2005 Chevrolet Equinox Electrical Problems

Upon purchasing the vehicle from a buy here pay here they did not enclose any possible or current failures or problems with the vehicle. It started with the battery and within 2 months of purchase the check engine light came on. I had previously taken the vehicle to the dealership 3 times to assess the issue in which they repeatedly informed me nothing was wrong even though my check engine light was still on. A month later my CV axel went out and my alignment begin to come out of place. I took the vehicle to an auto shop in which they gave me an estimate of all the issues wrong with the car. I have since done repairs for what was necessary. I then began to look for a recall on the vehicle in which I found that there was a manufacturer recall that was I repaired regarding the Safety lock theft prevention. My ignition switch does not register properly when it is in “off mode”. The engine still runs and numerous attempts to stop it have failed. I contacted the dealership and they have not been willing to work with me in any way. I called the manufacturer number and was directed to a Chevrolet dealership near me in which they told me there are no recalls even though the NHTSA.gov website states there is as well as numerous others but that they have not been repaired. When I place my vehicle in the park position and remove the key from the ignition I am still able to move the gear shift into any selected gear, both with and without the normal brake and the emergency brake. I cannot afford to take it to a shop for repair but did take it to be inspected and was informed that this was an issue along with others and that it could be the reason my battery is not holding the power it needs and why I cannot remove my key sometimes as well as why the engine remains running after switching to the off position and removing my key.

NHTSA ID

11489278

Incident

Jan 10, 2022

unknown replaced complete ac system/starter/new battery/ key inserted no response at all ingigtion seems to be a problem turn on key let go it was starting now nothing

NHTSA ID

11437047

Incident

Oct 11, 2021

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT AS NEEDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO EXCEED 20 MPH. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SURGE THAT WENT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING AN INJURY TO THE CONTACT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE BATTERY TERMINALS WERE DISCONNECTED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET NORFOLK (6252 E. VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD, NORFOLK, VA 23502, (757) 266-5804) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,900.

NHTSA ID

11416474

Incident

Jul 31, 2020

Mileage

15,900 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE OWNER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THE OWNER HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED SEVERAL SAFETY RELATED FAILURES WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE INVOLVING THE BRAKING SYSTEM THE TRANSMISSION, THE POWER TRAIN AND THE HEATING SYSTEM. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER(UNKNOWN) AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ID

11389216

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

18,000 mi

VEHICLE IS ABLE TO DRIVE WHILE KEY IS OUT OF IGNITION WHEN ENGINE IS ALREADY RUNNING. SEAT BELT DISCONNECTS RANDOMLY. VEHICLE CAN BE OPEN WITH A NICKEL COIN. ECU TRIGGERS WARNING LIGHTS RANDOMLY

NHTSA ID

11377995

Incident

Nov 1, 2020

Mileage

35 mi

WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN 2015 TO THE PADDOCK CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN KENMORE NY, MY BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THIS CAUSED THE CD CHANGER TO NO LONGER WORK. IT IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING, CDS WONT EJECT AND ALL IT DOES IS MAKE A CLICKING SOUND.

NHTSA ID

11341431

Incident

Dec 12, 2015

KEY FALLS OUT OF THE IGNITION SINCE I GOT IT A YEAR AGO I HAVE REPLACED 02 SENSOR AC COMPRESSOR AND A WATER TANK. IT WAS ACTING LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING FUEL LIKE LOSING POWER AND THEN I KILLED IT WENT TO START IT THE NEXT DAY AND IT WON'T CRANK IT WILL TURN OVER AND ACT LIKE IT WANTS TO RUN BUT IT DIES

NHTSA ID

11317722

Incident

Mar 9, 2020

Mileage

156,000 mi

MY KEY TO MY CAR WON'T TURN. AND WHEN YOU DO GET IT STARTED BY HITTING IT THE KEY FALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS MY THIRD TIME REPLACING IT BUT SAW THERE'S BEEN RECALLS FOR THE LOCK IGNITION SWITCH FOR THIS MODEL. IT'S STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN A YEAR AFTER I LAST REPLACED THE LOCK IGNITION SWITCH.

NHTSA ID

11288680

Incident

Oct 26, 2019

MY UNDER HOOD FUSE BOX WENT UP IN FLAMES WHILE DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD IN MY HOME TOWN. I WAS DOING 45 MPH WHEN THEN TRUCK SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. I AT FIRST THOUGHT WAS THE FUEL PUMP WENT. WHEN I OPENED MY DRIVERS DOOR I COULD SMELL SOMETHING WAS BURNING. I PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE AS I EXITED KINDLY DOWN AND LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK DID NOT SEE AND SMOKE. I THEN WENT AND OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE UNDER HOOD FUSE BOX WAS ON FIRE AND WAS BEING FUELED BY THE BATTERY I RASH TO THE BACK AND GRABBED A PAIR OF PLIERS TO DISCUSS CONNECT THE BATTERY. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE BECAUSE I HAD TO CALL 6 DIFFERENT JUNK YARDS SOME THE PARTS WERE ALREADY REMOVED AND OTHERS DID NOT HAVE ALL BUT HAD ONE OF THEM AND A COUPLE THE PARTS WERE MELTED AND BURNT.

NHTSA ID

11243321

Incident

Aug 9, 2019

Mileage

182,427 mi

MY KEY COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION NO MATTER WHAT GEAR IT IS IN. THE VEHICLE JUST SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING AS I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN ON A CITY STREET. I AM NOW UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE KEY IS ALSO TOUGH TO PULL OUT SOMETIMES.

