2006 Chevrolet Express 2500 problems

General information about Chevrolet-Express 2500
Overview of popular issues
Analysis of common problems
Сomplaints list

The Chevrolet Express (also known as the GMC Savana) is a series of full-size vans produced by General Motors since 1996. The successor to the Chevrolet G-series van, the Express is produced in passenger and cargo variants. Alongside the standard van body, the line is offered as a cutaway van chassis; the latter vehicle is a chassis cab variant developed for commercial-grade applications, including ambulances, buses, motorhomes, and small trucks.

In production for a single generation since 1995, over 2.5 million examples of the Express and the Savana have been produced. One of the longest-produced designs in American automotive history, the Express/Savana are rivaled only by the Jeep Wagoneer and Dodge Ram Van for longevity.

Since 1995, General Motors has assembled the Express and Savana at its Wentzville Assembly facility (Wentzville, Missouri). Also, since 2017, GM has sourced commercial cutaway-chassis production from Navistar through its Springfield Assembly Plant (Springfield, Ohio).

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Common 2006 Chevrolet Express 2500 problems

Based on the complaints from owners of the 2006 Chevrolet Express 2500, several common problems have been identified:

Temperature Gauge Fluctuations: Another common issue is the temperature gauge dropping to cool while driving, causing jerky and unsmooth rides. Sometimes the gauge returns to normal on its own, but other times, it requires revving the engine or shifting to neutral to correct the temperature.

Electrical Problems: Complaints include electrical issues preventing the van from cranking over and starting, potentially indicating an electrical problem despite a good battery.

Fuel Pump Failure: The 1999 Express model has been reported to experience fuel pump failures, which can lead to starting issues and poor engine performance.

Paint Flaking Off: In the 2006 Express, there have been complaints about paint flaking off, affecting the vehicle's appearance and potentially leading to rust issues.

Torque Converter Failure: Owners of the 2009 Express have reported torque converter failures, which can impact the vehicle's transmission and drivability.

Oil Consumption: GM's Vortec 5300 engine used in the 2010-2014 models has been known to have design flaws leading to excessive oil consumption, causing various engine-related problems like soiled spark plugs, bent pushrods, and timing chain wear.

Power Window Switch Issues: More than 200,000 Express and GMC Savana vans have experienced problems with the power window switches, where liquid entry can cause corrosion, leading to electrical resistance, overheating, smoke, melting, and potentially fires.

These issues highlight a range of mechanical, electrical, and performance-related problems that owners of the 2006 Chevrolet Express 2500 may encounter. Addressing these concerns promptly and through professional automotive service can help maintain the safety and reliability of the vehicle.

Are Chevy Express 2500 vans reliable?

Chevrolet Express 2500 Reliability Rating Breakdown. The Chevrolet Express 2500 Reliability Rating is 3.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 7th out of 21 for commercial vans. The average annual repair cost is $877 which means it has higher than average ownership costs.

How long do Chevy Express engines last?

If you have a 4.3 V6 250,000 miles would be good. If you have a 4.8L, 5.3L or 6.0L V8 all are LS based engines. Those engines if cared for properly 300,000 is not uncommon. If you drive it like you stole it all the time you will be lucky to make 150,000 miles.

How many miles per gallon does a Chevy Express 2500 get?

14.90

Based on data from 8 vehicles, 273 fuel-ups and 91,838 miles of driving, the 2021 Chevrolet Express 2500 gets a combined Avg MPG of 14.90 with a 0.21 MPG margin of error. Below you can see a distribution of the fuel-ups with 60 outliers (18.02%) removed.

What is the difference between the 6.0 and 6.6 Chevy Express?

The old 6.0-liter V8 made 341 horsepower and 373 lbs-feet of torque. The new 6.6-liter will make 401 hp and 464 lb-feet of torque. That a 17-percent bump in horsepower and 24-percent more peak torque than old the 6.0-liter V8.

Are Chevy Express 2500 vans reliable?

How long do Chevy Express engines last?

How many miles per gallon does a Chevy Express 2500 get?

14.90

What is the difference between a Chevy Express 1500 and 2500?

As trucks have grown larger and heavier over the years, it's now more common for the 1500 to be sold as a “light-duty truck.” The key difference between 1500 and 2500 models is towing power — but the latter is also equipped with specialized towing features that give it more flexibility when dealing with heavier loads.

2006 Chevrolet Express 2500 car problems categorized by type of issue

After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Chevrolet Express 2500 problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:

Tires problems
Steering problems
Electrical system problems
Exterior lighting problems
Wheels problems

The graph below shows statistics for all 2006 Chevrolet Express 2500 vehicle components and the number of complaints received.

2006 Chevrolet Express 2500 complaints

The NHTSA has received 13 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2006 Chevrolet Express 2500.

