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2006 Chevrolet Equinox

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 Equinox.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2006 Chevrolet Equinox is an SUV equipped with a 5‑speed automatic transmission, requiring 4.5 quarts of 5W‑30 API oil and returning EPA‑rated fuel economy of 16 city/21 highway/18 combined mpg. Owner feedback totals 695 complaints, with visibility cited as the leading concern and no recalls issued for the model year. In the broader 2005‑2026 complaint record, the 2006 model sits well below the 2010 peak of 784 complaints but well above the 2026 low of 58, indicating a moderate reliability standing for this generation.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192006

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/21/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size235-65R16OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175
Engine air filter22676970
Spark plug12681664
Battery88866291
Front wiper blades22703507 alt 22703508
Serpentine belt12576750
Thermostat24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter15781507

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length188.6 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height66.9 in
Wheelbase112.6 in
Curb weight3777 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 21 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Equinox of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.9–9.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.90 sec — 2008 Sport V6
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2005LT V6 3.4L V68.30 sec16.70 sec185 hpAWD
2005LT V6 3.4L V69.10 sec16.80 sec185 hpAWD
2008Sport V6 3.6L V66.90 sec15.40 sec264 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidSAE JWS3309 · ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts12 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill PlugNVG900: 11.0, Gertag 760: 29.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain PlugNVG900: 18.0, Gertag 760: 29.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub151 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub151 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerAc Delco
Spark Plug Gap.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug TypeAC 41-940
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.30 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-60
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms
Engine Oil Pressure30-35 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1850 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle136 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.080
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.040
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.024 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2006 Chevrolet Equinox recorded 695 complaints and 692 TSBs, with the most frequent issues involving visibility (188), electrical systems (66), engines (40), and service brakes (37). Compared to the 2005 model, which had 638 complaints and 625 TSBs, the 2006 model saw an increase in both metrics, although it recorded zero recalls while 2007 recorded four. Across the generation, TSBs trended steadily upward from 625 in 2005 to a peak of 1,943 in 2013, placing the 2006 model at the start of a rising trajectory of reported technical issues. The 2006 model also had 16 crash complaints and 9 fire complaints, though the data does not specify the root causes. Because this year marks an increase in complaints and TSBs without the benefit of recalls to mitigate these issues, this is not a good year to buy.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
692
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
695
Owner complaints
16 involved a crash · 9 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 695 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility188
Electrical System66
Engine40
Service Brakes37
Unknown Or Other36
Engine & Engine Cooling27
Visibility/Wiper22
Steering17

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 692 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5358D2025-02-19Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Equinox. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 75 batteryVehicles taking 4.5 qtEngine oil filter 12731175Engine air filter 22676970Spark plug 12681664Battery 88866291

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2006 Equinox take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2006 Equinox have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Equinox get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined mpg.