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 GMC Sierra 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My fan high speed burst out and I had a strong else trial burning smell. I had my truck looked at to find that my wiring harness and resistor had burnt. I had them replaced this last September. Since then I have had to replace two more resistors and one more wiring harness. I talked to two dealerships and no one told me about the, "special warranty adjustment". I had to research the internet to find this out. When I took my truck back to the original dealer, they blamed me for not knowing the language. I am glad I did not burn my truck up like several other had (found on the internet). Now the dealer tells me that main controller has failed and I have to pay over $400 in repairs. How do I know that the main controller did not burn out the resistor or wiring harness? I am concerned that large corporations are playing with our lives.
The truck was purchased with 113,000 miles on it and no apparent problems when bought. After about 3 months of ownership, the "service airbag" message appeared intermittently for the next few weeks. After that time, the message was constant on. Took the truck to my local dealer who charged to "repair" it. Message came back after about a week of driving. Message now reappears at random intervals. Don't know if the problem is with the airbag sensors, the control unit, or any peripheral switches. Dealer is incompetent and do not trust to fix the problem. Already paid good money to have this problem repaired and am not going to continue to pay for incompetence. Message appears when vehicle is in motion and when vehicle is started at random. Message will sometimes disappear for weeks at a time, then, reappear at random.
2006 GMC Sierra quit running on a trip we were taking. It started missing and eventually wouldn't restart. The truck has 82K on it and is very well maintained. The engine would turn over but not start... No spark? It has been to various service mechanics as well as my attempt to figure out what is wrong with it. Many new parts have been used: icm, crank sensor, cam sensor, coil... No difference. This vehicle quitting on a very busy highway could have caused significant injury to myself and/or my passenger. When the truck was new it had an intermittent miss and while still under warranty I returned to the dealer. There they were unable to find anything that would cause the problem. This same miss was periodically present up until the time it quit running altogether.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 800 (na). The contact engaged the horn and it failed to function intermittently. The relay in the fuse box was replaced, which did not correct the failure. During an oil change, the dealer stated that the air bag contact coil, which was tied to the horn, needed to be replaced. The dealer stated they could not guarantee that the repair would correct the failure. The dealer requested a diagnostic test of $78 and advised the contact the estimate for the repair would range from $393.12 to $1,000. A complaint was filed with the manufacturer who stated that since the vehicle was ten years old, they would not offer any assistance. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 51,190.
Reduced engine power and engine light. Have had just about everything replaced I have my repair bills. Truck will run fine after being in shop then starts all over again. Throttle body has been replaced twice. It will drop me down to 20mph on the highway and I am afraid it is going to cause a bad wreck. It happened to me today and I am out of town I have drove 600 miles with a horse trailer to pick up a rescue horse and am afraid to start home with no clue what is wrong with this truck when I reset the battery it will work fine but I am telling you that it is going to cause a bad wreck. I don't mind paying for it just tell what the hell is wrong so I can get it fixed probably before someone gets hurt or killed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the heater blower relay switch was replaced however, the failure recurred. The contact stated while vehicle was in a stand still, and attempting to turn on the air conditioner, the air conditioner was inoperable. The contact stated that a dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the heater blower replay switch and harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000. The consumer stated in 2015 the switch was replaced, but in 2020 it was replaced again along with the melter wire harness.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the forty two volt charging warning indicator illuminated. Due to the warning, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The contact turned off the vehicle and it failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to john paul's Buick GMC (3615 s 108th st, greenfield, wi 53228, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the generator starter failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the part no longer being manufactured. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,350.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle decelerated to less than 10 MPH. The contact also stated that the air bag warning light continuously illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 150,000.
My truck exhibited the same issues as #10240: special coverage adjustment-heating, ventilation, and air conditioning blower not fully functional or inoperative - (May 9, 2011). However my auto climate fan was not covered. I believe this is a recall issue. My truck became smoky from the overheating wires and the HVAC system would run after cutting off the ignition.
Loss of fan - blower motor (HVAC) high speed operation failure. With loss of high speed fan, other fan speeds (lower) operation became intermittent, works after jiggling blower motor wire bundle at connection point on blower motor resistor. Visual inspection shows melted wire harness connector at blower motor resistor, unable to separate (remove) the connector. Searched NHTSA odi database and found three very related defect complaints - inop fan, smoke and melted wires, fan loss. Fan failure could lead to fire from melted electrical connections, loss of visibility due to windshield icing in winter, fogging over when driving in changing weather. Windshield defroster requires operative fan and defroster is a required safety item. Dealer replaced blower motor electrical connector, wire harness, and fuse, charging parts to warranty and me for the labor. …
Electrical complaints in other Sierra 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the electrical system of the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500, 14% of the model year's 145 complaints. The component named most often is horn (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500. 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 GMC Sierra 1500 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury 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.