Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 050604056 | 09/01/2005 | 10017824 | Perceived poor fuel economy in city type driving. *tt | 12/02/2005 | |
| 04262004 | 04/26/2004 | 10013199 | High perssure water test. *eh | 04/12/2005 | |
| 09152004 | 09/15/2004 | 10011259 | 3.4 liter engine exchange program. *eh | 01/12/2005 | |
| 3163 | 10010555 | Evap vent restricted p0446. *eh | 12/01/2004 | ||
| 3169 | 01/01/2004 | 10010166 | Foul odor from hvac and/ or engine coolant. *tc | 11/04/2004 | |
| 3117 | 3117A | 10010098 | Rear toe cam adjustment nut for service applications. *sc | 11/04/2004 | |
| 3141 | 01/01/2004 | 10010004 | Intermittent p0481 and the cool fan hi 25 amp fuse is open. *sc | 11/03/2004 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 3795 | 10020090 | Engine cranks but will not start. *tt | 07/20/2006 | ||
| 060604008 | 03/01/2007 | 060604008B | 10019517 | Lnj service engine soon (ses) light illuminated, multiple powertrain control module (pcm) diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p1404 and/or p0404. *tt updated 04-27-07. *kb | 03/22/2006 |
| 3710 | 10017264 | Reduced engine power message and a diagnostic trouble code p1125 p2120 p2138. *tt | 10/31/2005 | ||
| 040601006 | 03/24/2004 | 10008661 | Exchange program for 2005 model year engines. *tt | 08/13/2004 | |
| 02049 | 01/01/2004 | 10007735 | A misfire with malfunction indicator lamp/diagnostic trouble code p0300, low cylinder compression and possibly valve train noise. *tt | 07/09/2004 | |
| 01912 | 01/01/2004 | 10006817 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) check engine light on diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p1125 or p2138, or both. *tt | 05/14/2004 | |
| 030603006 | 08/01/2005 | 030603006A | 10001539 | Intermittent no crank, no start condition. *tt to include 2002 - 2006 saturn vehicles. *tt | 06/06/2003 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||||
| 050604059 | 09/01/2005 | 10017570 | Fuel nozzle shuts off intermittently or prematurely during fuel fill and/or ses lamp on with dtc p0446 evap vent system performance set. *tt | 11/10/2005 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||||
| 3638 | 10018579 | Vehicle may have a dtc p0404 or p1404. this may be caused from possible egr pintle being stuck. *tt | 01/06/2006 | ||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 04/10/2012 | 72000 | ||
| Vehicle has an engine miss, coolant is disappearing and was taken to repair shop. diagnosed as needing head gaskets. repairs to cost approximately $1700.00. this has happened to many other owners of 2005 chevy equinox's. | |||
| 01/19/2011 | 89000 | ||
| Exhaust gas recirculation tube rusted and came apart | |||
| 05/05/2008 | 55000 | ||
| I purchased this 2005 chevy equinox in may 2006 with 26k miles on it. in may of 2008 with less than 60k miles on it the head gaskets blew! gm refused to repair or do anything to assist financially in the repair. i took it to another mechanic (i cannot afford gm labor rates) who did in fact repair the head gaskets and the vehicle ran again. in november 2009 the head gaskets blew again. i again called gm with an answer of no, i filed a complaint but heard nothing about it. i again took the vehicle to another non gm dealer and had it repaired. yesterday 1/4/2011 with 130,000 miles and a motor that has been overhauled twice, the head gasket blew again. i am quite sure the nhtsa is not going to do anything to assist in this; however, one quick search of 2005 equinox and head gasket and you will find that this problem is happening over and over and over again, and gm quite simply refuses to take responsibility. i have spoken to a person at gm in the past and was told they were aware of the problem but not enough had been reported to warrant a recall. | |||
| 11/30/2011 | 61400 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that the engine failed to start while the vehicle was parked in the driveway. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the manufacturer was not notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 61,400 and the current mileage was 61,743. | |||
| 11/30/2011 | 61400 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that the engine failed to start while the vehicle was parked in the driveway. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the manufacturer was not notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 61,400 and the current mileage was 61,743. sm. | |||
| 11/30/2011 | 61400 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated the engine failed to start while the vehicle was parked in the drive way. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 61,400 and the current mileage was 61,743. rds | |||
| 11/23/2011 | |||
| All problems arose when the brake from the driver's side would shake when braking. we had the shoes and tha pads changed and the problem seemed to be solved for about a year. then the problem began again but this time the brakes would squeak when braking and then they began to tighten and the brake would lock itself and began to smoke because of the friction the pad and the brake disc were creating since the brake would remain locked. this was only on the drivers side. when this occurred the friction made the whole wheel rim get hot and began producing a burning smell from the brake pad. the caliber, shoes, pad and disc had to be replaced for both front brakes. the brakes continue to squeak when breaking. now, the motor heats up to the red zone, the check engine light comes on even if their is anti-freeze in the engine. when accelerating the motor cools down, but if the speed is less than 35mph the motor heats up more. based on other comments from drivers with the same make, model and year they noticed that the problem has come up to be the head gaskets. this problem has created many problems with the engine and is becoming a safety hazard when their is still a posibility that the breaks will lock up again and possibly spark fire if the problem is not fixed. we have not used our vehicle because of these issues we fear that not fixing the costly problem may damage other parts of the vehicle. we know we are not alone and that other drivers have the same problem with the chevy equinox 2005 | |||
| 11/30/2011 | 61400 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated the engine failed to start while the vehicle was parked in the drive way. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 61,400 and the current mileage was 61,743. rds | |||
| 11/23/2011 | |||
| All problems arose when the brake from the driver's side would shake when braking. we had the shoes and tha pads changed and the problem seemed to be solved for about a year. then the problem began again but this time the brakes would squeak when braking and then they began to tighten and the brake would lock itself and began to smoke because of the friction the pad and the brake disc were creating since the brake would remain locked. this was only on the drivers side. when this occurred the friction made the whole wheel rim get hot and began producing a burning smell from the brake pad. the caliber, shoes, pad and disc had to be replaced for both front brakes. the brakes continue to squeak when breaking. now, the motor heats up to the red zone, the check engine light comes on even if their is anti-freeze in the engine. when accelerating the motor cools down, but if the speed is less than 35mph the motor heats up more. based on other comments from drivers with the same make, model and year they noticed that the problem has come up to be the head gaskets. this problem has created many problems with the engine and is becoming a safety hazard when their is still a posibility that the breaks will lock up again and possibly spark fire if the problem is not fixed. we have not used our vehicle because of these issues we fear that not fixing the costly problem may damage other parts of the vehicle. we know we are not alone and that other drivers have the same problem with the chevy equinox 2005 | |||
| 09/30/2011 | 106000 | ||
| Temperature guage never used to go over 50% mark, and was always well under and never moved. about three months ago, the vehicle temperature gauge started to climb after highway driving, then idleing. recently, the temperature light came on. i experienced a coolant odor and the vehicle had a rough idle on cold start. dealer said that it was bad head gaskets. dealer machined heads, replaced gaskets, replaced plugs and flushed/filled coolant system, all for $2450. reading some of the websites, it seems like this is a very high amount compared to what some other people are paying at their dealerships. reading information provided on mycarstats.com and many other forums/news groups, there are hundreds if not thousands of people who have the same head gasket issue with the '05 equinox. it seems to be a known issue with the red dexcool coolant that eats away at the hoses and head gaskets, causing gasket failure, as well as heater core failure. there needs to be some recourse to recouperate money for this problem. head gaskets don't typically fail in most cars. | |||
| 05/20/2011 | 50660 | ||
