HEAT BEGAN BLOWING ONLY COLD AIR, COULD NOT DEFROST WINDSHIELD. WAS ON A TRIP WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN. IT BECAME VERY COLD AND DIFFICULT TO SEE; DANGEROUS. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS IS A BROKEN TEMPERATURE CONTROL DOOR ACTUATOR. GM IS SO FAR UNWILLING TO AID IN REPAIR COST. *TR
2006 Chevrolet Equinox visibility problems
moderate 236 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $350
Complaints
236
Recalls
0
Crashes
1
Avg fix
$350
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH THE HEATING SYSTEM ACTIVATED, THE HEATING SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,986. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
OUR CAR 2006 EQUINOX VIN [XXX] HEATER FAILED AND DEFROSTER THEN DID NOT WORK. DECEMBER 5 MY HEATER ON THIS CAR FAILED TO WORK CAUSING DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN MY CAR AS IT WAS COLD AND DEFROST WOULD NOT FUNCTION. WINDOW KEPT FOGGING OVER. NOTED THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON LINE ABOUT THIS. REPORTED THIS TO CHEVY. PART THAT DETERMINES HEAT VS COOL FAILS, PART COSTS ABOUT $38.22, CHEVY CHA…
AT 46,000 MILES HEATER BLOWING OUT COLD AIR. CAN'T DEFROST WINDOWS. PROBLEM STARTED DECEMBER 23, 2010. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND NUMEROUS EQUINOX OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. PROBLEM COMES FROM THE MANUFACTURE. DEALERSHIP IS CHARGING BETWEEN $800-$1200. ENTIRE DASH BOARD NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO SWITCH OUT A PLASTIC PART THAT WAS PLACED INSTEAD OF A METAL ONE. *TR
IN OCT 2010 THE HEAT STOPPED WORKING ON MY 2006 CHEVY EQUINOX. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AIR GETTING INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM LINES, BECAUSE THE COOLANT LEVEL IN THE RESERVOIR HAD GOTTEN A BIT LOW. BUT ADDING COOLANT AND TRYING TO "BURP" THE SYSTEM DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. UPON SEARCHING THE WEB, I DISCOVERED THAT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAD THE SAME NO-HEAT PROBLEM WITH…
2006 EQUINOX...HEAT BLOWS OUT COLD AIR..CANNOT DEFROST WINDSHIELD WHICH IS A SAFETY FEATURE..HVAC FAILS TO BLOW WARM AIR..HVAC TEMPERATURE DOOR FAILED..THIS IS ONLY HAPPENING IN 2006 EQUINOX..MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE 2006 EQUINOX. *TR
HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR IN WINTER IN CHICAGO CAN'T SEE WHILE DRIVING , VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
A CHEAP PLASTIC PART (AIR TEMPERATURE CONTROL DOOR ) BREAKS AND YOU LOSE ALL HEAT AND CANNOT DEFROST OR DEFOG WINDOWS, AND AS SUCH HAVE VIRTUALLY NO VISIBILTY, WHICH IN MY OPINION IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
IT JUST GOT COLD IN MY REGION AND I NOTICED MY HEATER WAS NOT WORKING. IT JUST BLOWS COLD AIR OUT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND SAW THAT THERE WERE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT A HEAT BLEND DOOR BREAKING IN THIS MODEL. THE PART COSTS APPROXIMATELY 30 DOLLARS TO BUY BUT THE ASSOCIATED LABOR IS OVER $1200 DOLLARS. CHEVROLET HASN'T RECALLED THIS EVEN THOUGH IT'S KIND OF DANGEROUS TO NOT HAVE A DEFROSTER IN IC…
I HAVE A 2006 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND THE HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO FROST UP. TOOK TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS A BROKEN HEATER BLEND DOOR AND IT COST ME $1598.00 TO FIX. CHEVROLET DOES NOT SAY THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THEREFORE WILL NO ISSUE A RECALL. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS ON OTHER SITES AND THERE ARE SOME CASES OF PEOPLE HAVING TO REPLACE THE PA…
Common questions
How serious is the visibility problem on the 2006 Chevrolet Equinox?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 236 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $350 for visibility repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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