2006 Chevy Equinox Fluid Specs
by John Walker
The 2006 Chevrolet Equinox comes stock with a 3.4 L and 3.6 L six-cylinder engine. Routine maintenance on the Equinox or any other vehicle requires monitoring the different fluids including oil, brake and clutch, power steering and transmission. Always use manufacturer recommended fluids when filling any of these components.
Oil and Transmission
Chevrolet recommends 4 qts. of SAE 5w30 synthetic oils (includes a new filter) when changing the oil in the 3.4 L and 5.5 qts. for the 3.6L. The five-speed manual transmission holds 8.3 total qts. of T-IV automatic transmission fluid, and the six-speed automatic holds 9.5 qts. of Dexron VI automatic transmission fluid. The initial fill levels for the transmission is 3.3 qts.
Brakes and Clutch
The brakes and clutch represent the main hydraulic systems within the truck. Both systems use DOT-3 brake fluid for proper operation. Always fill to the fill-line on both fluid reservoir tanks. Topping off merely implies fill to the fill line, but if you replace a part of the system or need to bleed the system, monitor the levels while bleeding to keep the reservoir full.
Transfer Case, Differential and Others
Both the transfer case and differential use Versatrak Fluid (GM part number 12378514). The differential holds 1.5 qts., and the transfer case holds 4.1 to 4.5 qts.. Exact amounts are not necessary when filling the transfer or differential. You fill the component until the fluid lightly runs out of the fill hole. The power steering reservoir operates like the brake reservoir. Fill to the full line with generic power steering fluid. Chevrolet requires only Dex-Cool coolant to be used in the radiator.
