Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Chevrolet Uplander owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Remember to keep your Uplander's gas tanks at least half full! Uplander fuel gauge shows gas tank is a quarter full, however, vehicle immediately runs out of gas whenever on a downhill slope. This has happened several times when parked or sitting at a light on a downhill sloped driveway. Unable to start the Uplander in these cases, (sitting or parked facing downhill) as I was in my parking stall, I had to call for roadside assistance. After aaa pulled the Uplander out of downhill parking space onto level ground, the Uplander started up without any problem. The gas gauge then showed that I had a little more than a quarter of a tank and I was able to start the engine and drive the vehicle. Took it to rancho valley Chevrolet, phillips ranch, ca, and replaced the 2006 instrument panel with a re-built instrument panel.
This has happened several times me and my grand daughter are headed out shopping on highway 26 in oregon summit hiway the rig just shuts down ckicking the doors windows made funny noise and gas doesn't read full when full ,lights dime at night dash lights go out you have to wiggle the little dash board thing to make them go back on side mirrors won't adjust with panel in door ,and just this past week started doing same thing shut down come back on off by itself so had pulled starter,brand new battery and alternator all good this has to be an electrical issue this is extremely dangerous seeings how I live in the mountains on a very curvy roads
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander. While the vehicle was stationary, the fuel gauge stopped working and displayed "empty" even when the tank was filled with fuel. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 129,000.
I have a 2006 Chevy Uplander lt and I started to have problems around 3,000 miles of ownership. It started with electrical issues (hard drive entertainment system, gas gauge, dimming lights, radio losing settings, hard starts, service ABS, and service traction control) and gradually moved to mechanical issues (clucking noises ? Front end, vibrations ? Front end, steering binding, and grinding noises from the front end). What has been replaced in hopes of fixing the issues are the hard drive to the entertainment system, main computer module (twice and reprogrammed several times), steering column, steering box, rack and pinion, front stabilizing control arms, front brake, front rotors resurfaced, ABS control module (never fixed the service ABS and service traction control). …
Our 2006 Chevy Uplander first starting having problems at about 20,000 miles when our tires (continental brand that came installed on brand new vehicle from dealer) needed to be replaced due to severe cupping on all 4 tires. We were told it was an alignment issue, so we had the tires replaced and had a 4 wheel alignment. Tires needed to be replaced again at 45,000 miles due to same cupping issue. Again, another 4 wheel alignment was performed. Fuel sensor was reading empty on a full tank of gas and the float was replaced at 16,000 miles. Now at 50,000 miles, sensor reads consistently empty again on a full tank of gas. Severe rattling/vibration from under the vehicle at highway speeds that resonates from between the front driver and passenger seats. (possibly e-brake cable or heat shield?) both front and rear shocks and struts needed to be replaced at 54,000 miles. …
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 steering rod first 14,000 miles. The van currently has 28,000 miles on it now. Since I got it I also had problems with headlights flickering on long trips. Interior lights and dashboard also flickers. Also once when I turned on to highway vehicle revved up and was hard to control.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander. The contact stated that when the vehicle had a half tank of gas or less the fuel gauge failed to show an accurate reading and the vehicle shut off. The dealer replaced the fuel sensor, but the failure continued. The dealer replaced the terminals, but the gas gauge continued to display an inaccurate reading. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer, and the instrument panel was reprogrammed. The failure continued to persist. The dealer and manufacturer stated that the failure was caused by a design defect and poor engineering. The current and failure mileages were 17,000. The reverse light was out, the rear hatch would not lock, the wiper blade fell off, the rotors had to be machined. Updated 07/06/07
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander. The contact stated that whenever the vehicle was parked on an incline, the fuel level indicator would display that the fuel tank was empty and the vehicle would not start. In addition, the brakes were worn prematurely, the ABS warning light would illuminate intermittently, both driver and passenger sliding doors were malfunctioned and the headlights would fail intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times in regards to the failure but to no avail. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Tl 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 updated 03/05/08
I was hit from behind on February 4, 2012 on campcreek pkwy in college park ga, because my vehicle stalled when I pressed the gas to take off from the red light, it clunks when making turns, it sounds as if something is loose on the front end, and has made these sounds since I've had it, I have had to repair the brakes frequently, the vehicle stalls when driving on the highway, the temperature gauge goes up and down, the transmission stalls. The dash light sometimes goes out, it runs out of gas when parked on an incline.
Fuel System complaints in other Uplander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Uplander?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2006 Chevrolet Uplander, 13% of the model year's 158 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly › filler pipe and cap (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Chevrolet Uplander fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Uplander, though it has 3 recalls 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 Uplander fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to fuel & propulsion 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.