10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 5
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 147,993 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
My 2006 Equinox has been shutting itself off while driving it. I was driving on the interstate doing 70 mph and without notice, the engine shut off completely. How I managed to coast from the fast lane to the right shoulder without causing a wreck, god only knows. It has done the same thing on 3 other occasions. I was simply running errands in my neighborhood and the engine just shuts off. No warning lights come on. The engine light does not stay on either. After waiting a minute, the car restarts and can be driven. But I have no idea when this will happen again. I have had it in the shop 2 times so for repairs and they can't find anything wrong. (going back for number 3 today.) no computer codes appear to be diagnosed. This is a very dangerous situation. I can't be driving a car and it just decides to shut down on its own. I have kids and can't be putting their life in danger or even the other motorist. I have been researching on other car sites and found 6 other instances of this within the last year. I think Chevrolet needs to look into this asap before someone gets killed.
- O'fallon, MO, USA
September 12, 2006 vehicle into the garage because the previous evening while driving the vehicle, smoke and a burning smell was coming out from inside the steering column. At this visit I was told that since the vehicle currently wasn't experiencing the problem there was nothing they could do. The vehicle was checked and no problem was found. January 18, 2008 vehicle was taken in because the key was sticking in the ignition causing the engine to rev and then the engine would shut off completely. The technician could not get the vehicle to duplicate the problem. Ignition cylinder was cleaned and lubed. April 24, 2008 vehicle taken into the garage for ignition sticking and then vehicle shutting off. Again, cylinder was cleaned and lubed. May 1, 2008 vehicle taken into garage again same problem. Technician noted that they found nothing wrong, but the ignition cylinder was replaced and a new key was cut. After picking the vehicle up, the problem still continued. September 11, 2008 vehicle taken back with identical problem of the key sticking in the ignition, revving the engine and then the engine shutting off. Cylinder was cleaned and lubed. October 24, 2008 vehicle back into the garage with the same problem. At this time they said they could find nothing wrong and asked if they could keep it over the weekend or return the vehicle on the morning of Monday, October 27, 2008 and let them continue to look at it. On October 27, 2008 the vehicle was dropped off. Technician could not get the vehicle to replicate the problem and the vehicle remained at the garage until October 30, 2008 at which time they again told me that they could not find anything wrong with the vehicle and I needed to come pick it up. The above described problem has been on-going since the issue in September 2006. It occurs sporadically and does not seem to have any connection to the weather, the time of day, etc.
- Harrisburg, PA, USA
Vehicle fire. Cell phone charger was plugged into the front auxiliary power outlet. 2-3 minutes later smoke was noticed, and fire erupted from the center console where the power outlet is located. Vehicle was immediately pulled off the road and phone charger was unplugged, burning the tip of one finger. Vehicle was exited and 911 was called. Fire dept. Arrived and extinguished the fire. Phone charger and phone are intact and were not burned or damaged in any way, I in fact was still using them in our other vehicle until requested not to, by my insurance company, and to hold them for further investigation. After the fire, the fuse for the power outlet was checked and had blown out. Don't know yet what caused the fire. It certainly appears the wiring shorted out? vehicle was a total loss.
- Kenmore, NY, USA
Everytime that I take my car in for a quick car wash or if it rains really hard (in Florida it does)... water leaks through the lights in the ceiling, the back hatch, and through the floor boards. My check engine light comes on and the dealer tells me that it is water corrosion from the water leaking through the electrical wiring harness. This causes my car to run, even though I have my pedal to the floor, very slow. I can't go past 10mph. I am afraid of electrical fire. I can hardly turn a corner... I am afraid of a car accident. My car is only 2 years old now... 4/2008 and this has happened a 3rd time. My battery has already had to be replaced and my radio replaced twice because of the "cd changer error". now I can only imagine, with all of the water that keeps coming in, what condition my car will be in a few months from now. Electrical problems, bad smell, corroding floor boards and who knows what else.
