The Lemon Index2006 Chevrolet Equinox.
The 2006 Chevrolet Equinox is about average by owner complaints: 102 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 100, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about visibility, it has 0 recalls, and it gets 18 to 19 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Equinox year is 2017.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 695 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Chevrolet Equinox year. 2006 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 50K to 107K miles on the car (601 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- visibility complaints mostly came at 48K–81K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 54K–123K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 80K–131K miles
Recalls 0
No safety recalls on record.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3400–3550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.4L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
The heater has gone out. The problem lies in the heater blend door and many others have the same problem. The problem is that the car can no longer properly defrost which is exactly what I need to do here I idaho.
2006 Chevrolet Equinox owner · NHTSA complaint 10286392
More owner reports
Tried to turn on the heat. Will only blow cold air. After some research online, I'm finding there are a lot of owners with the same problem: blend door/actuator issue. It's obvious that this part is defective.
NHTSA complaint 10292991
2006 Chevrolet Equinox not blowing warm air due to faulty blend door.
NHTSA complaint 10294412
Quick answers
Is the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew about the average number of complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 100; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Chevrolet Equinox year by this measure is 2017.
What are the most common 2006 Chevrolet Equinox problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are visibility (46%), electrical (14%) and engine (13%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox have?
None: NHTSA has no safety recalls on record for it.
What gas mileage does the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox get?
18 to 19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Equinox problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 50,000 and 107,600 miles. The middle report was at 72,000 miles, from 601 complaints.
Does the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 12% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox cost in fuel a year?
About $3400 to $3550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox have?
3.4L 6-cyl.
What Chevrolet Equinox year is better than the 2006?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2017, 2021 and 2014.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works