Total Complaints
14 filings
CHEVROLET AVALANCHE · model year
2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE
14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2006CHEVROLETAVALANCHE carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 AVALANCHE is power train with 3 filings, followed by service brakes (2) and power train:automatic transmission (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2006 AVALANCHE, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recalls (1)
05V55200007/12/2005
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SHIPPED WITH TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABELS LISTING AN INACCCURATE VEHICLE CAPACITY WEIGHT.
Recent Complaints
20160104FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR AND THAT FUEL WAS NOTICED LEAKING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE HOSE WAS RUBBING IN THE FUEL TANK CAUSING A HOLE ON THE FUEL LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
Mileage: 165,000
20150721ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
DRIVING 35MPH ON DRY ROAD. 2WD JUMP OUT OF GEAR ACTED LIKE WENT INTO NEUTRAL I HAD NO DRIVE OR ANY OF MY GEARS CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH NO WARNING. WENT TO PUT IN PARK IT GRIND WITH LOUD NOISE. ONLY WAY TO GET TRUCK TO MOVE WAS TO PUT IN 4WD
20150721UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DRIVING 35MPH ON DRY ROAD. 2WD JUMP OUT OF GEAR ACTED LIKE WENT INTO NEUTRAL I HAD NO DRIVE OR ANY OF MY GEARS CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH NO WARNING. WENT TO PUT IN PARK IT GRIND WITH LOUD NOISE. ONLY WAY TO GET TRUCK TO MOVE WAS TO PUT IN 4WD
20150721VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DRIVING 35MPH ON DRY ROAD. 2WD JUMP OUT OF GEAR ACTED LIKE WENT INTO NEUTRAL I HAD NO DRIVE OR ANY OF MY GEARS CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH NO WARNING. WENT TO PUT IN PARK IT GRIND WITH LOUD NOISE. ONLY WAY TO GET TRUCK TO MOVE WAS TO PUT IN 4WD
20150705POWER TRAIN
I MADE A STOP, UP ON TAKING OFF MY TRUCK MADE IT TO SECOND GEAR AND I HEAR A LOUD BROKEN NOISE, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON SECOND GEAR.
Mileage: 105,538
20150512SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKE LINE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.
Mileage: 152,000
20141212CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY
I HIT SOMEONE IN THE BACK OF HIS CAR AND DID A LOT OF DAMAGE ON MY TRUCK AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT OPEN. THE REPAIR SHOP ALSO ? WHY. THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK WAS PUSHED BACK APPROX. 6 TO 10 INCHES. *TR
Mileage: 142,000
20131001EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE CONTACT PERSONALLY DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT CONTROL SWITCH HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,862. UPDATED 12/26/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHAT HE SAW INSIDE THE SWITCH, WAS OLD BURNT CLEAR PLASTIC MELTED DOWN, HALF OF THE SWITCH WAS WORKING AND THE OTHER HALF WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE DEFECTIVE SWITCH WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. UPDATED 12/31/13
Mileage: 24,862
20121212SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SHE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO AVOID CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. ..UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF UPDATED 2/5/2013 *JS
Mileage: 44,000
20120510POWER TRAIN
WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP IT FEELS LIKE I AM BEING BUMPED FROM BEHIND, OR LIKE THE ENGINE JUST DROPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. VERY HARD SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN ABOUT 50 MILES CONSECUTIVE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON BUT WILL GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *TR
Mileage: 75,200
20120510ENGINE
WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP IT FEELS LIKE I AM BEING BUMPED FROM BEHIND, OR LIKE THE ENGINE JUST DROPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. VERY HARD SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN ABOUT 50 MILES CONSECUTIVE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON BUT WILL GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *TR
Mileage: 75,200
20120101POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT 60 MPH AND LIGHTLY ACCELERATED AND HEARD A CLUNK. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE ALONG AND SLOWED DOWN TO EXIT OFF THE INTERSTATE. THEN WHEN GOT OFF THE INTERSTATE AND CAME UP TO A GREEN ARROW AND TURNED LEFT. THEN AS SOON AS I ACCELERATED AT 25 MPH, I FELT THE TRANSMISSION GO OUT AND HEARD A HIGH PITCH WHINE AND SOME GRINDING. THEN WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE ANYMORE. *TR
Mileage: 78,000
20111125AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, DASHBOARD SAYS SERVICE AIRBAG, AFTER VEHICLE SAT FOR AN HOUR AFTER HAVING BEEN DRIVEN FOR OVER 250 MILES THAT DAY. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED THE LIGHT BLINKS AS IT'S SUPPOSED TO AND GOES OUT, THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS COMES BACK ON AND STAYS ON. *TR
Mileage: 51,778
20101028POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. HE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ALTHOUGH THE RPMS INCREASED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION CENTER WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 90,000.
Mileage: 90,000
Compare 2006CHEVROLETAVALANCHE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE have?▼
The 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE?▼
Yes, the 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE?▼
The most-complained component for the 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE is POWER TRAIN with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.