Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Chevrolet Equinox owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
1. 6 months after purchased third taillight shorted out didn't know had no brake lights. Took to dealer 7 times after wiring harness, third taillight replaced because spoiler cracked, hatch unable to open. Dealer moved hatch hinges and spoiler kept cracking. Still having third taillight no brake light problem is with wiring faulty. Taillights all leak causing wiring short in fuses. Other issue is first break service ABS sensor stayed on break pedal pulsated for 2 yrs 2 dealers 1 mechanic replaced ABS sensor 3x didn't fix ended up paying for new front wheel hub also caused 3 accidents could not stop because of it. Mileage is 68700 rec 1 recall for heater. Where are rest?
3.4l GM power plant used in untold amounts of vehicles blowing head gaskets, and intake gaskets since 1996. I design flaw that was never addressed. They should be held accountable for that. We cant keep allowing companies to take advantage of hard working people buy selling them junk. All of them need to be held to a higher standard.
Bought my 2006 Equinox lt AWD and two months later I was out of town took my car to the car wash and came out of it and my car went into limp mode. Tried to restart it and the same thing happened I tried to drive but could not go any more than 20 MPH parked the car and had it towed to a ny dealership. They told me the car was running lean codes came up got it to start at the end of the day and I was on my way. Brought it back to my original dealer and they could not find a problem. Changed a gas pedal, fuel pump. About 7 months later pulling out of my driveway and my car just stalled brought it in could not diagnose the problem. Another couple of months later out of town in a major intersection in the rain with a full car my car died no power pulled over luckily and turned the key and it started up again. …
Bought in jan 2009 with 65,000 on it. Summer 09 in a rain storm it looked like someone turned a faucet on in my car the water was coming in on drivers side my left foot looked like in the tub, fixed under warranty. Out of pocket $100, the by end of 09 the real fun began, had engine mounts replaced, knocking in car when car started for first 5 minutes. The by October car was over heating, heat only blew when car was moving, car now had 118137 replaced the ender blower motors, coolant fans and fan motor, called and reported to Chevy, then in November 010, it all happened again. This time had to have blend arm door replaced car called Chevy nope not a issue per internet its major issue. Replaced at my cost $891. Right before christmas, 2010, gaskets and seals blew car over heated then shut off, had to let it cool down then start up again. Had to replace engine, gaskets and seals. …
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. …
Sounds like a dragging muffler while driving down the road or just idling. Called the dealership to see if they could just listen to it, needed to use a stethoscope to pinpoint where the noise was coming from. A bolt had fallen from the oil pan and was occasionally hitting the fly wheel. We were told we couldn't drive it until it was fixed and that we either had to have it done there or towed to where it would be fixed. If we tried to drive it the fly wheel could not only have broken teeth but also throw the bolt through the engine. We were told if they could just use a magnet to reach the bolt then it would be roughly $400, but if they had to drop the transmission it would be more. I can't see how this would be "normal wear and tear", $1000 later. I am hoping to contact GM with my complaint, but not expecting to get anywhere.
The car was parked from Tuesday 8/19 until 8/23 due to tropical storm fay. On 8/24, the floorboards were soaking wet from under the dashboard to under the back seat; push on the carpet and water would just well up. The parking lot was not flooded, the windows rolled up; the seats were dry, as was all of the inside panels; so I'm not sure where the water came from. I've called Chevy, they are sending me to a dealership for repairs and cleaning, as the vehicle is still under warranty. This is the first time this has occurred, I brought it with me from nevada when I moved. It has been driven through heavy rains, although never a tropical storm, and I hadn't noticed any leaking before. It did damage several items that were on the floor, and it is very musty in the car now.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds she noticed a loud noise coming from the front passenger side wheel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and they advised her that the wheel bearing had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired for the front passenger wheel bearing for the fourth time in four years. In addition, the contac stated that the emergency brake was between the cup holders and if a cup was placed inside, it would block the emergency brake from being engaged. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I ran off the side of the road into a guardrail and could not stop until I was on top of the guardrail into an embankment. My entire front end was destroyed as well as most of the underneath of the car. My face hit the steering wheel causing me to lose consciousness as well as giving me a black eye, crooked teeth, cuts, broken dental appliances, and my teeth went through my lip. I strongly believe my airbags should have deployed and prevented the impact of my face to the steering wheel since I thought that is what airbags are for. My car was totaled.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that when she removed the jack from the trunk she noticed that there was water in the carrier and on the carpet inside of the vehicle. In addition, she stated that they had a hard time removing the wheels because of corrosion and mold. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 38,000.
Body complaints in other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the body & structure of the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox, 3% of the model year's 695 complaints. The component named most often is body (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Chevrolet Equinox body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Equinox body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 36,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.