Problems · by component
2005 Chevrolet Equinox engine and engine cooling problems
111 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox cite engine and engine cooling, 17% of all 638 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
111
17% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND LATER TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A RADIATOR FLUSH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.”
“I WENT TO GET MY INSPECTION STICKER AND RECEIVED AN SAFETY/EMISSIONS RECALL SHEET OF PAPER INDICATING THAT I MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS DEFECT NUMBER: 2529, ENGINE FAMILY:5GMXV02.2025, EMISSION PROBLEM: SOME ENGINE CONTROL MODULES OR POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULES HAVE POTENTIALLY DAMAGED INTEGRATED CIRCUITS. THIS MAY CAUSE THE EGR SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION OR CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO TURN OFF OR THE TURBO SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT A MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME ABOUT THE EGR SYSTEM. IF YOU COULD PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND IF IT IS COVERED OR IF I CAN GET IT REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 1 YEAR SINCE MARCH 1, 2014. I'M THE SECOND OWNER. *TR”
“VEHICLE HAS AN ENGINE MISS, COOLANT IS DISAPPEARING AND WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP. DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING HEAD GASKETS. REPAIRS TO COST APPROXIMATELY $1700.00. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER OWNERS OF 2005 CHEVY EQUINOX'S. *TR”
“THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT MY EQUINOX, MY AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR, IS BAD ALSO I HAVE HEARD A NOISE SENT THE DAY I PURCHASED THE TRUCK AND THE DEALERSHIP CAN NOT TELL ME WHAT IT IS. I PURCHASED MY CHEVY EQUINOX 2005 (NEW) FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 55,000 MILES, THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I COULD NOT DRIVE IT ......BECAUSE IT WOULD LOCK UP- THE ENGINE.........IT'S COSTING ME OVER A $1000.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED........(CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO LET THEM KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM....REFUSED TO LISTEN........ I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES AND COSTING CONSUMERS LOTS OF MONEY THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PUT OUT.....PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM.......MAKE THE CONSUMERS HAPPY CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE FOR MORE COMPLAINTS ON THE 2005 CHEVY EQUINOX WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2005/CHEVROLET/EQUINOX/COOLING+SYSTEM. *TR”
“I PURCHASED THIS 2005 CHEVY EQUINOX IN MAY 2006 WITH 26K MILES ON IT. IN MAY OF 2008 WITH LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW! GM REFUSED TO REPAIR OR DO ANYTHING TO ASSIST FINANCIALLY IN THE REPAIR. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC (I CANNOT AFFORD GM LABOR RATES) WHO DID IN FACT REPAIR THE HEAD GASKETS AND THE VEHICLE RAN AGAIN. IN NOVEMBER 2009 THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW AGAIN. I AGAIN CALLED GM WITH AN ANSWER OF NO, I FILED A COMPLAINT BUT HEARD NOTHING ABOUT IT. I AGAIN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER NON GM DEALER AND HAD IT REPAIRED. YESTERDAY 1/4/2011 WITH 130,000 MILES AND A MOTOR THAT HAS BEEN OVERHAULED TWICE, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AGAIN. I AM QUITE SURE THE NHTSA IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO ASSIST IN THIS; HOWEVER, ONE QUICK SEARCH OF "2005 EQUINOX AND HEAD GASKET" AND YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND GM QUITE SIMPLY REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A PERSON AT GM IN THE PAST AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT NOT ENOUGH HAD BEEN REPORTED TO WARRANT A RECALL. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED TO START WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,743.”
Showing 6 of 111 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.