illuminated, the heat in the vehicle did not work, and the vehicle overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who could not diagnosis the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.
3.4L GM power plant used in untold amounts of vehicles blowing head gaskets, and intake gaskets since 1996. I design flaw that was never addressed. They should be held accountable for that. We cant keep allowing companies to take advantage of hard working people buy selling them junk. All of them need to be held to a higher standard.
No heat coming from the vents and it won't defrost the front windshields or the back glass, most frustrating things is not heat in the car at all during winter. Took it to the shop said either blend door stop working or its broken. Need help miss [xxx] mother of 2 very cold with out heat. Stop working when I left work. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. While driving various speeds, the check engine indicator illuminated and the vehicle overheated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer stated that they were not aware of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. It was diagnosed that the power control module and the throttle body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 118,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. When the ignition was turned to the on position, the ignition failed to turn without warning.sometimes, the contact was unable to place the key in the ignition or remove the key from the ignition. Also, the vehicle overheated and the temperature gauge increased. When the vehicle was turned off, the engine fan ran for an hour afterward, which caused the battery to fail. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
The key is hanging up in the ignition after turning vehicle off. It is often difficult to put the key back in the ignition to then start it again. The vehicle now stalls while running without notice. When it does, all power cuts off (power brakes, traction control, lights radio, breaks - anything electric shuts off. Have been able to pull the vehicle over and restart it almost immediately. Happens on the street as well as freeway. I wonder whether this is covered by a recall or something. Please let me know as this does not seem to be very safe.
Vehicle randomly shuts off completely at different speeds while driving. It has happened once every three days up to 6 times in 20 minutes. It has occurred on the freeway and city streets. Had PCM reprogrammed, no luck. I have been testing different fixes. While doing so I noticed I am able to pull the key out at any ignition position.
ABS activation at low speeds on dry pavement. This happens randomly and changes the vehicle breaking distance. It is also unknown how much it will change the distance. So it can potentially cause a low speed impact accident. This is due to not knowing where to break for proper stopping distance. Engine problem when starting vehicle. The vehicle turns over then stalls. Only way I have found to prevent it from happening is to press the gas pedal while turning it over. Wiper issue. My passenger side windshield wiper doesn't work. I live in an area where heavy snow fall happens. This is a danger to myself and others on the road. If my vehicle is on the road during a blizzard or heavy snow visibility is lost on half my windshield.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Columbus, OH, USA