2017-08-18

ENGINE PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2017-08-18
VIN: 1GCGG25V861
Components: ENGINE
Summary: BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS 4.8 V8 IN MOTION ON CITY STREET

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2016-04-18

SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2016-04-16
VIN: 1GBGG29U661
Components: SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Summary: MAKE: CHEVROLET MODEL YEAR: 2006 MANUFACTURER: GENERAL MOTORS LLC REPORT RECEIPT DATE: MAY 14, 2014 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V251000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA13007 COMPONENT: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS TTHE UNDERHOOD BUSSED ELECTRICAL CENTER (UBEC) HOUSING CAN EXPAND AND CAUSE THE HEADLAMP LOW BEAM RELAY CONTROL CIRCUIT WIRE TO BEND. IF THE WIRE IS REPEATEDLY BENT, IT MAY FRACTURE CAUSING A LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLAMP ILLUMINATION. THE LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLAMP ILLUMINATION WILL DECREASE THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE'S CONSPICUITY TO OTHER MOTORISTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: SINCE THIS ENGINE V8 6.0 IS THE SAME ENGINE AND SAME PROBLEM IN ALL OTHER VEHICLES THE ENGINE IN USE SHOULD BE RECALLED NOT JUST THE VEHICLE PLATFORM. IT IS LUDICROUS TO ONLY RECALL VEHICLE MODELS SINCE ALL OF THE V8 6.0 ARE EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THIS HEADLIGHT LOSS IS EXTENDED THROUGH 2013 FROM 2005. REMEDY: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSTALL A JUMPER WIRE TO CORRECT. GM'S NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS 13146. NOTE: MODEL YEAR 2008-2013 CHEVROLET CORVETTES WILL BE COVERED UNDER CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM NUMBER 14203 FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THIS RECALL SHOULD EXTEND TO ALL USERS OF THE V8 6.0 ENGINE SINCE THERE ARE MANY MODELS WITH A LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FATAL CRASH. THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION TRAVELING OVER 70 MPH. GENERAL MOTORS LLC (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2013 CHEVROLET VEHICLES MANUFACTURED MARCH 29, 2004, THROUGH JUNE 22, 2013. IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, THE UNDERHOOD BUSSED ELECTRICAL CENTER (UBEC) HOUSING CAN EXPAND AND CAUSE THE HEADLAMP LOW BEAM RELAY CONTROL CIRCUIT WIRE TO BEND. IF THE WIRE IS REPEATEDLY BENT, IT MAY FRACTURE CAUSING A LOSS OF LOW BEAM HEADLAMP ILLUMINATION. A HIGH RISK DILEMMA. THIS OCCURS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN.

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2016-04-13

EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2016-04-02
VIN: 1GBGG29U661
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Summary: I BOUGHT A 06 CHEVY (GM) EXPRESS VAN FROM FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND LEAVE THE FAMILY OF 9 IN THE DARK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE SINCE GM KNOWS THE SITUATION FOR ALL VEHICLES IN 10 THOUSAND+ OCCURRING BETWEEN 2003-2009 AND I HAVE MET HUNDREDS WHO EXPERIENCE THIS FRIGHTENING DILEMMA. THE HEADLIGHT LOSS IS SERIOUS OCCURRING UNEXPECTEDLY IN NIGHT TIME DRIVING. THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY LIGHTS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO A NUMBER OF DEALERS WHO SHOULD KNOW HOW TO FIX BUT DO NOT. ALSO BROUGHT TO A NUMBER OF INDEPENDENTS IN SEARCH OF FIXING THE FAILING HEADLIGHTS TO NO AVAIL(INCLUDE THE FACT THAT I CONTINUE TO SEARCH AND PAY FOR NO SOLUTIONS ON A VEHICLE SYSTEM GM KNOWS IS BROKEN ACROSS ALL THEIR MODELS). THIS OCCURS WEEKLY AND REPEATEDLY. MY VAN IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS FAILING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT HIGH SPEED OF 70 MILES AN HOUR FAR FROM A SAFE TRAVEL DISTANCE. WHO CAN DRIVE IN THE DARK WHEN LIGHTS GO OUT UNEXPECTEDLY? HAVEN'T CARS BEEN MADE FOR OVER 100 YEARS? CAN WE LEARN FROM THE JAPANESE HOW TO WORK THIS SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY WITHOUT FAULTY LIGHTING SYSTEMS. THERE IS NO REASON TO BE SITTING AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP GETTING NOT REPAIRED. EVERY MECHANIC WHO CHECKED IT INTO THE SERVICE CENTERS TOLD ME. THIS VAN IS UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING!!!

