2006 Chevrolet Equinox
The Verdict
The 2006 Chevrolet Equinox has 694 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (333 complaints) and engine (142 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 14/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Chevrolet Equinox, consider the 2024 model year which has 90% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2024 has 90% fewer complaints
View the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox dashboard →
Klunk Score: Total Klunk
Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 126 | 77 | 142 | 196 | 96 |
| 2006 | 333 | 74 | 121 | 142 | 24 |
| 2007 | 139 | 25 | 205 | 291 | 24 |
| 2008 | 109 | 7 | 159 | 81 | 13 |
| 2009 | 16 | 3 | 41 | 28 | 6 |
| 2010 | 229 | 13 | 101 | 325 | 116 |
| 2011 | 164 | 20 | 81 | 439 | 74 |
| 2012 | 214 | 8 | 46 | 378 | 34 |
| 2013 | 207 | 9 | 59 | 433 | 31 |
| 2014 | 231 | 9 | 45 | 241 | 17 |
| 2015 | 337 | 12 | 63 | 242 | 23 |
| 2016 | 146 | 3 | 23 | 210 | 9 |
| 2017 | 31 | 8 | 24 | 192 | 13 |
| 2018 | 85 | 89 | 49 | 120 | 45 |
| 2019 | 48 | 57 | 33 | 129 | 23 |
| 2020 | 46 | 67 | 26 | 130 | 22 |
| 2021 | 25 | 5 | 19 | 27 | 11 |
| 2022 | 26 | 4 | 13 | 106 | 4 |
| 2023 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 46 | 2 |
| 2024 | 17 | 12 | 8 | 24 | 4 |
| 2025 | 77 | 17 | 58 | 32 | 22 |
By Category
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Complaints
Subframe rust ? my 2006 chev eq , has only 50, 000 mile on it and the sub frame is rust out ? I check for recall but said 0 ? I can’t under stand how ? Body guy said it going to cost thousands of dollars ! I can’t afford that ! ! what should I do ? There Should be a recall ? on this frame ! Frame is very important part of the car ! I had lot of chev from 1970 to 1980 with 150,000 miles on them ! With out this much rust , body guy stayed it been happening a lot with the chev , It look like it been happening for a while on my 2006 chev , eq before the 50,000 ! ? Very Very dangerous ! Very disappointing and worried that some thing could happen I only use it to go store , pick up kids from school, get food , go around town ,low mileage’s on it ! very disappointed in chev need. To recall this NEED Help ! Thank you
Bent driveshaft
Unknown
Both front frame mounts that hold the engine suspension crossmember rusted away. What is even worse GM discontinued the replacement parts. I had to use components from a similar platform. This is a safety related rusting problem that is life threating as vehicle can become unstable and uncontrollable at highway speeds.
I just got the car on Thursday, 11/3/2022. around 1:00 pm. On 11/3/2022 around 3:30 pm, the following happened: The equinox started wobbling as I reached the speed of approximately 40 mph. Then I had a red light. After it turned green and I began driving, the vehicle started wobbling and it was hard to control my position in the traffic lane. Other drivers avoided me, and slowed down to prevent an accident. At this point, I reached a reduced speed construction area. When I drove at about 20 mph, the vehicle wobbled even worse. The driver’s side wheel started going clunk, clunk., so I pulled into a gas station. The left front tire was low, but nowhere near flat. A man put some air in the tire and it held the air. At that point, I recognized that it was too dangerous to drive the vehicle again. Chevy roadside assistance took it to the nearest dealer, Mills Chevrolet. They will look at it on Monday 11/4/2022.
My 2006 Chevrolet Equinox blows cold air will not defrost windshield. And while driving I push the gas pedal and it’s like surges and jumps. The car manufacturer knows about the issues and they don’t vare
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
BRAKE PEDAL STARTED VIBRATING ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP SO I HAD BRAKE PADS REPLACED. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME MY PADS WERE STILL GOOD AND HADN'T NEEDED CHANGING BUT THEY CHANGED ANYWAY. THE NEXT SHOP RESURFACED MY ROTORS BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. IT STOPPED ON IT'S OWN BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WILL DO IT STILL.
