Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Chevrolet Aveo owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The interior dash caught on fire and burned only in the middle of the dashboard. This happened hours after it started smoking inside the car and the headlights would not turn off even though they were already off.
This is happening to my car. Would like them to fix it . Manufacture defect and it is a huge safety issue. Effect pedal function. Some customers may comment on an intermittent malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) being Illuminated with a message or an indicator that displays Reduced Engine Power. The technician may observe on a scan tool DTC P2138 - Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor 1-2 Correlation set as Current or in History. This condition may be caused by water intrusion into the instrument panel (IP) to body harness connector, which carries the APP sensor signals to the ECM/PCM. This water intrusion results in a voltage difference between APP Sensor 1 and APP Sensor 2 that exceeds a predetermined value for more than a calibrated period of time, setting P2138. …
The splicer connected to the fuse box in the engine burns up after a while of use causing the Dash lights, right brake light and front marker light to not work at night. It is a major safety issue and hundreds/thousands of complaints online (via google) have been made about it burning up.
Lights malfunction. Headlights dim intermittently, turn signal causes headlights to turn off, dashboard lights do not work, running lights work intermittently. The splice pack in the fuse box is burnt and so are the wires connected to it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo. The contact stated that the head lamps failed. The contact inspected the head lamp bulbs and found that the ground wires were burned due to overheating. The dealer advised that NHTSA campaign number: 14V261000 (exterior lighting) would only repair the drl module and would not replace any additional failure caused by the recall. The contact also wanted to state that the engine valve cover gasket was defective causing the engine fluid to leak. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Chevrolet Aveo. The contact stated that after opening the door to the vehicle, the contact observed that the dashboard had melted with flames sparking. As a result, the vehicle engulfed into flames. The fire department arrived to the scene and extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot where it was deemed as destroyed. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V261000 (exterior lighting). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.
I try to put a seat belt on a child in the back seat and it dose not work at all. The steering on my Aveo is also not safe it feels as if my axel on my car is going to brake? Also this car has caught on fire as I was on the freeway coming from work. I have replace the Cadillac converter on this car as well as 2,000 other repairs into my car. It is very dangerous knowing that one day when I get in my car it May caught on fire if it get to hot. It very sad all I would like to do is go to school and work get home safe guaranteed every day.
So I was at home and my car was parked outside and it caught on fire in the inside. The fire department came and put out the fire. It damaged the dashboard and the window. I have read that it is a recall on my vehicle which causes it to catch on fire. Manufacturer recall numbera140093 NHTSA recall number14v261 recall statusrecall incomplete
About 6 weeks ago smelled something burning. Prior to burning smell, the daytime running lights all inside dash lights and clock lights and gear shift lights went out while car was in motion on a major city street. All lights stayed off for about 20 mins. Daytime running ligts never came back on. Clock lights still goes off an on. Dash lights and gear shift lights came back on once. But have been off a month now. Reported to GM. Recall on daytime running lights fixed free. But they said no recall on wiring of lights. I am not the only owner that has thos problem there are many who have written complaiys on GM. Recall website. I have pictures of burnt fuse connector relay that controls all lights. 10 mins of mechanic checking the part was so hot he couldn't touch it. On 8/09/2016 terry cullen fixed recall. …
My 2006 Chevy Aveo hatchback was sitting parked in my driveway and had not been turned on in the last 12 hours. My dogs started to bark, and that is when I noticed my car alarm was going off, very quietly. I went outside to see what was going on and that is when I noticed my car was filled with smoke and that it was coming out of my air vents as well. However the engine was not on fire, nor was it effected. I tried immediately to unlock my car, but my locks had gone out, so I had to use my key and manually unlock the doors. It was once the smoked cleared I could see my dash was completely melted in where my air vents and clock once were. It does not appear that it hurt the cd player directly below it however. My windows are ruined by the smoke as well and they are darkened where the "fire" started. …
Electrical complaints in other Aveo years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Aveo?
NHTSA has 67 complaints about the electrical system of the 2006 Chevrolet Aveo, 35% of the model year's 189 complaints. The component named most often is horn (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Chevrolet Aveo electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Aveo, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Aveo electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 12 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.