| Took my equinox in for an oil change. then comes the bad news. lower intake valve gaskets leaking. what!! only 50000 miles on vehicle this should not be happening. $725.00 later it is fixed. i have ready many complaints about gm knowing these were defective gaskets and something should be done about this. | |||
| 03/10/2011 | 74000 | ||
| I have a 2005 equinox and had to put the car in the shop 3 times now in 3 weeks! the thermostat went out, then the radiator had to be replaced, and now they say the head gasket needs to be replaced. bubbling sound can be heard when you take off from a stop. i'm also having problems with the brakes making acting strangely.. the front shakes when brakes are applied. | |||
| 01/21/2011 | |||
| 01/21/2011 the equinox would not turn over and was hauled to the dealer. prior to this incident, there appeared to be a slow loss of coolant, requiring a gallon of coolant to be added over the previous three month period. there were no leaks on the garage floor, nor any interior cabin leaks apparent, but there had been a syrupy smell in the passenger cabin. the dealer put in a new battery and also discovered that the heater core was leaking. the new battery and heater core replacement totaled $1090.11. apparently, when the battery died, the diagnostics codes relating to this incident were lost. 03/16/2011 the check engine light was on. this has happened frequently in the past but had always been related to a loose gas cap and was easily remedied by tightening the cap. when that solution did not work, the equinox was taken into the local gm dealership. it was then diagnosed as needing a head gasket replacement, where it is now being repaired. the repair total is expected to be about $1400. in less than two months, this vehicle (with only 68k miles on it) has required at least $2400 dollars in heater core and engine head gasket repair costs. it seems to me that the heater core leaks were likely to have had the subsequent effect of compromising the integrity of the head gasket. i have found many documented references to similar problems occurring in this engine make, the 3.4l gm v6. there also seems to be a related link to problems with the type of coolant used in this engine (dex cool). at this point, i am not aware that gm has acknowledged that there is problem. i am filing this complaint so that it can be added to the mounting evidence of product defects in this engine type. | |||
| 02/07/2011 | 61487 | ||
| Defective head gasket. engine; blown head gasket; engine must be replaced. | |||
| 12/23/2010 | 63000 | ||
| 2005 chevrolet equinox---with a blown head gasket @ 63,000 miles. i have done a lot of research on this vehicle and it appears that this is a pretty common problem with this vehicle! it is a shame that gm/chevrolet will not step up to the plate to help out all of us poor unsuspecting owners who bought this shoddy made car. if anything, it looks as if the nhtsa would intervene on our behalf. | |||
| 01/02/2011 | 50000 | ||
| This vehicle in to a gm shop multiple times for heating issues. the first time the thermostat was replaced. a year later in the fall, the vehicle was again not blowing hot air. took it back to gm and they flushed the system. about 2 months later, it was brought back in because the heat was not blowing again. for the 2nd time they replaced the thermostat. following year, wouldn't blow hot air again, they flushed the system 3 times and finally got the heat working again. fast forward to fall 2010. same problem, not blowing heat only this time the vehicle was out of warranty. gm diagnosed a cracked head gasket and a leaky water pump and wouldn't cover any of the so called problems. the first 3-4 times that the car was in to be worked on it had the same symptoms 1. when the heat was working and i slowed to stop - it would start blowing cool air, but as soon as i accelerated, the warm air returned. 2. if i turned the fan knob past the 2nd tick, it would start blowing cold air. in 2010, started with the above symptoms and only to have the heat go out completely. gm won't have anything to do with it.this go around diagnosed a cracked head gasket and a leaky water pump and wouldn't help pay to fix because it was a new diagnosis outside of warranty. funny how each time it was in previously, the exact same symptoms are document in their system and no cracked head gasket or leaky water pump was the cause. they're skirting by on an underlying issue and aren't warranting their product! we've since taken it to two separate mechanics and they've both told us the issue isn't caused by a cracked head gasket or leaky water pump. we've again replaced the thermostat only to have the heat go out on our 3 hour car ride home from the holiday with a baby in the car-nice gm you are a joke. i've always owned a gm product but after being swept under the rug, i will never buy one again! | |||
| 12/01/2010 | 55075 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that the heating system was inoperable and that the engine would overheat. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where they flushed the heater core, performed a pressure test, replaced the cylinder, intake manifiold gasket set, oil filter, head gasket, exhaust manifold, distributor orings, head volt set, and the antifreeze. the contact did not inform the manufacture. the current and failure mileages was 55,075. bw | |||
| 12/07/2010 | 89100 | ||
| 89000 miles needed to replace head gasket. failure at cylinder #1. looking at other complaints it appears that cylinder 1 head gasket failure is common. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 59900 | ||
| Check engine light came on at 59,900 miles. took it in to firestone they ran a diagnostic on it and said that the spark plugs / witing were bad. had them replaced for at a cost of $400. a week later check enging light came back on and car overheated. took it in to firestone again. this time they said the head gaskets were blown and the #1 cylinder was leaking. repair estimate $1500 to replace the gaskets, plus an addtiional $1000 if the head is cracked. have done much research and found this to be a common problem among gm vehicles that require the dex-cool coolant. found a class action lawsuit in ca and mo but that only covered up to 2003 models. obviously gm knows this to be an issue, so i have to wonder why are they allowed to continue selling defective products? | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 60100 | ||
| Blown head gasket on a 2005 chevy equinox with 60,000 miles. internet research revealed this as a common problem with several chevy vehicles with 3.4l engines. some with mileage below 30,000 miles. gm is ignoring issue and up to $3000 repair bills. this is a widespread issue. | |||
| 05/01/2010 | |||
| I am submitting this to inform you of the horrible quality and safety of my 2005 chevrolet equinox lt, w/ 3.4l engine. i have just had my engine's headgaskets blow-out at 43,000 miles on a car that has been maintained exactly to manufacturer's specification. the car's braking system is also dangerously under powered. i have worn through two sets of rotors and pads already in 43,000 miles. i do not drive aggressively either. the brakes wear out too quickly and when the rotors warp the braking distances skyrocket and the car vibrates uncontrollably while applying them. this car is a total lemon as i am sure i am not the only person reporting this. just read some reviews on the 2005 equinox and you will see - the 3.4l engine put in this car is a design embarrassment for gm. we need some nhtsa assistance, as chevrolet does not stand behind this product. | |||
| 04/11/2010 | 100456 | 1 | |
| My 2005 chevy equinox started overheating this winter. immediately took it to my mechanic who diagnosed a broken water pump. a few months passed with no issue then it started overheating again. i took it to the mechanic who informed me that the head gasket needed replacement. i've gone on multiple sites that report the same issue with their chevy equinox. although, no one was hurt in my situation, the repeated occurrence of this happening with other equinox owners is puzzling and should be investigated at the least. in my situation i was on the highway when the car slowed down from 60 mph to under 40 mph. luckily there weren't a lot of drivers on the road and i was able to pull all the way over across traffic. . this vehicle is not safe and chevy has even logged this faulty head gasket issue in their service bulletins. *tr | |||
| 03/25/2010 | |||
| I have a low mile 2005 chevy equinox with a blown head gasket. i've done my reasearch not to find this is a common problem with the 05-09 models. chevy knows about this and something needs to be done, that is a exreamly costly repair and by the time it happens most of us are out of out warenty. | |||
| 09/10/2009 | 72000 | 1 | |
| 2005 equinox, 70,000 miles, started over heating, took the car to my mechanic and he stated it was a blow head gasket, cost min of $2000.00. i called gm and notified them of the problem, they asked me to take the car to a gm dealer and they would diagnose and see if gm could help. the car sat at the gm dealer for 3weeks and then gm stated they don't help with any repair costs. the dealer would not release my broken car to me until i paid $100.00 for the diagnosis, which i already knew, and gm corp. would not pay for the diagnosis when they are the ones that sent me there! gm knew about the defect in the head gaskets on the 2005 equinox, they knew the head gasket would only last for 3-5years. they are not standing behind their product or helping in anyway their loyal customers. i have a broken car i cannot pay to fix and i still owe a year and a half left on my note. i am paying $507.00 per month on my note for a broken car! *tr | |||