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2014-06-25

SEAT BELTS PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2014-06-02
VIN: 1GCGG25UX61
Components: SEAT BELTS
Summary: SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLATCH AND WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT APART IT WILL NOT RELATCH NOW. *TR

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2013-03-19

TIRES,WHEELS PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2013-03-18
VIN: 1GCGG25V161
Components: TIRES,WHEELS
Summary: WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TIRE SIDEWALL FAILED AND CAUSED BLOW-OUT OF TIRE. NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON 6/12/2012. NEXEN TIRES 2457516A. THIS IS 2ND TIRE FAILURE FOR OUR VEHICLES. TIRE FAILED AT @ 17,000 MILES. WE HAVE PHOTO'S OF THIS TIRE. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED OVER THIS. 2 TIRES TOTAL FAILED WITHIN MONTHS OF PURCHASE. *TR

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2013-02-11

SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2013-01-30
Crash: 1
VIN: 1GCGG25VX61
Components: SERVICE BRAKES
Summary: THE PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THE INCIDENT. THE ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENT. AFTER A WEEK IT STAYED ON. WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ON THE BRAKES ACTED NORMAL EXCEPT NO ABS FUNCTION. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK (ABOUT 30 MPH) AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW FOR A CURVE. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE THIS TIME, I NOTICED THE ABS LIGHT WENT OUT AND THE VAN JERKED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. ON TO THE MUDDY SHOULDER AND INTO THE GUARD RAIL. *TR

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2012-10-09

WHEELS PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2012-10-08
Components: WHEELS
Summary: WE HAVE A FLEET OF CHEVY G2500 EXPRESS VANS IN THE PAST 3 MONTH WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO LEFT FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY UNITS ON TWO DIFFERENT VANS IS THIS A USUAL PROBLEM? *TR

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2011-01-28

STEERING PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2010-12-01
VIN: 1GCGG25VX61
Components: STEERING
Summary: POWER STEERING LEAKAGE CAUSE MAY PREVENT ABS LOW SPEED BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

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2009-11-10

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2009-08-15
VIN: 1GCGG25V461
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS G2500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND THE THROTTLE BODY POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLES ROAD PERFORMANCE WAS POOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, AND THE IAC VALVE CONNECTOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 12/08/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE HIGH IDLE PROBLEM WAS HARD TO DIAGNOSE. TE DEALER DISCOVERED A BURNT WIRE. UPDATED 12/10/09

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2009-03-09

TIRES PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2009-02-27
Components: TIRES
Summary: COMPLAINTS WORKS FOR A DELIVERY SERVICES. REPLACED 12 KONA CLT LT215/85R16 TIRES WITHIN THE PAST 5 MONTHS DUE TO BULGES IN THE SIDEWALL. TIRES HAVE BEEN IN ALL POSITIONS ON VEHICLES AND HAVE DEVELOPED BULGES. SIZE OF BULGES RANGES FROM GOLF BALL SIZE TO SOFTBALL.

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2009-01-24

STEERING PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2008-09-25
Crash: 1
Components: STEERING
Summary: DRAG LINK SNAPPED LEFT ME WITHOUT STEERING LEFT RD. SLAMMED INTO PHONE BOX. *TR

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2006-05-12

TIRES PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2006-05-12
VIN: 1GBGG29U361
Components: TIRES
Summary: DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT TIRES RUBBED AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE FENDER WELLS. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS, WHILE MAKING TURNS, AND ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE VEHICLE NEEDED SMALLER TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

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2006-03-13

STEERING PROBLEM

Date Of Incident: 2006-03-07
VIN: 1GCGG252061
Components: STEERING
Summary: DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. THE FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED FROM FLUID LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS.

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Additional sources

More sources of information about 2006 Chevrolet Express 2500 problems:

Chevrolet Express 2500 Problems and Complaints - 21 Issues

https://repairpal.com/problems/chevrolet/express-2500

Top Chevrolet Express 2500 Problems · Fuel Level Sensor Failure · Tail Light Wiring in Cargo Area May be Damaged · Electrical components under front carpet may be ...

Q&A: Common Problems with 2003 Chevy Express 3500 Van

https://www.justanswer.com/chevy/1ifq6-2003-chevy-express-3500-van-i-m-having-problems.html

Oct 21, 2008 ... 2003 Chevy Express 3500 has problems starting it and keeping running - Answered by a verified Chevy Mechanic.

2006 Chevy Express 2500 Extended. Been living in it for 5 months ...

https://www.reddit.com/r/VanLife/comments/slg85v/2006_chevy_express_2500_extended_been_living_in/

Feb 5, 2022 ... Have you had any mechanical issues with it yet? Been looking at vans and was told to stay away from chevy but there are so many of them out ...

Q&A: Common Problems with 2004 Chevy Express 2500 Van

https://www.justanswer.com/chevy/6msnn-chevrolet-chevy-express-van-2500-2004-chevy-2500-express.html

May 6, 2012 ... My 2004 chevy 2500 express van has a ground problem. When I turn the key nothing happens. Sometimes if I hold the key in - Answered by a ...