NHTSA ID

11080874

Incident

Mar 21, 2018

Mileage

118,140 mi

DROVE VEHICLE TO A STORE, WHILE INSIDE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED UNDERNEATH FUSE BOX WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. FIRE MEN STATED VEHICLE WAS ATTEMPTING TO START ITSELF WITHOUT KEYS AND WITHOUT BEING ON. HEADLIGHTS N DASH REMAINED ON AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE VERY BADLY, WOULDN'T QUIT UNTIL BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED AND NEEDED TO BE EXTINGUISHED. ELECTRICAL FIRE PROGRESSED TO DASH AND MELTED WIPER SHIFTER OFF.

NHTSA ID

11057376

Incident

Dec 29, 2017

VEHICLE STALLS AT RANDOM TIMES, WHILE IN MOTION AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY OR AT A STOP SIGN IT JUST STALLS. WILL START BACK UP BUT ONLY TO STALL AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS! MULTIPLE ISSUES ON THE INTERNET ON THIS YEAR EQUINOX AND SOME CLAIM THERE IS A RECALL; "# TSB #05539 -- PRODUCT EMISSION RECALL TO REPLACE THE POWERTRAIN/ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (PCM/ECM). THE POWERTRAIN/ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (PCM/ECM) MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH DAMAGED INTERNAL IC CHIPS, WHICH MAY AFFECT THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL AND EGR OUT (NHTSA ID #10017551, APRIL 01 2005)"

NHTSA ID

11014675

Incident

Nov 9, 2015

Mileage

79,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO LOCK. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO SHAKE THE KEY SEVERAL TIMES TO REMOVE IT FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.

NHTSA ID

10993965

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

177,000 mi

WIPERS RUN CONTINUOUSLY AND DON'T SHUT OFF. LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF. SMOKE COMES FROM DASHBOARD WHEN CAR STARTS AND/OR CAR WON'T START. PROBLEM HAPPENS BOTH WHILE CAR IS STOPPED OR IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10986155

Incident

May 16, 2017

THE IGNITION KEY WILL LOCK OR ENGINE WILL CONTINUE RUNNING WITHOUT KEY IN PLACE.

NHTSA ID

10946458

Incident

May 24, 2015

Mileage

94,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED OR UNLOCKED WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND THAT A SECURITY WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED AFTER THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.

NHTSA ID

10928504

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

176,000 mi

ABS PULSATES BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT HARD TO STOP WHEN I NEED TO. WHEN I DO PUSH DOWN ON THE BRAKES IT PUSHES BACK PREVENTING ME FROM STOPPING QUICKLY OR AT ALL. AFTER A WHILE DRIVING LIKE THIS THE ABS TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL I TURN IT OFF AND THEN IT HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT FIX BUT THE PROBLEM KEEPS REOCCURRING. IN 2012 THE CAR JUST STOP ON THE ROAD THAT WASN'T BRAKE RELATED CAUSING US TO GET HIT FROM BEHIND AND THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE CAR NOW IS HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE ONE THING IS FAILING AFTER ANOTHER. FOR EXAMPLE SIDE MIRRORS DON'T WORK, REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER STOP WORKING, AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10919023

Incident

Jul 19, 2016

Mileage

64,397 mi

WHEN I 1ST BOUGHT THE CAR HAD TO CHANGE THE SUSPENSION, HEAD GASKET, ANTIFREEZE IS DISAPPEARING CAN'T SEE WHERE IT'S GOING KEY COMES OUT THE IGNITION VIN#[XXX] PURCHASED ON 8/19/15. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10916037

Incident

May 20, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE KEY EJECTED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ANY KEY COULD START THE VEHICLE, NOT JUST THE MANUFACTURER'S KEY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE CHANGED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SUGGESTED A SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

NHTSA ID

10898631

Incident

Apr 10, 2015

Mileage

128,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUN ROOF WAS LEAKING. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS MOISTURE, MOLD, AND WATER ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. IN ADDITION, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE RADIO AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10885445

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

LIFTGATE POWER LOCK DOESN'T WORK. NO MANUAL WAY TO OPEN. UNABLE TO REPLACE TAIL, BRAKE OR TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS UNLESS LIFTGATE IS OPEN.

NHTSA ID

10820743

Incident

Apr 6, 2013

Mileage

130,000 mi

VEHICLE WILL NOT START. PROBLEM WITH PCM? IGNITION SWITCH, LESS THAN 30,000 MILES, WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT RESTART. AFTER SITTING FOR MORE THAN 30 MINS OR LONGER START/ NO START NEVER KNOW!!! OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH INTERMITTENT DASH DISPLAY, DOOR CHIMES AND THEFT SYSTEM, CONTACTED G.M. AND NOT WILLING TO ADDRESS PROBLEM ....WAVE TOWING FEE, DEALER FAMILIAR WITH PROBLEM ,BUT NOT EXACTLY SURE AT THIS TIME WHAT PROBLEM IS OR HOW TO FIX....WANT TO THROW $ AT IT TILL A CURE IS FOUND. VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC AND ESPECIALLY WITH AUTO TRANS....HAVE CHILDREN IN CAR ALOT WHEN PROB HAPPENS...WHAT DO I DO!!! ALWAYS GARAGE KEPT ALSO! NOT A PROBLEM WIH BATTERY OR FUSES...ELECTRICAL PROBLEM!

NHTSA ID

10818194

Incident

Oct 21, 2015

Mileage

28,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE USING THE TURN SIGNALS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILLAGE WAS 212,000.

NHTSA ID

10811665

Incident

Dec 1, 2015

Mileage

212,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD INDICATE LOW FUEL ECONOMY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 05/03/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WOULD FAIL WHEN DRIVING UNDER 25 MILES PER HOUR OR AT A STOP. UPDATED 11/21/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10787248

Incident

Apr 3, 2015

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID

10785267

Incident

Feb 1, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi