Most common 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems
Share of the 178 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 complaints by model year
Best Silverado 2500 years: 2014, 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2024, 2022, 2020, 2015, 2025. Compare all years →
What 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 owners say
Brakes all 71 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. While pulling into the driveway at approximately 7 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to the floor but the vehicle did not stop. The vehicle crashed into the contact's porch. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The contact observed brake fluid under the front of the vehicle and the brake lines were completely rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. Ma 09/03/15 updated 11/03/2017
I was preparing to slow down as I approached my driveway. When I applied my vehicle's brakes, the brake pedal went completely to the floor. My vehicle did not slow down and I had to utilize me emergency brake and also shift into a lower gear in order to slow down. I was unable to slow down enough to safely make a turn and subsequently my vehicle travelled thru a ditch area and came to a stop in my front yard. Completing a check of my vehicle's brake system, I learned that my master cylinder was completely empty. I had my vehicle towed to a local garage where I was told the vehicle's complete braking system lines had rusted away causing all brake fluid loss and needed to be replaced. All brakes lines were replaced from the master cylinder to the ABS module and then to each brake system at the wheel. The cost of the work was $598.00. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 32 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. While the toddler was placed in the driver seat of the vehicle, she turned the key to the accessory position. The vehicle rolled down the hill and crashed into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The toddler did not sustain any injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 215,000.
Anytime a trailer is first attached, the truck will randomly go into reduced power mode while driving. This is very unsafe as the truck can to this at highway speed in traffic. It will do this a few times until the PCM "learns" there is a trailer attached. GM is aware of the issue and issued service bulletin 06-06-04-042b to address the issue by reprogramming the PCM. Because of the safety concerns, this should be addressed as a recall. However,I had to take the truck into the dealer for the update and was expected to pay for them fixing a known software issue. Instead of doing the update at no charge, they managed to damage the PCM while performing the update. The PCM is no longer serviceable and the dealer is wanting to charge me for a replacement even though it was damaged during a called for service bulletin update. …
Steering
Engine idler pulley seized causing serpentine belt to break which resulted in loss of power steering and loss of power brakes..2 local GM dealer parts department's stated this is common on the duramax diesel engine.
Vehicle sat at the airport for 72hrs. When I left the airport, the brakes felt spongy, but were able to stop the vehicle. On the freeway as I was braking, the brakes began to feel more spongy, requiring increased stopping distance. When I arrived at my residence approximately 45 miles from the airport, I tried to turn into my driveway, only to find I had lost all power steering assist and braking assist. I was able to finally turn in, but had to use my emergency brake to come to a full stop. Once, stopped, I found I could not turn the steering wheel and there were no brakes. I opened the power steering reservoir cap, which immediately spewed a few ounces of p/s fluid over the engine compartment, fortunately not on the hot exhaust. Dealer had the vehicle towed 2 miles to their dealership where they claimed they could not duplicate the problem. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 a good car?
Based on 178 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Silverado 2500 rates avoid: 2.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the Silverado 2500 at the same age. It is one of the Silverado 2500 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 Silverado 2500?
The brakes — 71 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (32) and steering (18).
How many recalls does the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2024, 2022, 2020, 2015 and 2025. See the full Chevrolet Silverado 2500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 52,000 miles; 46% 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.