CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 · model year

2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500

17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006CHEVROLETEXPRESS 3500 carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 EXPRESS 3500 is seat belts:rear/other with 2 filings, followed by steering (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (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 EXPRESS 3500, 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.

17
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

17 filings

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

ComponentCount
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER2
STEERING2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
WHEELS1
ENGINE1
POWER TRAIN1
TIRES:VALVE1
SEATS1

Recalls (1)

14V70600005/11/2014

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Cummings Mobility Conversion & Supply (Cummings) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, E-350, Chevrolet Express, 2006-2008 Dodge Sprinter, and 2009-2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2013 Ford Transit Connect vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to October 8, 2014, equipped wi

Recent Complaints

20170403SEATS

DRIVERS SEAT WAS LOOSE AND ON INSPECTION DEALER FOUND THAT THE RAIL WAS BROKEN, THE VAN ONLY HAS 72785 MILES. IF THE SEAT HAD COME LOSE WHILE VAN WAS IN MOTION, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED AND ACCIDENT. I NOTICED IT WHEN I TOOK THE VAN FOR INSPECTION.

20150212TIRES:VALVE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VALVE STEMS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TIRE SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE STEMS WERE ROTTED. THE VALVE STEMS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 30,000

20140306ENGINE

WE PURCHASED AN EXPRESS VAN IN THE SPRING OF 2006. TRUCK ENGINE BLEW UP AT 6000 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. IN JANUARY 2014, WE TOOK THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT STALLED 3 TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS LATER, ON FRIDAY THE 24TH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WE THEN TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AT THIS POINT THEY TOLD US THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAD JUST OVER 32,000 MILES WHEN TRANSMISSION BLEW UP IN JANUARY OF 2014. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL AND WAS TAKEN BACK INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT HAD A BUSHING BROKEN IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THIS VAN CONTINUES TO STALL AND AT TIMES FAILS TO START. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE STALLING PROBLEM THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS THE SAME AS THE CARS THAT ARE PART OF THE RECALL AND EXPRESS VANS SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF RECALLED VEHICLES. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 33,00

Mileage: 6,000

20140306POWER TRAIN

WE PURCHASED AN EXPRESS VAN IN THE SPRING OF 2006. TRUCK ENGINE BLEW UP AT 6000 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. IN JANUARY 2014, WE TOOK THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT STALLED 3 TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS LATER, ON FRIDAY THE 24TH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WE THEN TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AT THIS POINT THEY TOLD US THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAD JUST OVER 32,000 MILES WHEN TRANSMISSION BLEW UP IN JANUARY OF 2014. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL AND WAS TAKEN BACK INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT HAD A BUSHING BROKEN IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THIS VAN CONTINUES TO STALL AND AT TIMES FAILS TO START. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE STALLING PROBLEM THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS THE SAME AS THE CARS THAT ARE PART OF THE RECALL AND EXPRESS VANS SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF RECALLED VEHICLES. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 33,00

Mileage: 6,000

20130710STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS PREMATURE WEAR OF THE STEERING DUE TO THE PITMAN ARM ROLLING AGAINST THE OUTER AND INNER TIE ROD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. *TR

Mileage: 82,000

20130325STRUCTURE:BODY

PAINT (WHITE) IS FALLING OFF VAN AT HOOD, SIDES AND MOSTLY ON AREAS WHERE THESES WELDED AREAS...DEALER SAID THEY NEVER SEEN THIS ISSUE?? I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF THE SAME ISSUE ON OTHER VANS. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

20130325WHEELS

PAINT (WHITE) IS FALLING OFF VAN AT HOOD, SIDES AND MOSTLY ON AREAS WHERE THESES WELDED AREAS...DEALER SAID THEY NEVER SEEN THIS ISSUE?? I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF THE SAME ISSUE ON OTHER VANS. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

20110426SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS CUTAWAY G3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 6 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY. HE QUICKLY APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, WHICH WAS ABLE TO IDLE THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE FLUID LEAK. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE WARRANTY COMPANY. THE WARRANTY COMPANY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THIS ISSUE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

Mileage: 12,000

20100525CrashFUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

PERSON WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE 2006 GM CHEVROLET TRUCK EXPRESS SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT A TREE. THE CAR HAD BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOTHING WAS DONE AT THE DEALER. *TR