- Brandon, FL, USA
I took my 06' Chevy. Equinox lt into the shop two months after I purchased the vehicle. I had drove my car down the street and when I got ready to come home. I put the car in reverse and it didn't move all. I had my car towed to todey Chevrolet of oxnard, ca and about 3 days later they had called me to tell me that they had to replace the whole computer in my car. That there had been water leaking on the side psgr. Door. The leak was so extreme that all the wiring leading to the computer was rusted. I had my car returned to me after about 2 weeks. Water still leaks in my car but, not as severely.
- Port Hueneme, CA, USA
Tuesday Feb 6th went to license branch in South bend in. Was inside for approximately an hour and a half. Walking to the Equinox, used the unlock button. Lights flashed, doors unlocked. Got inside vehicle and had no power. Vehicle would not turn over, doors would not lock or unlock. Absolutely no power. There were no lights that had come on in the vehicle to indicate a low battery or any other warning condition prior. I called ligonier dealership where I purchased vehicle and was told to call a local dealership. Gate Chevrolet of South bend came and got the vehicle started with a booster, but said they had no idea what would have caused it or what the problem was. Vehicle had 2177 miles on it. I drove home, pulled in the garage, turned the vehicle off, tried to restart and had no power to the vehicle at all. Not even enough to turn on the dome light when I opened the door.
- Goshen, IN, USA
- the contact stated that while driving in the rain vehicle lost power. This has happened several times within the last 6 months. The contact took the vehicle to the dealership to be serviced and they have not been able to diagnosis the failure.
- Milford , CT, USA
Bought new 2006 Equinox with three original miles. 1) right rear seat belt locked up, ratchet tighter and would not release until removed and fully retracted. Six occurrences, three times to dealer who could not duplicate. 2) left rear seat belt locked up, ratchet tighter and would not release until removed and fully retracted. Four occurrences, three times to dealer who could not duplicate. 3) engine falters when in reverse. Three occurrences, dealer has not looked at this issue. 4) instrument cluster / gauges not working. Three occurrences, two times to dealer who could not duplicate. 5) engine will not start. Six occurrences, one time to dealer who could not duplicate. 6) engine will hesitate to start / extended crank. Five occurrences, one time to dealer who reprogrammed PCM but issue still exists. 7) ignition switch grinding or will not turn. Daily occurrences, one time to dealer, issue still exists. 8) no onstar data communication. One occurrence, one time to dealer who could not duplicate. 9) onstar unable to detect service light in instrument cluster. Issue not brought to dealer at this time. 10) engine coolant extremely low within 5000 original miles. Issue not brought to dealer at this time. 11) engine coolant brown and foaming. Issue not brought to dealer at this time. 12) alarm system deactivated itself, interior and exterior lights on, doors were still locked. Issue not brought to dealer at this time.
- Mount Angel, OR, USA
On Friday July 14, 2006 my wife came out of work at around 4:00 pm on a very hot day and attempted to start her Equinox & when it started, the power steering was not engaged. I left in the middle of a game of golf and went to her aid. When I got there and started the car, the steering worked fine. We left it a the dealer for the next week where they could not reproduce the problem even though they did recover an error code indicating something failed in the ignition. They replaced the ignition. This problem again occurred on Friday Sept. 18, 2006 at approximately 4:00 pm on another very hot day. I called to get it towed & when they arrived approximately 2 hrs later, the problem again was not apparent. I had it towed once more to the dealer and informed them that I felt it was related to a very hot interior. They had it the entire next week and again found no problems, however, they replaced all of the electronics in the steering column that had to do with the electric power steering. Sunday Sept 17, 2006 after having the car 2 days, it froze up twice again while sitting in my driveway. All problems occurred on hot days where the car was closed up. The dealer currently has the car again and is telling me that he sees no problem. I am wondering why I bought the vehicle & why my car company is appearing to be of little or no help.
- Macungie, PA, USA
- Lakeworth, FL, USA