2005 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Equinox years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 638 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox. That ranks 8th out of 22 Equinox model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (159 complaints, 25%), typically at around 67,000 miles. Complaints mention 56 crashes, 13 fires, 40 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 638owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 56complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Chevrolet Equinox problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 159 | 25% | 67,000 | “ignition switch” (18%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 114 | 18% | 61,000 | “carrier bearing” (12%) | $1,250 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 111 | 17% | 55,338 | “head gasket” (26%) | $2,200 |
| Suspension problems | 57 | 9% | 51,500 | “front end” (19%) | — |
| Engine problems | 55 | 9% | 100,631 | “head gasket” (31%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 52 | 8% | 37,820 | “front end” (19%) | — |
| Steering problems | 50 | 8% | 59,950 | “steering column” (12%) | — |
| Service Brakes | 45 | 7% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 40 | 6% | 85,382 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 38 | 6% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 34 | 5% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 25 | 4% | 33,900 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 3% | 77,743 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 17 | 3% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 2% | 62,650 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 15 | 2% | 106,667 | — | — |
| Equipment | 14 | 2% | 31,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 1% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 9 | 1% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 8 | 1% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 1% | 76,199 | — | — |
| Tires | 6 | 1% | 31,200 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 1% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 1% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 1% | 68,800 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 1% | 60,232 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 27,500 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 0% | 7,179 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 22,481 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Chevrolet Equinox recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The ABS and traction control light came on and the vehicle sometimes doesnât want to stop. The ABS kicks in and it takes a while for it to stop. Itâs been twice where the vehicle ends up stopping in the middle of the intersection. Luckily no one was in front of us or coming the other direction.
The front Uni body to front engine/ transmission subframe mount area on left front and right front has rusted away the front 2 subframe mounting points are not connected to the uni body structure anymore due to corrosion damage causing a clunking noise while driving
Upon purchasing the vehicle from a buy here pay here they did not enclose any possible or current failures or problems with the vehicle. It started with the battery and within 2 months of purchase the check engine light came on. I had previously taken the vehicle to the dealership 3 times to assess…
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that upon inserting the key into the ignition switch, it failed to function properly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V302000 (POWER TRAIN)…
The front sub frame where it bolts to the frame was completely rusted loose on the right side. The left side was barely holding on. This is what holds the motor up and control arms. My mechanics are telling me this is a common problem with Chevy Equinoxes. If it's common why aren't there recalls…
Other Chevrolet Equinox years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 73 | 1 |
| 2025 Equinox | 235 | 0 |
| 2024 Equinox | 80 | 1 |
| 2023 Equinox | 98 | 3 |
| 2022 Equinox | 183 | 6 |
| 2021 Equinox | 99 | 4 |
| 2020 Equinox | 314 | 4 |
| 2019 Equinox | 305 | 4 |
| 2018 Equinox | 409 | 5 |
| 2017 Equinox | 276 | 0 |
| 2016 Equinox | 398 | 1 |
| 2015 Equinox | 680 | 2 |
| 2014 Equinox | 548 | 1 |
| 2013 Equinox | 751 | 2 |
| 2012 Equinox | 685 | 3 |
| 2011 Equinox | 782 | 3 |
| 2010 Equinox | 784 | 3 |
| 2009 Equinox | 94 | 0 |
| 2008 Equinox | 370 | 0 |
| 2007 Equinox | 685 | 4 |
| 2006 Equinox | 695 | 0 |
| 2005 | 638 | 1 |
See all Chevrolet Equinox problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 159 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Equinox model years, the 2005 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.