| 10/01/2008 | 125000 | 1 | |
| At approx 125k miles the thermostat failed. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 25000 | 1 | |
| At intermittent times, for no reason, the vehicle won't start. it turns over like it wants to but then doesn't. it doesn't do this all the time and there's no explanation as to why it chooses to do this whenever. i usually have to give it gas in order for the engine to fire up. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2009 | 135000 | 1 | |
| At approx 130k miles the engine was overheating. upon further investigation it was discovered that the head gasket was cracked. $1,800 to repair. *tr | |||
| 04/24/2009 | 91543 | 1 | |
| I have a 2005 equinox. it started losing power, overheated then check engine light came on. brought it to my mechanic within one mile of incident he told me i had a blown head gasket or cracked block. code p1258-engine overheating. lost coolant, though there was no leak underneath. *tr | |||
| 03/28/2009 | 60000 | 1 | |
| My 2005 chevy equinox want start sometimes after short trips. it will turn over but want crank (it almost acts like it is flooded). then after about 10 or 20 minutes it will crank like nothing was wrong with it. this is starting to happen all the time now. it is very annoying when this happens. *tr | |||
| 10/20/2008 | 81000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2005 equinox. it started overheating and losing coolant, though there was no leak underneath. brought it to my mechanic who told me i had a blown head gasket. i emailed chevy but because its not at a dealership refuse to help any with the problem. i don't understand how something so major can break on a 3 year old vehicle. *tr | |||
| 11/08/2008 | 1 | ||
| The chevy equinox is over-all a piece of garbage. ever since i bought it in 2004 it has given nothing but problems. i bought the vehicle brand new, but i doesn't perform like a brand new vehicle. since i've had this vehicle it has over heated on me, the ac system had to be repaired, the gage lights keep coming on as if something is wrong with the vehicle, when i drive on the express way and hit 60 mph the steering wheel start shaking when as i'm braking, the one belt that the equinox has snapped while i was driving, and three weeks after i got the belt fixed as i was driving and i turned on the ac the vehicle started smoking. keep in mind that my warranty expired earlier this year so majority of these expenses are coming out of my pocket, and guess what, yesterday on 9nov2008 the equinox died on me. i can't even get it to start. when i turn the key all the vehicle is doing is making a clicking noise but it's not turning over. i don't know if it's the battery because the horn works, the gage lights come on, the radio works, but it's just not turning over. it's back in the shop again, and there's no telling how much this is going to set me back. this vehicle has given me and my wife so much heart ache, and what i just listed were some of the high lights of problems that this vehicle has given us. times are tough right now and this equinox is not making things any easier. the gm company should be ashamed of themselves for making such a crappy product such as this vehicle. never again will i ever buy another chevy or any other gm product. i regret ever buying this vehicle. *tr | |||
| 06/14/2008 | 65550 | 1 | |
| Beginning in 2007, the car would stall a little when i tried to start it. it would catch and start, but the noise was of some concern. early this year, the car would fail to start at all when i went to crank it. i've had it in the service shops at two different dealerships, and they've both told me they can't find anything wrong. i was stranded again today, but the car finally started after i waited for the tow truck for more than an hour. both times the car was in the shop, the folks working on it ran every test they new of and tried to repeat the problem but couldn't. *tr | |||
| 04/28/2008 | 1 | ||
| I have a leaking head gasket, i bought this equinox 6 months ago and its 1,200.00 to fix it at the dealer ship. i just paid 306.00 to replace the motor in the driver's side window. front end makes lots of noises. *tr | |||
| 08/30/2007 | 50 | 04/22/2005 | |
| Since i've owned the vehicle in 2005, i've had numerous occasions where there's been trouble with the engine cranking excessively. after too many times of this happening over the past couple of years, i finally took it into the dealer when it started getting worse. this was on 8/31/07. my response from the dealer was that this is normal due to service bulletin #03-06-03-001c. i've continued to have the problem, and it gets worse and worse. this is not a normal problem. chevrolet needs to correct this problem once and for all for all of its customers out there that have this issue. *tr | |||
| 12/01/2007 | 30115 | 1 | 02/07/2005 |
| I was traveling on a major highway (rte 495 s). i suddenly heard a loud noise and felt a jolt. i thought that i had gotten a flat tire, so i proceeded to pull into the break down lane. the car was idling fine but made a horrible scraping noise when moving. my mechanic informed me the bolts supporting my engine block had snapped and the only thing holding the engine was my axle | |||
| 05/30/2007 | 22481 | 3 | |
| I have had numerous problems with my 2005 awd chevy equinox, including the head gaskets blowing, losing acceleration on the 270/highway, ongoing acceleration problems, and other problems which still continue. i have begged for chevy to help get the car fully repaired and the customer service representatives just keep telling me to bring it into the dealer. i've tried two dealers and returned to the purchasing dealer who will only make repairs if they can pull a code - they report i am having problems with my spark plug wires - first they reattached it, and then replaced one but car still doesn't drive as it did before head gaskets blew. please, please help me - i've had my car in the shop 8 times in 4 months and the dealer and chevy will not provide me with an extended warranty - car warranty ends in 6 months or help repair properly. i am scared to drive this car and don't know what to do as they don't take my concerns seriously as the only way they diagnose is by pulling codes. *tr | |||
| 12/28/2006 | 33900 | 5 | 10/09/2006 |
| Tensioner,pulley& fan belts failures...driver side window-defect..windows freezes will not go up,when up will not go down.. *tr | |||
| 07/12/2006 | 15859 | 8 | 04/09/2005 |
| Cd player broke, water soaking floor boards twice causing mold & mildew. complete loss of radiator fluid, loss of engine power while driving twice. unusual wear of tires. rubbing in steering column when turning, knocking sound when turning slowly to the right, a/c not cooling efficiently. *nm | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 3000 | 3 | 05/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle restarted and was placed in drive, however it did not move. the vehicle was towed to a dealership who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. also, the vehicle shook while driving over 60 mph and when the brakes were applied. the dealership replaced the tires twice, rotated, and balanced the tires in an effort to correct the problem. the dealership also replaced the rims, wheels, and hubs, however the problem persisted. in addition, the air conditioner unit fell off the bracket which caused the engine to shut down. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. updated10/04/06. *jb | |||
| 11/30/2005 | 18803 | 4 | 09/08/2004 |
| Bought brand new 2005 chevy equinox. bad odor coming from vents. dex cool is corroding cooling system, and engine. 17,000 miles have had it in 3 times for entire coolant system flush... still is un bearable. be aware this is not an isolated case. consequence- after extended drive (greater than 30 minutes) results in light-headedness, headache, or watery burning eyes. it leaves a film of antifreeze vapor on the windshield, on the inside. gm does not consider this vehicle inoperable. go figure. gm has done little to satisfy our needs, they pay for new hoses and flush- which obviously doesn't work. 900 dollars a pop, for the same result. parts repaired: 5 hoses (all of them) 3x, dex-cool 3x. safety is something they strive for at gm, what happened? *nm | |||
| 11/10/2004 | 800 | 5 | |
| Check engine light keeps going on and they've only been able to ascertain anything a couple of times. the code is lost in the computer with multiple starts and shut offs of the engine. the computer is reset at different intervals--no one can tell me how long i have to get to the dealership after the error light is lit. *nm | |||
| 08/11/2004 | 700 | 32 | 08/05/2004 |
| Contact states: bought a brand new vehicle in august 2004. the anti-freeze was changed. the anti-freeze was brown and the smell was severe and nauseous. the car has been the shop 9 times with so many different reasons. the antifreeze line wasn't bled right and the antifreeze was leaking in the ground. there was a leak in the dome light and sunroof, the suspension and engine would tick, the horn did not work, there were front end problem, the shifter would stick, there ignition problem, noise when turning the vehicle, gas mileage problem and there was a toxic smell from the anti-freeze, the vehicle over heated, the brakes made noises, the consumer had driven through a car wash, the dome light had filled with water, the lower dash was dripping water and the vehicle would not accelerate vehicle would not accelerate and the engine light had illuminated, the vehicle pulled to the right when driving and when braking,there was poor gas mileage during city driving, there was a loud noises when making turns on the front struts, the front brake rotors were out of round, the shifter would stick, the ignition cylinder was binding, there was popping when the vehicle was started from cold, and the brake pedal would go to the floor. *sc *jb | |||
| 02/02/2005 | 1 | 09/15/2004 | |
| Foul odor in cabin coming from heater, also smell is noticable outside the car. checked the coolant and it is dark brown and has a strong foul odor. the vehicle does not get anywhere near the mileage per gallon that gm states it should get of 19 and 25. lucky if it get 13mpg city and 15 highway.*ak | |||
| 01/09/2005 | 1 | 08/06/2004 | |
| I own a 2005 chevrolet equinox with 8500 miles, the antifreeze is dark brown in color and there is a film of brown stuff on the recovery bottle. it also smells like rotten meat. | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1200 | 1 | 09/24/2004 |
| 2005 chevrolet equinox - bad odor coming from hvac and coolant system, first noticed with approximately 1200 miles on the suv, had in and was told they could do nothing, after further complaining they contacted gm and told me they had to order some new stuff and once in they would replace and flush the coolant. i've called twice now over the past month, dealership still has not received stuff. issue not resolved.*ak | |||
| 11/20/2004 | 1 | 08/28/2004 | |
| Since i've owned the vehicle, there has been a strong odor in the cabin of the car. i noticed the coolant has changed from pink to black with sludge floating in it. i am also getting far less average gas mileage than was listed. i am averaging less than 17 mph on the highway. not close to the 25 that is advertised. was informed by the service manager that that the smell and other coolant issues is normal for this vehicle (05 chevrolet equinox). with the heat on and windows up, the car is almost undrivable due to the smell. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 07/21/2011 | |||
| 2005 chevy equinox...ac blows hot air when it's been exposed in the heat for long periods of times. when car is moving without stoppage the ac returns to normal. when there are long stops, the air gets hot again. have taken it to many repair shops, they have charged the freeon, no problems with the compressor. they seem to think it might be a sensor. | |||
| 04/01/2010 | |||
| 2005 chevrolet equinox passenger window will not come down and drivers window sometimes will not come down. have to pull up or down with hand.. the ignition does not lock and the vehicle will run without the key in it | |||
| 06/16/2010 | 92000 | ||
| 2005 chevy equinox. incident started in summer still having problems. in shop today as we speak! 1/3/2011 | |||
| 12/07/2010 | |||
| 2005 chevy equinox head gaskets went after 76,000 miles. | |||
| 10/09/2010 | 62567 | ||
| I have a 2005 chevy equinox that i purchased used in march 2009 from johnny londoff chevrolet. i have been taking it to the dealer for regular maintenance and they would say everything is working properly. i've been experiencing alot of problems with this car since i've purchased it. the air didn't work & i paid to get it fixed only for it to go out again. when i start it sometimes it doesn't want to start, i hear noises like it's misfiring when it does start. i recently had the vehicle serviced & had a multipoint inspection & was told again everything is working properly only to be driving home & when i tried to stop the brakes don't work. i could have had an accident & my child was in the car as well. i had it towed back to them to find out what caused this & they said the hub bearing needs to be replaced & the harness needs to be replaced. it's not gonna be cheap to fix as i'm not under warranty. i want this to be investigated as to why this happened without any warning since i've only had the car about 1 year & 8 mos. the mileage when i bought the car was 53010 & since i have had it i'm only at 62567 miles. i need answers just like others experiencing some of the same problems. | |||
| 08/06/2010 | 80000 | ||
| This complaint is in regards to the car itself, air conditioner compressor and window switches. i purchased a 2005 chevy equinox from chris nickel dealership (used). for $10,000 on june 12, 2010 ;not even 2 weeks after purchasing this vechicle the passenger side window would not roll up......it had the motor in the window go out......had to have it replaced..... at 8 weeks of owning it....the brakes were squealing........took it back to the dealership......they said it is normal for these cars and brakes to do that........they said they turned the roters and graphited them and said it would fix the problem......on my way home....the car air conditioner was blowing out hot air......i once again called the dealership......they said it was most likely caused by low freon........however 2 weeks later it started making a funny noise........took it to a mechanic to have it checked out.......told it i was to continue to drive it......it would lock up the engine.........it cost 918.00 to have it repaired.......(called the dealership to let them know of this problem....refused to listen and make customers happy........ in my purchase......they had a certified mechanic inspectors signed and dated form showing that all items had been checked and they were in tip top shape........now i am wondering do they just go through and place a check mark in all the boxes because some of the boxes were checked and they are not included in my car.......... i believe that this is an ongoing problem in these vechicles and costing consumers lots of money they should not have to put out.....please check into this and correct the problem.......make the consumers happy check out htis website for more complaints on the 2005 chevy equinox www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2005/chevrolet/equinox/cooling+system | |||
| 04/28/2010 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I had to have my 2005 equinox's head gaskets repaired. i bought it certified used and gm is not covering the cost. it has 80,000 miles and i have found several siteson the internet reporting this as an issue with the 3.4 liter engine. my cousin and her husband had a pontiac montana mini van that had the same issue and gm did nothing about it. i found one site listing court cases in ca and mo because of the dexcool destroying gaskets. *tr | |||
| 04/06/2010 | |||
| Dfective haead and rear seal gasket,and tensioner... | |||
| 01/13/2010 | 84000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2005 chevy equinox. i have had numerous problems with this car-before and after warranty. most recently, i had to pay over 1600.00 to have my head gaskets replaced/repaired. i am still waiting to see if different gaskets are cracked and will need repair. i have heard from numerous repairs shops and online sources, that the head gasket problems with the chevy equinox were known before being put out for sale. my car overheated on the highway and locked up. i could have been seriously injured. i was thankfully able to get off the road. these issues could have been avoided if chevy would have fixed this problem prior to selling. there is no reason why a four year old car should require this much work. *tr | |||
| 11/24/2009 | 60000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. while idling the vehicle would hesitate as it would stall. while driving between 50-60 mph the temperature and engine warning lights illuminated on the instrument control panel, and then the vehicle lost power. she had the vehicle towed to a local gas station. a mechanic stated that the thermostat failed, because it was located near the exhaust system. no repairs were made. the failure and current mileages were 60,000. | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 33000 | 1 | |
| 2005 chevy equinox, replaced head gasket 2 times, blown again. the exhaust and fumes that come out because of this are horrible. the car is not safe to drive and should be recalled, gm is very aware of this problem and refuses to do anything. *tr | |||
| 06/10/2009 | 55600 | 1 | |
| Please note, just spent $847.00 on this vehicle, brakes, serpentine belt ,rotors,thermostat. this vehcile has been a lemon since it was exported from canada as that where it was built!!! *tr | |||
| 10/17/2008 | 1200 | 1 | |
| Bought 2005 chevy equinox brand new. chemical smell in cab at about 1200 miles and at 19,000 a/c leak detected and compressor and parts replaced. *tr | |||
