2006 Chevrolet Equinox Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2006 Chevrolet Equinox has a complaint index of 45 and ranks 12th worst out of 21 model years, earning a 'Good' verdict relative to other Equinox years. It has 695 complaints and zero recalls, with HVAC issues the top problem area at 23% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 45/100
- #12 of 21 Equinox years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 695
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 0
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 16
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 9
- Injuries
- 20
- Top issue
- HVAC
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18.5
- 16.5 city / 21.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 20 / 1
Top 2006 Chevy Equinox problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- HVAC158 (23%)
- Electrical System148 (21%)
- Engine135 (19%)
- Visibility & Wipers126 (18%)
- Brakes98 (14%)
- Other92 (13%)
- Steering34 (5%)
- Transmission & Powertrain31 (4%)
- Structure & Body27 (4%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires27 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Airbags failed to deploy during frontal or side-impact crashes, including at highway speeds and with significant vehicle damage.
- A cell phone charger plugged into the front power outlet caused smoke and fire to erupt from the center console area.
- The steering column wiring smoked and caused a loss of steering control, requiring dealer replacement of the entire column.
- Brakes reportedly stuck or failed to press down properly while driving.
- The heater and defroster stopped blowing hot air, reducing visibility in cold or foggy conditions.
- The engine overheated at highway speed with smoke coming from under the hood, traced to a malfunctioning head gasket.
2006 Chevrolet Equinox recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2006 Chevrolet Equinox fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 16.5 MPG
- Highway
- 21.5 MPG
- Combined
- 18.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,500
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2006 compared with other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
- Relative to other Equinox model years, the 2006 rates 'Good' with a complaint index of 45, ranking 12th worst out of 21 years covered. It has no recalls on file with NHTSA.
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox?
- NHTSA complaint data shows HVAC issues lead at 23% of complaints, followed by electrical system problems at 21%, engine issues at 19%, visibility and wiper problems at 18%, and brakes at 14%.
- Does the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
- No. NHTSA lists zero recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox.
- How does the 2006 Equinox compare to other years?
- The 2006 model year has a complaint index of 45, better than 2010 and 2011 (Avoid, indexes 90 and 95) but worse than top years like 2021 and 2023, which earned 'Best' verdicts with indexes of 5 and 10.
- What mileage do 2006 Equinox problems typically occur at?
- Across all problem areas, the median mileage at failure for the 2006 Equinox is 72,000 miles, with HVAC issues appearing around 68,000 miles and brake issues around 85,000 miles.