CAR WAS IN MOTION TRIED TO STOP AT LIGHT OR STOP SIGN REALLY HAD TO PUMP BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON TC / TBS. IF CARS WERE CLOSE BY THEY WOULD HAVE HIT ME OR I HIT THEM.HAVE CLEANED MODULE, CHANGED BRAKES, CHANGED OTHER PARTS IN WHEELS. WORK A LITTLE WHILE THEN GOES BACK TO LIGHTS TURNING ON TC / TBS
WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL YOU GET CONSTANT VIBRATION CAUSING YOU TO SKID. IT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR GOING STRAIGHT OR TURNING WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT ALMOST CAUSED ME TO SKID INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AND ALSO DEFROST IS NOT WORKING CAUSING VISIBILITY ISSUES ESPECIALLY IN THE COLD AND SNOW.
FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS SEIZED UP. OVER-HEATING DUE TO EXCESSIVE FRICTION FROM BRAKES LOCKING. FRONT END STARTED SHAKING DUE TO FRONT END BRAKES SEIZING WHILE IN MOTION. FRONT CALIPERS SMOKING DUE TO EXCESSIVE FRICTION BUILD UP. I WAS ON US 265 IN NEW ALBANY, IN. SHAKING SEEMED TO SUBSIDE A BIT WHILE TURNING.
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. *TR
BOUGHT THIS CAR ON 11/3/19, WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK THERE WAS A HORRIBLE THUMPING AND VIBRATING WHILE DRIVING OR TURNING THE WHEEL. SO I TOOK IT BACK, THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD REPLACE MY WHEEL HUB ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, I RETURN TO PICK UP MY CAR, THE SAME ISSUE IS THERE JUST NOT AS BAD, HE CLAIMED HE STILL REPLACED THE WHEEL HUB. SO I TAKE THE TIRE OFF MYSELF AND INSPECT THE WHEEL HUB AND TIRES, AND THEY IN FACT DIDNT REPLACE THE HUB, THEY JUST SILICONED THE WHEEL HUB TO THE END OF THE AXLE SHAFT, WHICH NOW HAS CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO MY TRANS AND OR SUSPENSION. I CALL TO LET THEM KNOW AND THE OWNER FIRST PLAYED STUPID AS IF HE DIDNT KNOW IF THEY REPLACED IT, SO I TOLD THEM ID CALL BACK. I WAITED A WEEK CALLED BACK, LET HIM KNOW WHAT I FOUND ON THE WHEEL HUB THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACED.. THEN HE GETS NASTY AND SAYS ITS OUT OF THEIR HANDS ECT, AND THEY DID REPLACE IT.. WELL NO WHEEL HUB IS GONG TO GO BAD IN LESS THEN A MONTH WITH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, AND THERE IS NO REASON AT ALL SILICONE SHOULD BE USED TO HOLD ANYTHING TO AN AXLE OR WHEEL HUB. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND WIFE, AND I AM SUPPOSE TO CONTINUE TO PAY ANOTHER 2700 DOLLARS ON A CAR THEY LIED ABOUT DURING MY WARRANTY.
CAR KEEPS OVERHEATING REPLACED EVERYTHING STILL OVERHEATING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IDLING, SMOKE SUDDENLY WAS PRESENT COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THROUGH THE AIR VENTS OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE DOORS LOCKED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS TO BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. A WINDOW WAS SHATTERED IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS TO BE EXTRICATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR LOCAL DEALER WERE INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
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...
THE PLASTIC BLEND ARM FOR THE HEATER SELECTOR MOTOR BROKE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING ON THE EQUINOX CARS. IT CAUSES THE HEATER TO BLOW COLD AIR ONLY. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET WHILE TRAVELING TO THE STORE. WHEN I TURNED THE HEATER ON IT MADE A FUNNY NOISE LIKE IT WASN'T ENGAGING. THE WINDOWS WOULDN'T DEFROST WHILE I WAS DRIVING.
DRIVER SEAT IS HAVING A SHORTAGE. SEAT MOVED ALL THE WAY BACK AND DOES NOT MOVE ANYMORE. THE MOTOR ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT IS EXTREMELY HOT AND THE SEAT IS HOT. IT MAKES A NON STOP NOISE FROM THE SHORTAGE. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE HOT SEAT. IT IS MY ONLY VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK AND MY KIDS TO SCHOOL.
THE KEY SLIDES OUT THE IGNITION & THE IGNITION CAN SLIP FROM THE "RUN" TO THE "ACCESSORY" OR "OFF" POSITION WHILE I'M DRIVING, CUTTING POWER AND CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE
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