| 07/15/2008 | 60000 | ||
| I bought a 2005 equinox 4 months ago, paid $4000.00 down on this car and then 2 month later i had to put out $ 956.00 on the cooling system. the air compressor had went out. now 2 months later the car had started getting a little over heated. i put engine coolant in it and it seemed to be doing better. 2 weeks after putting the engine coolant in it runs hot again worse than before and i am being told that it has a blown head gasket. i took it to a place that i trust with my vehicle repairs first because i was afraid to drive it to the dealership where i bought due to being afraid it would mess it up even more. they called and told me what the problem is and that's when i called the dealership. they say they are going to come and tow the vehicle to their shop and check it out and see what can be done. or either see about giving me another car. i'm not going to keep putting money out to get this car fixed and nothing is under warranty any more. there are a few other problems with this vehicle. a couple of times it's acted like it didn't want to start, and i can get out of it and lock it and before i walk away it will unlock by it self. also i have gotten out of it and the bell will keep dinging like the key is still in it. i've noticed that when i'm making a sharp turn that there seems to be noise with the front tire or something on the passenger side. i can't afford to be fixing this car every couple of months. it's crazy... *tr | |||
| 07/30/2008 | 39700 | 1 | |
| Our 2005 chevrolet equinox began to blow warmer air than usual when in the coldest air conditioning setting. we took it to the dealership and were told the problem was an internal valve in the compressor for the air conditioning unit. $1,050.00 to replace. our vehicle is 9 months and 4,000 miles out of warranty. we took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and he said without having to look anything up. it's a systemic problem with the 2005 model year equinox and the part is back ordered for 2 months because so many people have the same problem. *tr | |||
| 04/27/2005 | 15113 | 1 | |
| Took delivery o '05 equinox in june of '04. within the first year i began having an odor of coolant in the passenger compartment. had coolant system flushed and tank cleaned out in april of '05. this was apparently before a tsb was issued for the problem. in march of '06 i had it back to the dealer for the same problem and this time they had a tsb for it and changed the hoses and coolant under warranty. again in july of '06 dealer replaced the tank and coolant due to coolant gelling in tank. in august of '06 with 35,557 miles on the car (just under the 36,000 mile warranty there was again the smell accompanied by overheating. dealer found leaks in the front and rear head gasket. just barely got this job in under warranty! within weeks i was back at the dealer for a heater core replacement. they told me that this sometimes happens with the problem of the head gasket. (why didn't they check this when they were doing the head gasket if that was the case?) anyway i was back to the dealer by december due to the sound of air in the system after the heater core replacement. they found a leak between the tranny and the back of the block. they replaced the metal heater o-ring that was leaking. i never asked for any of the old parts from the dealer. i recently had the car to my mechanic (not the dealer) because of the smell of coolant in the cabin and the sound of water rushing/air in the system. he told me there is a tsb for hth problem and i would have to flush the system and change all the hoses. that was the end of march and i was saving $ for the job. this week my car overheated all the way to the red and when i checked the reservoir it was empty. i can't afford to replace or flush the coolant system every few months or year, especially when it is supposed to last much longer. if you have any advice on a remedy for the situation i would greatly appreciate it. i have had numerous other problems with this vehicle which i have not listed here. *tr | |||
| 03/05/2008 | 1 | 02/29/2008 | |
| I just bought the vehicle a 205 chevy equinox and the 2nd day i took my wife for a drive & we both noticed a bad odor coming from the ventilation. it caused her to get sick. i told the dealer and they did an ionizer cleaning thing, but that didn't work, because after 2 days, for the last two weeks i've been sick with upset stomach, nausea, headache, sinus problems, earache. had to take off work because i was feeling bad. i've read some other reports on this type vehicle and noticed people complained about same thing. *tr | |||
| 06/20/2007 | 4 | ||
| We have a 2005 chevy equinox, as my mechanic would say, is a problem child. we have experienced what most have with the odor coming from the cooling system. our biggest complaint in with the suspension, and now the abs system. it took several visits to figure out why our vehicle was making loud noises in the front end. it all started while i was driving it around a sharp corner. from that day on, which was about six months ago, till present time the car has been load. we have an excellent mechanic. the noise in the front turned out to be the strut plates. this cost us $300 per side. we thought we had solved the issues except for about a week ago a louder noise stared. it felt and sounded like the car was going to break in two. we brought it back to our mechanic. this time it was the suspension system again. i do not know what it is called. there is a rod that is from the top of the strut that goes down to the wheel. these both needs to be replaced. the vehicle is at the shop now. thank fully theses rods only cost $30 a piece. the vehicle only has 46000 on it. then we can talk about the abs system. not every time but quite frequently we would back the car up and they abs would engage. only way to fix this was through replacing the sensors on the wheels. in not knowing which sensor is bad we would have to replace all of them which would amout to at least $1200. the good news or not such good news, however you want to look at it, the abs system is engaging going forward now, on dry pavement while braking. at least the mechanics should be able to find the falty sensor now that it is happening all of the time. shame on us for not doing our research before we bought the vehicle. *tr | |||
| 11/21/2007 | 41000 | 1 | 08/27/2005 |
| Currently my vehicle is in the shop for a head gasket repair. i have previously had to take the vehicle in for a tsb on the cooling system to have the system flushed and new hoses and coolant replaced. a foul odor was being released from the vehicle and a sludge and discoloration was building up in the reserve tank. i recently started to notice that the vehicle was running hot (near red line at stop lights). upon checking my coolant level it was very low. it is a closed cooling system and this should not be. i immediately took it into the dealership. upon a service writer opening the hood the vehicle was sizzling and boiling. he quickly pointed out the sludge and discoloration again in my reserve tank and he told me this was indicative of a serious problem with the cooling system. i have been informed that i have a blown head gasket. i have researched on line and seen that this has occurred with numerous other 2005 equinox owners resulting in major engine problems and failures. everything from gaskets and heads to water pumps and entire engines having to be rebuilt or replaced is on record. is there any recourse available to the consumer in the event that problems should continue after this major repair? my vehicle is no longer under warranty and i still owe a very substantial balance. i cannot afford continuing major repair costs in addition to my monthly payments when it appears this was a manufacturing defect/problem. i look forward to your response. donna huff-bolek shady side, maryland *tr | |||
| 06/10/2007 | 100 | 5 | 02/27/2005 |
| I bought the eqinox in the end of february 2005. i noticed a sour smell, and had the dealer clean interior because of the rotten smell. the smell persisted, and the dealer had the coolant system flushed and said that would cure the problem. then , when the weather warmed up and i turned on the vent light steam would come out of the vents and moisture on the window inside. i had the car in the shop again for 5 days, and they said they could not find anything wrong. they had flushed the system again and the smell was still there. two weeks later the engine light came on. i took it back to the originals dealer, and they determined the heater core was gone and they replaced it and seemed to run fine , except it seemed to run hot and would leave a large puddle. i complained, but the dealer told me that it was normal, and that all was okay. last month in may 2007 every time i stopped the temperature gauge would climb so the dealer replaced the thermostat. 3 weeks later the gauge would hit red every time i would stop at a light. i brought it back again this time they said the head gaskets were shot. i contacted chevrolet, and they were supposed to gave me the parts, but it still cost $918.00 since now i was out of warranty. i have spoken to several mechanics, and they claimed the engine heads warped due to the heater core problems in the beginning, and that if i had a private repairman repair the gaskets the job would have coasted $1000, and chevrolet did not give me any real break.*ak | |||
