2006 Chevrolet UPLANDER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
158 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
37,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 127 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 35 of 158 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 41 | 25.9% |
| Steering behavior | 23 | 14.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 17 | 10.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 11 | 7.0% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 6.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 9 | 5.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 35 |
| Steering | 24 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 21 |
| Suspension | 13 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 |
| Structure:Body | 10 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 9 |
| Tires | 9 |
Electrical System: 35; Steering: 24; Structure:Body:Door: 21; Suspension: 13; Fuel System, Gasoline: 11; Structure:Body: 10; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 9; Tires: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 49 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 23 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 12 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 49; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 23; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 10
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (49). 31 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 22 |
| 2007 | 18 |
| 2008 | 25 |
| 2009 | 11 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2011 | 16 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2006: 22; 2007: 18; 2008: 25; 2009: 11; 2010: 12; 2011: 16; 2012: 10; 2013: 10; 2014: 11; 2015: 4; 2016: 3; 2017: 2; 2018: 5; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 3; 2022: 1; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 41 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 17 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10216544 · 2008-01-30 (January 30, 2008)
CENTER BRAKE LIGHT IS CRACKED COST OVER 70.00 TO REPLACE. WHEN I CHECKED OTHER VANS OF THIS TYPE I FOUND THEY ARE ALL CRACKED TO SOME DEGREE I WANT TO SEE THIS ITEM RECALLED AS IT IS A SAFETY ITEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 42,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10216544 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10222881 · 2008-03-31 (March 31, 2008)
PURCHASED IN JAN 06. BY SEPT 11, 2006 STEERING WHEEL BECAME TIGHT AND HEARD NOISE UNDER CAR WHEN DRIVING. STEERING SHAFT WAS BINDING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED; COULD NOT LOCATE NOISE. SAID MAY BE RELATED TO STEERING SHAFT. SEPT 20, 2006, TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP FOR NOISE UNDER VAN AGAIN; WAS TOLD E-BRAKE CABLE WAS HITTING REAR SUSPENSION. FEBRUARY 11, 2007, HAD TO REPLACE FRONT WORN TIRES WITH ONLY 23, 275 MILES ON CAR AND HAVE AN ALIGNMENT. MARCH 9, 2007, TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS COMING ON AS WELL AS VEHICLE SHAKING. WAS TOLD FR…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,264 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222881 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10174843 · 2006-11-30 (November 30, 2006)
I WAS DRIVING MY UPLANDER WHEN THE VEHICLE JERKED TO THE LEFT. IT RESULTED IN MY DRIVING OVER A CONCRETE MEDIAN AND CAUSING $4000.00 OF DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. I DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL I PICKED THE VAN UP FROM REPAIR THAT THIS MAY POSSIBLY NOT BE MY FAULT. DRIVING HOME ON THE DAY I PICKED THE VAN UP FROM REPAIR, THE VAN AGAIN JERKED TO THE LEFT AND I ALMOST HAD ANOTHER WRECK. I HAVE OWNED THE VAN SINCE JUNE AND HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD THE VAN IN THE SHOP FOR NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS, SUCH AS THE POWER DOORS MALFUNCTIONING, A…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10174843 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10184850 · 2007-03-12 (March 12, 2007)
TL*-THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PURCHASED THE 2006 CHEVROLET UPLANDER TRUCK ON 04/2006. HE WOULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED ZIG ZAGGING ACROSS THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ROTATED THE TIRES, AND REPLACED THE CONSOLE ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT CONTINENTAL TIRE WITH SIZE P225/60R17, WITH DOT# AC794BLT5005 WAS TAKEN TO SEARS ,AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE TREAD ON THE TIRES WAS DETERIORATING AND SPLITTING. THE DEALERSHIP DID REPLACE THE FIRST …
Owner-reported narrative. 395 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184850 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10156217 · 2006-04-12 (April 12, 2006)
2006 UPLANDER MINI CARGO VAN HEAD LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHT RAPIDLY CHANGE INTENSITY, OR FLUTTER. *TS THE FLUTTERING IS DISTRACTING TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS WELL AS TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CHECKED THE VEHICLE'S CHARGING SYSTEM AND EXPLAINED THAT THE VOLTAGE WAS SUPPOSED TO CHANGE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE NEWER ADVANCED VARIABLE CHARGE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED REGARDLESS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LOAD (I.E. A/C ON OR OFF, BRIGHT LIGHT OR DIM). *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10156217 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10170050 · 2006-10-06 (October 6, 2006)
PURCHASED 06 CHEVY UPLANDER WITH 21 MILES ON IT. ON DRIVE HOME MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED EVENTUALLY RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL DASH BOARD COMPONENTS, RADIO, POWER SLIDING DOOR AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT OCCASIONALLY ENERGIZING. CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN ONCE AT HOME UNTIL HOURS LATER. TOOK IN TO DEALER AND THEY HAVE REPORTED FAULTY BODY CONTROL MODULE AND WILL REPLACE TOMORROW. AM UNSURE IF I SHOULD KEEP THIS VEHICLE BASED ON MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL COMPLAINTS. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 21 miles reported. Look up ODI 10170050 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10224236 · 2008-04-11 (April 11, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OR IN REVERSE, THE STEERING FEELS AS IF IT HAS LOST POWER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A BANGING SOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE STABILIZER SHAFT LINKS WERE PREMATURELY WORN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,116 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,080.
Owner-reported narrative. 23,080 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224236 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10329947 · 2010-05-11 (May 11, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. THE VEHICLE DID NOT ALWAYS START ON THE FIRST OR SECOND ATTEMPT AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND JERKED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS CHANGED; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000. UPDATED 11/03/10. *…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10329947 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10208463 · 2007-11-08 (November 8, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START; HOWEVER, THERE WAS FIVE GALLONS OF GASOLINE IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER ADDING MORE GASOLINE, THE VEHICLE STARTED. THAT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL WHEN IT IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IS DUE TO WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED AND ADVISED HER NOT TO PARK ON AN INCLINE. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 3/5/08 *CN UPDATED 03/05/08 *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208463 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212174 · 2007-12-18 (December 18, 2007)
2006 CHEVY UPLANDER,PROBLEMS OCCURRING SINCE WE PURCHASED- INTERMITTENT STARTING, STARTING THEN STALLING, SMELLS LIKE SULFUR AND THERE'S A CLUNKING IN THE FRONT. RECENT PROBLEMS- VOLTAGE IS VARYING CAUSING LIGHTS TO DIM AND BRIGHTEN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10212174 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167125 · 2006-08-31 (August 31, 2006)
THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE GAS TANK FILLER NECK, THE FLAP AT THE NECK IS MISSING AND MAY HAVE FALLEN IN THE GAS TANK. UPLANDER VAN HAS 7,800 MILES ON VEHICLE. I WILL REPORT THIS TO THE DEALER CASA CHEV. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10167125 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10216498 · 2008-01-30 (January 30, 2008)
CHEVY UPLANDER BROKE DOWN IN DRIVEWAY. DEALER TOWED SAID IT STARTED FINE FOR THEM BUT THAT THE BATTERY CELLS WERE LOW SO THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. THEY SAID IT WAS READY TO BE PICKED UP. ON MY WAY HOME FROM DEALERSHIP THE VAN COMPLETELY SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY. I MANAGED TO TURN SLIGHTLY BUT WAS STUCK IN THE ROAD FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED. DEALER NOW THINKS IT IS FUEL PUMP HOWEVER SOMETHING IS STILL DRAINING BATTERY. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE I GOT IT BRAND NEW AND ALREADY REPLACED STEERIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10216498 at NHTSA ↗