2005 Chevrolet Equinox Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 61,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “carrier bearing” (12% of reports).
- 114power train complaints
- 61,000median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Carrier bearing: mentioned in 14 of 114 complaints (12%)
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 8 of 114 complaints (7%)
- Center support: mentioned in 6 of 114 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox at $1,250, and half of them between $970 and $1,750.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2014), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 96 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 114 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 5 an injury.
Chevrolet Equinox power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 16 | 22% | 5,900 |
| 2025 Equinox | 35 | 15% | 5,700 |
| 2024 Equinox | 11 | 14% | — |
| 2023 Equinox | 5 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Equinox | 12 | 7% | — |
| 2021 Equinox | 17 | 17% | 64,500 |
| 2020 Equinox | 40 | 13% | 7,600 |
| 2019 Equinox | 37 | 12% | 15,100 |
| 2018 Equinox | 66 | 16% | 20,074 |
| 2017 Equinox | 32 | 12% | 55,831 |
| 2016 Equinox | 26 | 7% | 61,000 |
| 2015 Equinox | 63 | 9% | 80,674 |
| 2014 Equinox | 40 | 7% | 75,000 |
| 2013 Equinox | 80 | 11% | 84,000 |
| 2012 Equinox | 84 | 12% | 75,341 |
| 2011 Equinox | 145 | 19% | 76,000 |
| 2010 Equinox | 182 | 23% | 83,500 |
| 2009 Equinox | 10 | 11% | 107,500 |
| 2008 Equinox | 16 | 4% | 91,000 |
| 2007 Equinox | 31 | 5% | 46,000 |
| 2006 Equinox | 31 | 4% | 55,788 |
| 2005 Equinox | 114 | 18% | 61,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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)…
I was at the car wash, when the vehicle was near the end, suddenly the engine light and powertrain light came on then shut off automatically. I tried to restart, put the truck in the drive, but it wouldn't go like the gas wasn't reaching. So, I turned it off and restarted to see if the lights would…
It was recently brought to my attention that the keys can fall out of the ignition with the vehicle running. Which creates an extreme likelihood that the vehicle can move forward or backward without assistance. My keys fall right out of the ignition you should not be able to take the keys out of an…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Chevrolet Equinoxs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 114 owner complaints about power train for the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox (18% of the 638 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 61,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,250 (half paid between $970 and $1,750), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most frequent phrase is “carrier bearing”, in 14 of 114 complaints, followed by “ignition switch” (8).
Other 2005 Chevrolet Equinox problems
See all 2005 Chevrolet Equinox problems or power train problems across all Equinox years.