| 04/03/2007 | 21000 | 5 | 06/09/2006 |
| Bought the car used with 20,000 and it was having problems a week later. passenger window would not roll up,grinding and clicking at slow turns. they replaced rotors ,clutch and suspension and the problem was solved. then came the air condition not blowing cold air and the ignition sticking on start up. the final straw was the transmission slipping and dropping into lower gears,the car will be in the shop in the morning. last chevy i will ever buy back to nissan. *jb | |||
| 07/03/2005 | 2 | 04/03/2005 | |
| Took in for oil change and lube tech at dealer suggested take in for service due to discoloration of antifreeze, told by service advisor this was okay and not to worry. second oil change same issues, finally have appointment to hopefully correct,poor gas mileage, erratic shifting, gas cap that will not stay on,check engine light once or twice a week, and only 8300 hundred miles on vehicle. will have hard time buying another chevorlet again. *jb | |||
| 11/27/2004 | 2 | 06/10/2004 | |
| Cooling system problems, foul smell, fluid is a dark color when it should be light pink. problem was first pointed out at 2nd oil change appointment. they advised that the cooling system was malefunctioning and that i should contact the dealership to have this fixed. they also mentioned that they have seen 3 other equinox's all with the same problem. upon contacting the dealership they advised that it was not a malefunction, they did not seem concerned about this problem. appointment is scheduled in a couple days. upon reading more about this cooling system problem i am even more concerned due to the fact that there is yet to be a recall and all of the vehicles are having the same problem.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1500 | 1 | 09/15/2004 |
| Purchased a 2005 chevy equinox new from dealer. vehicle spent two days at dealer, only for dealer to tell me that there is no fix for problem. my equinox has coolant contamination which emits a bad odor. chevy still has to tsb out on this problem yet, and others are having the same problem. this was noticed @ 1500 miles. currently, the vehicle has 2700. dealer told me that there would be no problem driving until chevy comes out with tsb. if you look at the coolant resevoir, the coolant is dark in color and sludge is forming in the container (residue). *nm | |||
| 11/19/2004 | 502 | 1 | 11/19/2004 |
| This is a correction to the complaint i submitted yesterday. the complaint number is 10100295. on that complaint please delete the part of the complaint that says the abnormal odor from the engine coolant is entering the passenger compartment of the vehicle. i found that the coolant reservoir cap was loose, allowing the strong odor of the coolant to escape and be drawn into the passenger compartment. when i tightened the cap the odor stopped entering the passenger compartment. i am still very concerned about the abnormal odor and color of the coolant. this could be adversely affecting components of the cooling system and engine. *jb | |||
| 11/19/2004 | 502 | 1 | 11/19/2004 |
| I recently purchased a 2005 chevrolet equinox. after only 500 miles the engine coolant has turned brown and has a very bad odor (stinks). when the heater is turned on, the odor comes into the passenger compartment and is almost intolerable.*ak | |||
| 11/18/2004 | 1 | 05/15/2004 | |
| My 2005 chevrolet equinox has reoccruing problems with 1) the engine coolant turning from the normal dex cool pink color to a dark brown / black color. 2) horrible smell entering the passenger cabin when the engine is running the heat is on.the vehicle was picked up from the service department on november 18th and according to the dealer, gm's technical line is instructing all service departments to take no repair actions as they are still trying to determine the cause. the first time i took the vehicle in they performed a coolant system flush which took care of the problem for a couple of hundred miles, only to return. *ak this problem is happening all across north america so it cannot be blamed on weather or type of fuel used. i have many concerns with the long term reliability of this vehicle. | |||
| 10/07/2004 | 300 | 3 | 09/20/2004 |
| 2005 equinox - i had about 300 miles on the car and it started smelling of a propane odor/dead animals. took it to dealer and they flushed the coolant system but the odor returned. then the car overheated due to the coolant system. they put a new thermostat and flushed once again. still a bad odor, the car leaks water and it runs hot. i have had the car in the shop 3 times and they still can not fix the odor.*ak | |||
| 09/30/2004 | 300 | 1 | 09/30/2004 |
| I have a 2005 chevrolet equinox. soon after i received the new vehicle (within a few hundred miles) i began noticing a very distinct and horrible smell coming from the engine compartment. the smell is noticeable from 10 feet away from the car and comes in through the cabin vents when the air is on and the car is standing still and running. it does not enter the cabin when the car is moving. gm thinks the smell is due to the dexcool coolant reacting with the hoses in the coolant system and has flushed my coolant system several times already but the smell keeps coming back. i have been reading of this problem from many, many others across the us and canada who own equinox and so far gm has not announced a recall despite people being unable to spend more than 5 minutes in these vehicles before getting headaches or just being unable to handle the smell. please urge gm to come up with a solution fast! *jb | |||
| 10/25/2004 | 1200 | 1 | 09/25/2004 |
| In the 2005 chevrolet equinox the coolant may be contaminated and turn a dark brown or black and somehow emit fumes into the cabin that cause the occupants to feel light headed. this condition can start anywhere from 400 to 1800 miles ands worsens over time. it is unknown whether the fumes are toxic so the vehicle is undrivable at that point.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - HOSE | |||
| 08/18/2005 | 600 | 18 | 07/27/2005 |
| 2005 chevy equinox awd, 3 starters, 3 coolant tanks, all coolant hoses changed, heater changed twice, a pillar panels leaked air, radiator replaced, battery bolt replaced, rear shelf broke, constant coolant smell in car, made wife sick, had car 5 months approx, spend around 90 + days in shop, dealer did all they could, but g.m. refused to work on car under warranty anymore, g.m. forced to buy back under lemon law, bought toyota, period. have all receipts and paper work for anybody interested. *jb | |||
| 03/23/2005 | 11110 | 1 | 11/29/2004 |
| Coolant was turning brown and starting to smell. defective hoses were the problem. hoses had to be replaced, engine flushed, new coolant, etc. chevy knows of the problem, but has not informed any owners. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 08/18/2005 | 600 | 18 | 07/27/2005 |
| 2005 chevy equinox awd, 3 starters, 3 coolant tanks, all coolant hoses changed, heater changed twice, a pillar panels leaked air, radiator replaced, battery bolt replaced, rear shelf broke, constant coolant smell in car, made wife sick, had car 5 months approx, spend around 90 + days in shop, dealer did all they could, but g.m. refused to work on car under warranty anymore, g.m. forced to buy back under lemon law, bought toyota, period. have all receipts and paper work for anybody interested. *jb | |||
| 01/03/2005 | 1 | ||
| The radiator is leaking coolant, increasing the chance of the vehicle to overheat. taken to dealer twice for repairs, but the problem recurred.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 07/27/2011 | 61000 | ||
| During normal driving operations the vehicle engine began to overheat with only 60,000 miles. auto repair shop states it is a combination of broken head gasket and cracked egr valve. chevy upgraded the egr valve and the new part does not fit on the existing egr component. now have to pay $280 for a new egr assembly as well. total cost of repair from overheating is $1900. | |||
| 12/01/2009 | 60000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated every time he started the vehicle, the check engine lamp illuminated and the engine would stall. the contact mentioned that in order to turn the vehicle back on he had to depress the gas pedal several times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnosed the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 60,000. the current mileage was 87,500. rvk | |||
| 12/01/2009 | 60000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that every time he started the vehicle, the check engine lamp illuminated and the engine would stalled. the contact mentioned that in order to turn the vehicle back on, he has to depress the gas pedal several times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnosed the problem. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage 60,000 and current mileage 87,500. pm | |||
