Most common 2006 Chevrolet Colorado problems
Share of the 236 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Colorado complaints by model year
Best Colorado years: 2011, 2012, 2020. Years to avoid: 2016, 2015, 2024, 2023, 2017. Compare all years →
2006 Chevrolet Colorado recalls (4)
Child seat
GM is recalling certain model year 2004-2011, Chevrolet colorado, GMC canyon, model year 2006, Isuzu I-280/I-350, and model year 2007-2008, I-290/I-370, regular cab vehicles and extended cab vehicles without a rear seat and equipped with a front 60/40 split bench seat.
Remedy: Dealers will cut a hole into the back panel trim cover to allow access to the top tether anchor for the front center seat position and will provide supplemental information as to use in the owner's manual.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
GM is recalling 185,903 model year 2004-2009 colorado, GMC model year 2009-2004 canyon, model year 2006 I-280, I-350, model year 2007-2008 I-290, and I-370, passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alabama, arizona, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new Mexico,…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the necessary components as specified in the recall bulletin free of charge. GM anticipates that parts will be available by June 2010.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Certain pickup trucks May experience the permanent loss of brake lamp function or brake lamps that are illuminated at all times. The center high-mounted stop lamp (chmsl) is affected in both instances. Also, if equipped, the cruise control will become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake lamp switch assembly. The recall began on December 5, 2006. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; GMC at 1-866-996-9463 or Isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle capacity weight.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on March 31, 2006.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Chevrolet Colorado:
Brake lamp switch malfunction
On July 28,2009, GM initiated a regional recall campaign on certain model year (my) 2004-2009 Chevrolet colorado and GMC canyon vehicles and my2006-2008 Isuzu I-series vehicles.the states and U.S. Territories involved are al, az, fl, ga, hi, la, ms, nv, nm, pr, sc, tx, vi and ut.a total of 185,903 vehicles will be recalled with 92,272 vehicles within the scope of this investigation.in addition, a special…
What 2006 Chevrolet Colorado owners say
Electrical system all 69 →
Fire in the engine wiring, fuse box,battery store parking lot parked engine off GMC took truck said it wasn't a factory issue no information was given to me said it was confidentual had truck 6 weeks
Pass lock security system.while driving my vehicle the pass lock security system shut my vehicle down late at night around 11 pm.I was stranded the truck would not start because the lock was showing on the dash gauges.I recently had major open heart surgery and I am 62 years old.I was stuck all night long out in the country here in north central florida and this is bear country here.I had to walk about 8 miles the next morning as there arent many people driving out here that time of day.I thought I was going to die out there in the woods.I was scared to death.I dont carry all my heart medecine with me as I thought I would be gone from home maybe an hour or two at the most.this vehicle has not been able to be started for about 2 months because of this security system.it cost me a fortune to have it towed the next day $250 and have had 3 Chevy mechanics with their diagnostic machines tell …
Engine & cooling all 50 →
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle started to shake. The contact was able to drive back to the residence. The contact stated that several independent mechanics diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the cylinder head needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer or the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 216,000.
On July 1, 2018, my son was driving his 2006 Chevy Colorado on the freeway when it combusted in the front driver's side engine area. Thankfully, he was able to exit the vehicle before it became fully engulfed! The pickup burned entirely, very hot and very quick. See attached photos. I did contact GM, as I see there have been many claims of fire in these vehicles. However, GM was unwilling to put effort into trying to determine the cause of this fire that endangered my sons life!! I have received no answers, no compassion, no follow through. It is beyond disappointing for a company such as general motors to not be doing a better job for their consumers.
Brakes all 41 →
I own a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado which I bought new in November 2006. The vehicle was manufactured in April 2006. I was rear ended causing $1,500.00 of damage to the rear bumper assembly and the bumper was pushed into the painted area under the driver side tail light. The collision was the cause of the brake light switch being burned up, not allowing contacts to engage brake lamps. I have notified Chevrolet customer service of this issue and they have done nothing. I had to purchase a replacement switch and have it installed at my cost. I am seeking for Chevrolet to repair my vehicle as the person's insurance company said this would be considered a fault of the vehicle and would not pay for the damages.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Colorado. While driving and depressing the brake pedal, the brake lights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that both brake lights failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 06V139000 (exterior lighting) and 09V310000 (exterior lighting). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 05/10/17
2006 Chevrolet Colorado engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.5L 5-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.5L 5-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.5L 5-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 2.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 2.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.5L 5-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 20 / 18 |
| 2.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Chevrolet Colorado a good car?
Based on 236 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Colorado rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Colorado at the same age. It is one of the Colorado years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Chevrolet Colorado?
The electrical system — 69 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › switch. Next are the engine & cooling (50) and brakes (41).
How many recalls does the 2006 Chevrolet Colorado have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Colorado, the most recent from November 18, 2010 (child seat). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Colorado?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2012 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2016, 2015, 2024, 2023 and 2017. See the full Chevrolet Colorado years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Colorado problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 56,000 miles; 45% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.