Your vehicle report
2005 Chevrolet Equinox
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 638
- Received Aug 2004 to Mar 2023
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ignition key sticks or will not turn99 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Head gasket leaks coolant into engine43 complaints · 6.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up34 complaints · 5.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V302000Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, 'theft protection.' an ignition key park lock cable end fitting was not fully seated on the automatic transmission shifter nail head during installation.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 56 crashes, 13 fires, 40 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Ignition key sticks or will not turn
- Engine won't start or cranks intermittently
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 27 |
| 2005 | 44 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 31 |
| 2008 | 45 |
| 2009 | 62 |
| 2010 | 63 |
| 2011 | 54 |
| 2012 | 38 |
| 2013 | 39 |
| 2014 | 85 |
| 2015 | 46 |
| 2016 | 28 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 638 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 99 | 16% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 43 | 6.7% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 34 | 5.3% | – | |
| Wheel bearings fail prematurely | 32 | 5.0% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 27 | 4.2% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 20 | 3.1% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 20 | 3.1% | – | |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 18 | 2.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 17 | 2.7% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 12 | 1.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 11 | 1.7% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 11 | 1.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 11 | 1.7% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 10 | 1.6% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 10 | 1.6% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 9 | 1.4% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 9 | 1.4% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 8 | 1.3% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 8 | 1.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 7 | 1.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #04V302000June 30, 2004132 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, 'theft protection.' an ignition key park lock cable end fitting was not fully seated on the automatic transmission shifter nail head during installation.
This Can prevent the cable auto-set from correctly adjusting the cable. An incorrectly adjusted cable prevents the shifter from locking in the 'park' position when the key is removed from the key cylinder.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for a properly functioning shift lock when the ignition key is removed. Dealers will repair vehicles that exhibit the subject condition. The recall began august 17, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN