NHTSA Complaint #10410137 — 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN AUGUST 2009 WITH ROUGHLY 42000 MILES FROM CARMAX IN DULLES, VA. SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE SPENT NEARLY 3000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS AS IT SEEMS THAT PARTS ARE WEARING OUT OR MALFUNCTIONING FAR EARLIER THAN TYPICAL. AT ABOUT THE 60000 MILE MARK, ALL FOUR ROTORS AND BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE ROTORS BEING WARPED. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS IS NOT COMMON AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT THIS TYPE OF MILEAGE. COST FOR THIS REPAIR WAS ABOUT $500. TIRES HAVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TWICE SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE; ONCE AROUND 60000 MILES DUE TO "UNEVEN WEAR" WHICH WAS LIKELY A RESULT OF THE BAD ROTORS, AND AGAIN AROUND THE 100000 MARK ALSO FOR "UNEVEN WEAR". THIS COST $400 ON EACH OCCASION. AT THE 80000 MILE MARK A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END, AND PROCEEDED TO GET WORSE UP TO THE 100000 MILE MARK. BETWEEN THOSE MILEAGE MARKS, THE FRONT END BEGAN TO FEEL VERY LOOSE. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE STRUTS PREMATURELY FAILED AND CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION. THE COST FOR THIS REPAIR WAS OVER $1300 AND WAS REPAIRED ON JUNE 27, 2011. AFTER DOING A BIT OF RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A VERY PROMINENT AND COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. ON TOP OF THESE ISSUES, THERE IS ALSO APPARENTLY A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR END AS WELL THAT IS ALSO CREATING A KNOCKING. ALSO, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE BEGUN TO FLASH REPEATEDLY AND VERY QUICKLY AT RANDOM TIMES AS WELL AS TURNING THEMSELVES ON AND OFF. THE CD PLAYER ALSO BROKE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE AND UNRELIABLE VEHICLE THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS IS TRULY DUE TO "WEAR AND TEAR", OR IF THIS IS A FACTORY FAULT. *TR