Problems · by component
2005 Chevrolet Equinox air bags problems
38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox cite air bags, 6% of all 638 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
38
6% of all complaints
Crashes
28
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND TURNING ON CURVE TOO FAST, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE SWERVED LEFT AND RIGHT ULTIMATELY COMING TO A STOP AFTER CRASHING INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DURING THE IMPACT THE CONTACT HEAD WAS HIT ON THE WINDSHIELD AND ABRASION TO THE KNEE WERE SUSTAINED. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT SOUGHT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND DRIVING STRAIGHT PREPARING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND ANKLE, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT LOT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *DT *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 24 MPH ON AN EXIT RAMP, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY DROVE OFF THE SIDE OF THE RAMP AND CRASHED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE CONTACT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND HIPS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A FIELD INSPECTOR WAS SENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE INSPECTION RESULTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. ALL THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE RADIATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO XTREME COLOR INC. IN KANSAS CITY, KS 66102; 913-281-0830. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A NECK AND BACK INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,500.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V302000 (POWER TRAIN), THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED BY YOUMANS CHEVROLET (220 RIVERSIDE DRIVE, MACON, GA, PHONE: 478-746-8531). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 195,000. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG AREA WAS BEGINNING TO MAKE SOUNDS. THE CONSUMER DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *JS”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE'S THERMOSTAT HOUSING WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO SECURE THE PASSENGERS DURING HARD BRAKING AND THE AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE SENSORS ILLUMINATED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.”
Showing 6 of 38 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.