| 07/26/2009 | 20000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. the contact stated that there was smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle, the vehicle would shut off at anytime and the engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure and the failure was not remedied. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 37,000. nw | |||
| 05/12/2011 | |||
| I have a 2005 chevy equinox lt- after several years of driving it with no problems the head cracked. gm is taking no action to try and remedy this situation. | |||
| 12/06/2010 | 113000 | ||
| Check engine light came on after over heating occurred. replaced the thermostat, water pump and then found out their was a blown head gasket. now i need to place a new motor in a 2005 equinox with only 113000 miles! | |||
| 06/10/2010 | 111275 | ||
| In april of 09 the truck was leaking oil, had head gasket replaced. in june 2010 the engine overheated head gaskets was repaired a second time. when received truck back from dealer truck died on freeway and now it needs new fuse block and main computer. just paid 2500 in repairs and dealer wants 1500 and cannnot tell me if that will fix the current electrial problem. truck is now worth 3000. this was a 24000 truck. this should not be happening | |||
| 05/18/2010 | 71000 | ||
| My 2005 chevrolet equinox stalled and would not restart in traffic for approximately the 5th time in the past three years. the first four times were finally diagnosed by gm as a faulty computer that was getting wet due to a bad seal from the sunroof. because of these problems, i leased another car for my wife while i was deployed to iraq so i would not have to worry about her safety. the car has been running fine for the past year that i have been home. i have routinely changed my oil and inspected fluids and air pressures etc. on vehicles. the latest occurence happened on my way home from work. it stalled was due to what the dealer is calling internal damage. speaking to a claims agent for gm i was initially told to have dealer call for an authorization. they refused to honor my extended gm warranty and are demanding $1700 just to tear it down to see what the fault or problem is. i have contacted gm ext warranty and they have finally agreed to send a inspector. now they are demanding proof of oil changes. i contacted my oil change service center and they just sold to a new owner and cannot access old database past 1 apr 2010...this vehicle has broke down (stalled with no power) on multiple occasions in very dangerous areas with limited room to pull over due to mountainous terrain and numerous big rigs travelling the route. no accidents or injuries have occured yet, but this vehicle is an accident waiting to happen. after this latest incident, i have researched online and have found numerous examples of other people having similar incidents with this particular vehicle/motor. i am genuinely concerned for my familys safety, and futhermore, deeply disturbed that i have been paying for a gm extended warranty that they do not wish to choose to honor. what kind of pressure or recourse can your office apply to gm before they accept responsibilty for a product that is defective and a safety hazard. i actually like this car, but it has turned into nothing but a lemon. | |||
| 03/19/2010 | 93000 | ||
| 2005 chevrolet equinox lt awd - new engine needed at 93,000 miles. this car had all suggested service and oil changes. | |||
| 08/15/2009 | 75000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. whenever the contact drove the vehicle he noticed that the engine would begin to run hot and the coolant level would continually decrease. the vehicle was taken to his local mechanic where the contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 75000. | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 0 | 1 | |
| When starting vehicle, engine would continually roll over until starting. i took the vehicle to the dealership under warranty many times for this problem and they tried to tell me that i was holding the key too long in the start position. i have owned many vehicles and have been licensed for over 15 years, never happened with any other car. now 5 years later, with only 65k miles, it still rolls over but doesn't start. i have to try again and pump the gas a few times to get it to start. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2008 | 77239 | 1 | |
| In january, 2008, i started to notice an antifreeze odor whenever the weather warmed a little. on february 2, i stopped to get the care washed and while i was drying it off noticed steam coming from the front of the car, with a strong antifreeze odor. i drove the car directly to the nearest mechanic, one that i use exclusively for after-warranty repairs in my town. i was told the vehicle had what seemed to be a blown head gasket on initial examination, but they would let me know for sure after they were able to check it further. indeed it was what they thought, and it cost me $970 to repair. i asked them what could have caused such a thing in a 2005 chevy equinox that wasn't even 4 years old. i was told that chevrolet uses dex-cool orange coolant in this vehicle and it has been known to cause this type of problem. it has only been now,months later, that i have learned gm agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit tied to the engine coolant in vehicles beginning in 1995. i have obtained a copy of the paperwork for the class-action suit and am aware that the years involved are 1995 to 2003 for the group a vehicles with 3.1 liter or 3.4 liter v6 engines manufactured before 4/10/2003. i was not fortunate to belong within this group of cars who could be compensated, and missed the filing deadline of october 27, 2008. however, i am extremely upset that gm continued to use this coolant in a brand new model in 2005 knowing there had been serious problems for the same type engine for years of using it. i would really like to know if there is any way i can recoup the cost ot repairing my car during a time when i still owed almost 1 1/2 years payments before it was paid off. the local dealership salesman told me if i had owned a 2007 model it would still have been under warranty. that was a heartwarming thing to hear. *tr | |||
| 05/07/2008 | 77000 | 1 | |
| 77k miles on vehicle, less than 3 years old, head gasket is leaking and needs to be replaced, also ignition cylinder failure, dexcool coolant supposedly is degrading the nylon material in coolant lines, the entire head gasket unit has to be replaced ($1500), i have all service records for vehicle and have not missed a schedule preventable maintenance/oil change/etc...for vehicle and i bought vehicle brand new off of lot with 83 miles. *tr | |||
| 12/07/2007 | 34671 | 1 | 09/01/2007 |
| Auto was at rest at a stop light just after exiting expressway. auto seemed to lose power when the engine light came on and the temp gauge was reading hot. i slowly drove about a mile home. at this time i turn off the auto and opened the hood. i let it sit turned off for about an hour, at that time i tried to start the auto and it wouldn't turn over. i let it sit overnight and tried to start next morning, it turned over hard and started. i turned it off, checked the coolant it was very low. i added coolant, let it run about 10min, lots of steam come from tail pipe and no heat from vents. i then checked engine oil, it seemed watered down. a friend who knows cars told me head gasket. my 3year old chevy now needs at least $1500 to $2000 worth of repairs that may not be under warranty. *tr | |||
| 07/15/2007 | 24000 | 3 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. since purchasing the vehicle at 24,000 miles, the steering wheel and brakes have not worked and the service engine soon light illuminates intermittently. the purchase date, vin, powertrain, and engine size were unknown. the current mileage was 30,000 and failure mileage was 24,000. updated 12/07/07 | |||
| 03/21/2006 | 7 | 10/30/2004 | |
| Tl*- the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. while driving at 55 mph on an incline the engine lost power. the contact was able to restart the vehicle immediately. the check engine occasionally illuminated before the engine stalled. the dealer informed the contact that this problem was due to a cracked spark plug which was caused by rain entering the vehicle through the windshield and coming into contact with the spark plugs. the spark plugs were replaced, and a shield was sealed to prevent water from coming into contact with spark plugs. the contact stated approximately 3 months later she experienced the same problem. the dealer removed and replaced the spark plug, the wire and the coil. a month later the vehicle experienced the same problem. the dealer informed the contact that a cracked spark plug was the reason for this occurrence. the vehicle currently had 33,000 miles. *ak | |||
