Most common 2005 Chevrolet Uplander problems
Share of the 196 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Uplander complaints by model year
Best Uplander years: 2007, 2008. Years to avoid: 2005. Compare all years →
2005 Chevrolet Uplander recalls (3)
Suspension › Rear
The braun corporation has notified NHTSA about a defect in certain model year 2005-2008 general motors mobility conversion, handicapped accessible low floor minivans. During conversion, the driver or passenger side trailing arm modification May not have been adequately welded.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and will have a supply of retrofit parts available to remedy the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on June 4, 2010. Owners May contact braun at 1-800-488-0359.
Parking brake
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, 'passenger car brake systems.' to meet the standard, the vehicle must not move for five minutes when stopped on a steep hill with the parking brake applied and the vehicle in neutral (n).
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for parking brake lever slippage at each rear brake caliper and replace the caliper if lever slippage is identified. The recall began on November 14, 2005.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
On certain minivans, the outboard release handle on the impact-side second-row bucket seat May be actuated and the rear latches May unlatch early in a side impact crash. This was discovered in a side impact test run by GM, under conditions similar to NHTSA's new car assessment program (ncap) side impact test.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the seat latch release handle and install a black plastic cap over the exposed metal stud to eliminate the side impact safety concern free of charge. The recall began on April 5, 2005.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander:
Power sliding door opening
Odi has received reports that the power sliding doors opened without command while the vehicle was in motion on model year 2005 and 2006 general motors minivans (Chevrolet uplander/venture, Pontiac montana sv6/montana, Buick terraza, and Saturn relay).some reports indicate that the door May not have been closed and latched before driving away causing the door to reverse (open) at low vehicle speeds.however, other…
Electrical harness damage
The office of defects investigation opened this investigation on November 29, 2005, based on one consumer report to odi and a technical service bulletin issued by general motors.the bulletin, no. 1613174, issued on February 21, 2005, states in part, some customers May report a stall and/or no crank, no start condition after the wipers are used.analysis of the available data indicates that the problem experience…
Power sliding door
Odi evaluated general motors' (GM) data, conducted consumer interviews, inspected and tested my 2005-2007 GM minivans with regard to the alleged defect of a power sliding door (psd) opening while the vehicle is out of park.odi identified a high warranty claim rate.however, these claims are related to various problems associated with doors not properly opening or closing and not specifically to doors opening while…
What 2005 Chevrolet Uplander owners say
Electrical system all 57 →
Tl contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Uplander. The contact stated that a vehicle merged into traffic from a side road and crashed into his vehicle's passenger side door. The contact was driving 35 MPH at the time of the crash. The air bags failed to deploy and the middle row seats reclined backwards. The driver and six passengers were injured. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was previously taken to the dealer several times for the electrical system, the dashboard, and other equipment. The dealer stated that the electrical failure was corrected. Hinesville police report number 07064548 was filed. The powertrain and dealer information were unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 30,079. The consumer provided georgia accident report, court documentation, medical documentation, newspaper article pertaining to the accident, pictures of the accident and injuries. …
Driving the vehicle along the interstate at 65 MPH at night, the ignition switch run position rotated to off and the engine and all headlights, dash, etc, shutdown along with the power steering and power brakes. The incident has just started happening and 340,000 miles on it. Only way to get rolling is to put the auto trans lever to neutral and twist the ignition key to crank position and let key settle to run position. The ignition switch itself has a spring detent and it sets in a pocket at run. So this switch has a spring that over time weakens and allows the whole key cylinder ans switch to drop out of run and shut off the electrical. Solution was to put in a new switch or just use a single key instead of a full set of keys hanging from the key slot.. The full replacement of the switch runs 350$, prts and labor.
Locks & latches all 45 →
Tl* - the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Uplander. The transmission failed at 11,000 miles. The mechanic repaired it instead of replacing, it and it continued to leak. The dealer replaced the transmission, and the new one from the manufacturer was also leaking. The vehicle was in the repair shop for 16 days, and the new transmission had to be resealed. When starting the vehicle the ignition was sticking in the start mode for 2 minutes after releasing the key. The passenger automatic sliding door did not latch shut, no warning indicator light appeared nor did it register with OnStar as the door was being un latched. When attempting to open the door it will not open because the latch did not engage. The dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact was concerned about the safety risk involved. The contact filed a complaint with the bbb, and spoken to GM about all of the failures. …
Tl* - the contact called regarding the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander. The contact stated that the power sliding door opened and closed unexpectedly. The contact took the vehicle in to the dealer five times. The deale advised the contact that either they could not duplicate the failure or that they had repaired it. On one occasion, the dealer reinstalled a loose lock rod. On another occasion, the dealer reprogrammed the sliding door module. The failure mileage was 24,000. When the door malfunctioned the warning indicator was a bell alerting her the door opened, there were no other warning indicators. The front two tires were replaced at 14,000 miles due to excessive wear. The back two tires were replaced at 24,000 due to excessive wear. The contact stated at 37,000 miles, the vehicle needed four new tires due to wear. …
Body & structure all 45 →
2005 Chevy Uplander lt. Undercarriage rusted on back passenger side within 9 months after purchase, causing separation of the rear passenger wheel from the body of vehicle. When driving, you can hear/feel clunking/squeaking noise which sounds like the tire is going to come completely off the car. Area affected cannot be replaced nor welded as this can be unsafe to drive. I have images that can be sent via email.
The chassis has a serious rust issue as I've never seen before. The rust issue is one that you would not even see on a 60 year old car. It caused the rear wheel and all of its components to break free. I do have pictures (it's dark out right at the moment but I can by morning) I have been trying to find a solution for this for quiet a while now.
2005 Chevrolet Uplander engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander a good car?
Based on 196 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Uplander rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Uplander at the same age. It is one of the Uplander 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 2005 Chevrolet Uplander?
The electrical system — 57 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about alternator/generator/regulator. Next are the locks & latches (45) and body & structure (45).
How many recalls does the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander, the most recent from March 19, 2010 (rear). 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 Uplander?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005. See the full Chevrolet Uplander years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Uplander problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 40,000 miles; 56% 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.