2006 GMC Sierra 2500: common problems

Owners of the 2006 GMC Sierra 2500 filed 66 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 66
involving a crash: 4

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 45% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
3 Steering 15% of all complaints
4 Tires 9% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
7 Air bags 5% of all complaints
8 Fuel system 3% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 30 complaints (45% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 12 complaints (18% of all).
Steering: 10 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Tires: 6 complaints (9% of all).
Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (8% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 66 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion15 · 23%
brake failure14 · 21%
smoke, burning smell, fire10 · 15%
steering or power steering problems8 · 12%
knocking, grinding or other noise4 · 6%
tires: bulges, blowouts3 · 5%
warning lights, check engine3 · 5%
oil leak or consumption2 · 3%
airbag warning light1 · 2%
airbags did not deploy1 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	30	1
Powertrain	12	0
Steering	10	1
Tires	6	0
Engine and cooling	5	0
Electrical system	4	0
Air bags	3	1
Fuel system	2	0
Suspension	2	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Structure	1	0
Visibility	1	0
Wheels	1	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the left knee, left ankle, left hip, and abdomen. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 103,000.
Air bags · crash · 2017-04-04 · NHTSA complaint #10970567
Dt*: the contact stated the rear passenger wheel valve system blistered causing an air leak. The contact changed the tire and the problem recurred. The vehicle lost control and was in a single car accident causing damage to the vehicle. No injuries were sustained.
Wheels · crash · 2006-10-17 · NHTSA complaint #10171139
Brakes failed "completely", with no warning. No "warning light" on the instrument panel while driving on a public road in the county. All of a sudden absolutely no brakes. Had recently hauled a car on a trailer from emporia, kansas. Was preparing to haul calves to the sale barn.
Service brakes · 2020-06-05 · NHTSA complaint #11327479
I was pulling a loaded trailer with no brakes. This is a very common issue with the 2005 and 2006 2500 trucks. I can name 6 vehicles I know of in the past 6 months that this has happened too. Mechanic says it's a very serious and common issue that gm should be recalling.
Service brakes · 2020-03-11 · NHTSA complaint #11317547
Not only does the flashing red lights make it hard to see anything in the mirror at night, it makes it almost impossible to use it in the rain at night, as it makes the water drops on the window flash red as well .
Visibility · 2018-09-24 · NHTSA complaint #11130935
In the city stopping for a stoplight the brakes failed. The vehicle luckily was able to turn into a parking lot. All fluid was lost because the brake lines failed due to rust. No brakes whatsoever except emergency brake. My state even requires a safety inspection yearly.
Service brakes · 2018-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #11122318
You can take the key out of the ignition with the motor running. To start engine you need to 'wiggle' the key or take it out and re-insert about 50% of the time. Please note; because of the past "we don't care" attitude of gm on other complaints- I personally don't want them to contact me- I'm just letting you know of…
Electrical system · 2014-09-13 · NHTSA complaint #10632958
The contact stated that the rear passenger side tire blew out and damaged the rear square panel and wheel well of the tire. The contact stated that they were able to prevent that the front driver side tire blew out. The tires had plenty of tread and the time of the blow out. The current mileage was 93,000.
Tires · 2012-11-20 · NHTSA complaint #10485248

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20068
20071
20087
20096
20107
20113
201210
20133
20148
20154
20161
20172
20182
20191
20203

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,568 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 2500 has 59 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 66, about average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2006 GMC Sierra 2500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, powertrain, steering. Total complaints: 66. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (23%), brake failure (21%), smoke, burning smell, fire (15%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 GMC Sierra 2500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2006 GMC Sierra 2500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2006 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.