| 03/29/2006 | 15962 | 10 | 01/22/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated there were numerous problems with the vehicle. first, the engine would intermittently not crank. the dealer replaced the battery however, this did not correct the problem. second, while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle intermittently did not slow down. the brake pedal was pumped several times to get the brakes to activate correctly. third, the transmission revved high and intermittently did not change gears correctly while driving. fourth, the abs lamp illuminated intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the abs lamp was reset. lastly, the front passenger window was rolled down and would not rise back up. the dealer replaced the window regulator and the window was repaired. the vehicle was repeatedly taken to the dealer and addressed the problems that could be duplicated and made appropriate repairs. hard start/hesitation and almost stalling. also, determined speed sensor was causing reduced power. *ak | |||
| 09/29/2004 | 4800 | 2 | 07/27/2004 |
| Twice, while attempting to pass other vehicles, the engine stopped running when the accelerator was firmly pushed to the floor. both times i was able to steer to the side of the road without colliding with anything. evidently, chevrolet is aware of the possiblility of this happening, because the owner's manual discusses how to reset the systems when this happens. it appears to be a problem with the all wheel drive system.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 08/11/2004 | 700 | 32 | 08/05/2004 |
| Contact states: bought a brand new vehicle in august 2004. the anti-freeze was changed. the anti-freeze was brown and the smell was severe and nauseous. the car has been the shop 9 times with so many different reasons. the antifreeze line wasn't bled right and the antifreeze was leaking in the ground. there was a leak in the dome light and sunroof, the suspension and engine would tick, the horn did not work, there were front end problem, the shifter would stick, there ignition problem, noise when turning the vehicle, gas mileage problem and there was a toxic smell from the anti-freeze, the vehicle over heated, the brakes made noises, the consumer had driven through a car wash, the dome light had filled with water, the lower dash was dripping water and the vehicle would not accelerate vehicle would not accelerate and the engine light had illuminated, the vehicle pulled to the right when driving and when braking,there was poor gas mileage during city driving, there was a loud noises when making turns on the front struts, the front brake rotors were out of round, the shifter would stick, the ignition cylinder was binding, there was popping when the vehicle was started from cold, and the brake pedal would go to the floor. *sc *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 10/15/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Had a loud noise coming from exhaust and have exhaust fumes comeing thur the vents, and found that it was the erg valve (broke in two). went to dealership to get replacement part and was told by the parts guy that this is a big problem with the equinox and that they now have changed the entire part so you can no longer just replace the $20 tube, you have to get the $300 part, plus labor and then have the shop 'reset' the computer to match the new part..........another $200 service. this apparently is a huge problem due to a design flaw. this is a dangerous situation and should be recalled!!! nice scam chevy! | |||
| 10/18/2010 | 84000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet equinox. while driving the vehicle there was gasoline fumes coming inside the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the egr valve and the pcv valve which was cracked. the repairs cost $600 and now the failure has returned this repair was done seven days ago. the manufacturer was contacted and a claim was file. the failure mileage was 84,000....mw | |||
| 10/12/2009 | 39930 | 1 | |
| I am filing this complaint because my 2005 chevy equinox purchased in february 2005 which has always been serviced by crane chevrolet in clifton nj has now have a blown had gasket and intake problem - i called the dealer for a one time goodwill adjustment and asked for the deductible- and was told that i had to have this car towed to them - but they cannot make promises to fix or repair or even pay part of the costs- i have done research via goggle and this appears to be a well known problem - pls help me- point me in the right direction- the repair is 1650.00 - i initially leased this car then decided to purchase it- i could not afford the extended warranty. *tr | |||
| 07/17/2009 | 1 | ||
| I am also having the same problems with my equinox. it sometimes doesn't want to start & i will have to give it gas to start it. i have taken it to 2 different chevy dealers that said nothing was wrong with it after checking it out on the machine ($99 each time). *tr | |||
| 06/08/2005 | 1 | 05/07/2005 | |
| There have been several problems that have been fixed, however one remains. there is a popping noise, coming from the back end, resulting in many pops in a series, and then it won't do it again. this usually happens after a cold start and driving it for a couple minutes then coming to a stop. however it has happened immediately at start up and during the course of driving for the first couple minutes.*jb | |||
| 12/26/2005 | 0 | 08/22/2005 | |
| I purchased my 2005 chevy equinox on aug. 22, 2005 and instantly fell in love. soon after it began to smell as if my vehicle was going to over heat. i took the vehicle to the dealer to have it check out and nothing was found. although they did add more antifreeze. things were going fine until it got cold outside. when starting my brand new 2005 chevy equinox a popping noise was heard from the rear. i took it to the dealer and they stated that it was the exhaust. they replaced the exhausted and nothing was heard, at least for two weeks. needless the say the noise has come back and no one seems to know what's wrong. to top it off a foul smell comes from the vents went the heat is on. i now have to ride with the window slightly open because the smell is now cause headaches for me and my passengers. i am deeply concerned about the condition of my vehicle because i have a small child that i am concerned about while traveling in this car. *nm | |||
| 04/29/2005 | 6 | 04/23/2005 | |
| There is a bad smell coming from the air vents. found out that there was mold in the cooling system. there are many many other things that have been wrong with my car. they have had 3 attempts to fix the problem and have not. i have a dr. statement that the car is not safe for me to drive because of my asthma and other medical problems. the car has been back to the dealership 8 times since i bought it in april for many things. but 3 times for the smell and 3 times for the brakes and nether have been fixed. *jb | |||
| 06/28/2005 | 8000 | 10/06/2004 | |
| I have a 2005 chevy equinox the muffler system is very loud and needs replaced. i have taken it to the dealer where i bought it and they say there is no way to fix the problem. even the garage manager agrees that it is to loud. | |||
| 07/24/2004 | 5 | 03/30/2004 | |
| We purchased a 2005 chevrolet equinox on march 30, 2004. in july we started to notice a strange odor in the car. my husband would get headaches and experience dizziness when riding in the car. since then we have had the car back 5 times for the odor problem and have both had multiple upper respiratory infections requiring medical treatment. 2 of the 5 times they found standing water in the tire well and were unable to determine the origin they replaced rear gate seals (the cargo mat carpet in the back was not even wet). another time they replaced the carpet in the back passenger seat because they said it got wet when there was water in the tire well and was causing the odor. the next time they flushed the radiator coolant because they said they has a technical service bulletin to do so. the last time they changed the radiator hoses. the dealership (porter chevrolet in newark, de) states that they cannot replace or repurchase the vehicle as we have requested. the district service manager for gm said he rode in the car and did not smell anything so there is no basis for him to replace or repurchase the car. the dealership states that they have not had any other customers complain about an odor and they said they contacted gm and that they have not had any complaints either. there are numerous postings on edmunds.com from equinox owners who have complained to dealerships and gm from different parts of the country. is this problem known to gm? what is the problem and is it hazardous to drive the car with this odor problem? *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 12/26/2007 | 34500 | 2 | 05/11/2005 |
| While driving my 2005 chevy equinox check engine light comes on fill up with gas to reset as book stated no luck took to dealer for repairs stated the 02 sensor needed repairing picked up after the repair check engine light came on after driving less than 10 miles took car back to dealer. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1000 | 1 | 08/02/2004 |
| Vehicle has a foul odor inside when engine is hot or heater is on.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||
| 06/20/2004 | 3500 | 2 | 04/16/2000 |
| My equinox was purchased in 4/16/04 and the chech engine light has came on 2 times, the 1st time was the fuel emission gasket that was bad and the othe time was the way that i did not put the gas cap on right. and the rearend in making a real loud grounding sound any time you turn the wheel to the left or right. *ak | |||