Mileage: 36,000

20080508STEERING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING CENTER LINK UNDERNEATH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CONNECTS THE TIE RODS TO THE WHEEL, MOVES ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE TIRE TREAD TO WEAR EXCESSIVELY. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED IN SLIPPERY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

20080409POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 CHEVY EXPRESS 3500 CARGO VAN WITH DURAMAX ENGINE AND 4L80 TRANSMISSION MADE A 'WHINING' NOISE AT SLOW SPEEDS SINCE IT WAS BRAND NEW. AT ABOUT 31,000 MILES I FINALLY CONVINCED THE DEALERSHIP SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. IT HAD SOME KIND OF BAD BEARING AT THE REAR OF TRANSMISSION. THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. 7,000 MILES LATER THE VAN SUDDENLY LOST REVERSE GEAR AND I HAD TO GET IT PUSHED IN ORDER TO BACK UP. GM IS REPLACING SOME PARTS, BUT NOT THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. FROM OTHER POSTS ON YOUR WEBSITE THIS TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE AN UNSAFE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 100

20080212FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 45-60 MINUTES, IT WAS FOUND SMOKING AND ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THERE IS CURRENTLY AN OPEN INVESTIGATION (NUMBER PE08010) FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 10,000. UPDATED 3/19/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED INSURANCE ADJUSTER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS EXTENSIVE ENOUGH DAMAGE TO BE DEEMED AS TOTALED. UPDATED 03/19/08 *TR

Mileage: 10,000

20070911LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

WE PURCHASED A CHEVY EXPRESS 15-PASSENGER VAN IN APRIL 2006. SINCE THAT TIME, THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT THREE FAILURES OF THE FRONT, SIDE "BARN DOOR." A MODERATE AMOUNT OF WIND CAN CATCH THE DOOR AND STRETCH IT TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHERE IT CAN AND HAS COLLIDED WITH THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR EDGE CAUSING A DENT IN THE BARN DOOR. IT APPEARS THAT A STRAP OR ANCHOR WITHIN THE BARN DOOR IS STRETCHED OUT OF SHAPE. A SAFETY HAZARD OCCURS WHEN A PERSON WALKS BETWEEN THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR AND THE FRONT BARN DOOR. THIS IS THE POINT OF IMPACT. THIS BEGAN SOON AFTER THE PURCHASE OF OUR VAN AND HAS RECURRED AT LEAST TWICE. OUR CHEVY DEALERSHIP REPAIRED IT ONCE BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR IT AGAIN IN JULY 2007. IT REMAINS UN-REPAIRED. *JB UPDATED 10/11/07. *JB

Mileage: 500

20070629STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT

2006 EXPRESS 3500 CHEVY VAN WITH SLIGHT KNOCK IN THE FRONT END WHEN MAKING TURNS CUSTOMER WANTS THE MATTER LOOKED INTO**CC THE CONSUMER WANTS THE REPAIR TO THE IDLER ARM REPAIRED, HOWEVER HE WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND NO REPAIRS WOULD BE AUTHORIZED. *JB

20060804SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT APPROACHING A RED LIGHT A, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH TO INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. AFTER KICKING THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE PEDAL RELEASED ENOUGH TO SLOWLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT DETERMINED THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 100

20051215SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT A SEAT BELT FAILURE. THE REAR PASSENGER MIDDLE SEAT BELT WAS INSERTED BACKWARDS INTO THE BUCKLE. THE SEAT BELT LOCKED IN THE BUCKLE AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT WAS CUT TO RELEASE THE PASSENGER. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY THE DEALER, WHO ORDERED THE APPROPRIATE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR. THE PARTS HAVE NOT ARRIVED. THEREFORE, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

Mileage: 2,013

20051215SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED THAT SEAT BELTS FAILED. THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW MIDDLE SEAT BELTS WERE INSERTED BACKWARDS INTO THE BUCKLE. THE SEAT BELT LOCKED IN THE BUCKLE AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE SEAT BELT WAS CUT TO RELEASE THE PASSENGER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SEEN BY THE DEALER, WHO ORDERED THE APPROPRIATE PARTS FOR REPAIRS. THE PARTS HAVE NOT ARRIVED. THEREFORE, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK UPDATED 03/09/06. *JB

Mileage: 2,013

Compare 2006CHEVROLETEXPRESS 3500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 have?
The 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 has 17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500?
Yes, the 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500?
The most-complained component for the 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 is SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 2006 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 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.