Faults:

First problem was MP3 player would not eject disks after a month or so of use. The third player seems to be working fine now for the last 3 years.

Front rotors needed frequent turning. Warping of rotors occurred after each 10 to 12 thousand miles after turning rotors. Problem finally cured by installing NAPA Premium rotors and pads. I did this myself and took roughly 45 minutes each wheel.

Coolant loss without visible leaks. Dealer says head gasket blew and will cost $2200.

General Comments:

I bought the SUV sight unseen. I asked the salesman if the rear seats folded completely flat. He said "Oh Yes they lay right down". They don't!

After a few years the front end rattles over a mildly bumpy road. Vehicle still passes state (NH) safety inspection.

Within a year the steering (all electronic) failed to respond when backing out of a parking spot. Reported issue to dealer who investigated and found no problem. Dealer goes on to say if the electronics gets hot, it will reduce steering effectiveness, but should not have quit. Take my word for it. It quit, but only that one time. Never happened in the next four years.

Faults:

The paint on the radio knobs faded. However it was replaced when I took it in to the dealership for a service.

The engine at times make a noise at start up almost as if the starter is sticking. The service department were unable to find the cause and it is intermittent. May happen once a month. It sounds bad, but the car always starts and runs perfectly.

The other thing was the front brake pads have been changed twice. They seem to have worn rather quickly. I upgraded this last time to 100.00 pads, which seem to be holding up better so far.

The issue now is the rear brakes, which have plenty of pad but are annoying with their squeal. I have cleaned and adjusted and tried other things, but they continue. I will probably have to upgrade the shoes and do some other maintenance on them.

The equinox runs on Mobil 1 full synthetic, and it has been a reliable vehicle. The issues have been minor. Chevy still kicks ASS.

Faults:

The 6-disc radio unit failed at 50,000 miles. Cost was $150.00 plus $40.00 reprogramming for the PCM (radio interfaces with PCM and is locked to vehicle).

Paint on the frequently used radio controls wears down over time, but not a big deal.

Other than that, just regular repairs such as new tires, wipers, etc and nothing major.

General Comments:

We get great gas mileage in this vehicle at 25 MPG highway. Combined mileage is usually about 21 MPG, which would make our city driving around 17 MPG, which sounds right.

The 5-speed automatic behaves very well and the 3.4L V6 has plenty of power for acceleration and passing. Its 210 lb/ft of torque gets it up to speed nicely. It feels much more responsive than our old Toyota RAV4, probably because of the good torque.

The ride is comfortable and the Equinox even hauls 8-foot 2x4's when needed, which is nice. One of the most reliable vehicles we've owned so far.

I've read a few reviews about people having trouble with these vehicles. The main culprit is really the PCM, which is faulty and can cause weird problems ranging from fuel delivery issues (non-starting and bad gas mileage) to anything else. 2005 had a small batch of bad PCM's that simply need to be replaced and most problems are fixed. NHTSA estimates that only about 2% of all GM sold in 2005 had the PCM problem, which means 98% of people who bought a GM car never had problems. The other 2% flock to the internet to complain and a percentage of that complain about the Equinox. I wouldn't be too worried about it. Just have the dealer hook up their Tech II scanner and check the PCM before you buy it if you're worried.

I do all of our mechanic work on the vehicle and it is very easy to work on. The 3.4L V6 is a proven engine unlike our old Toyota 4-cyl that had engine sludge problems. The automatic is a 5-speed unit from Japan that is a proven unit as well. The drivetrain is the first thing I look at when buying a car, and the Equinox drivetrain is a definite 10/10 for reliability and ease/cost of maintenance.