CHEVROLET UPLANDER · model year

2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER

293 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005CHEVROLETUPLANDER carries 293 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 2 fires, 49 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 2005 UPLANDER is electrical system with 44 filings, followed by structure:body:door (28) and latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (27). 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 4 active recall campaigns, 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 2005 UPLANDER, 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.

293
Complaints
10
Crashes
2
Fires
49
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

293 filings

Crashes Reported

10 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM44
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR28
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH27
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES16
STRUCTURE:BODY11
STEERING8
SUSPENSION8
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE7
EXTERIOR LIGHTING7
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING5
SEAT BELTS5
ENGINE5
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY4

Recalls (4)

05V28700020/06/2005

PARKING BRAKE

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' TO MEET THE STANDARD, THE VEHICLE MUST NOT MOVE FOR FIVE MINUTES WHEN STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL

10V11000019/03/2010

SUSPENSION:REAR

THE BRAUN CORPORATION HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 GENERAL MOTORS MOBILITY CONVERSION, HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE LOW FLOOR MINIVANS. DURING CONVERSION, THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM MODIFICATION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY WELDED.

05V06100018/02/2005

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE OUTBOARD RELEASE HANDLE ON THE IMPACT-SIDE SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEAT MAY BE ACTUATED AND THE REAR LATCHES MAY UNLATCH EARLY IN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH. THIS WAS DISCOVERED IN A SIDE IMPACT TEST RUN BY GM, UNDER CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) SIDE

09E00500017/02/2009

STEERING

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN

Recent Complaints

20230210WHEELS:RIM

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Uplander. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle was drifting and would not drive in a straight line. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who performed a wheel alignment and changed the tires, but the failure persisted. The mechanic later diagnosed that the surface of all four alloy wheels had begun to deteriorate and was out of round. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle until the wheels were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

20191209ENGINE

MY VAN HESITATES BETWEEN 2 AND 3 RPM'S. ESPECIALLY GOING UP A HILL, THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL BLINK FOR A FEW SECONDS. THEN ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON..THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS MALFUNCTIONING.. WHEEL BEARING IN THE REAR NEED REPLACEMENT.. AND THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE.. RADIO SKIPS, INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK AT ALL.. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT DOESN'T HEAT. THERES BARELY ANY HEAT EVEN WHEN GAUGE READS THE ENGINE IS NORMALLY WARM..

Mileage: 136,000

20191209WHEELS

MY VAN HESITATES BETWEEN 2 AND 3 RPM'S. ESPECIALLY GOING UP A HILL, THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL BLINK FOR A FEW SECONDS. THEN ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON..THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS MALFUNCTIONING.. WHEEL BEARING IN THE REAR NEED REPLACEMENT.. AND THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE.. RADIO SKIPS, INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK AT ALL.. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT DOESN'T HEAT. THERES BARELY ANY HEAT EVEN WHEN GAUGE READS THE ENGINE IS NORMALLY WARM..

Mileage: 136,000

20191209EXTERIOR LIGHTING

MY VAN HESITATES BETWEEN 2 AND 3 RPM'S. ESPECIALLY GOING UP A HILL, THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL BLINK FOR A FEW SECONDS. THEN ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO STAY ON..THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS MALFUNCTIONING.. WHEEL BEARING IN THE REAR NEED REPLACEMENT.. AND THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE.. RADIO SKIPS, INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK AT ALL.. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT DOESN'T HEAT. THERES BARELY ANY HEAT EVEN WHEN GAUGE READS THE ENGINE IS NORMALLY WARM..

Mileage: 136,000

20190604SEAT BELTS

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT BUCKLE INTO THE LATCH. THERE'S A METAL PIECE INSIDE THE LATCH BLOCKING IT FROM SLIDING IN AND SNAPPING IN. THIS STARTED HAPPENING A FEW DAYS AGO, PREVENTING ME FROM DRIVING THE VAN SINCE I CAN'T USE MY SEAT BELT.

20190305STRUCTURE:BODY

WHILE DRIVING DOWN I-75 IN MICHIGAN DOING ~75MPH, I FEEL A SHARP TUG THEN A SWAY. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND INSPECTED IT. THE WELDS ON THE BODY TO THE ATTACHING POINT OF THE REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN AND THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WAS TRACKING SIDEWAYS. THANK GOD NOTHING BAD HAPPENED, WE HAD ALL SIX OF OUR KIDS WITH US WHEN IT WENT OUT AT 75MPH.

Mileage: 250,000

20190305SUSPENSION

WHILE DRIVING DOWN I-75 IN MICHIGAN DOING ~75MPH, I FEEL A SHARP TUG THEN A SWAY. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND INSPECTED IT. THE WELDS ON THE BODY TO THE ATTACHING POINT OF THE REAR AXLE HAD BROKEN AND THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WAS TRACKING SIDEWAYS. THANK GOD NOTHING BAD HAPPENED, WE HAD ALL SIX OF OUR KIDS WITH US WHEN IT WENT OUT AT 75MPH.

Mileage: 250,000

20181117ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DRIVING THE VEHICLE ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH AT NIGHT, THE IGNITION SWITCH RUN POSITION ROTATED TO OFF AND THE ENGINE AND ALL HEADLIGHTS, DASH, ETC, SHUTDOWN ALONG WITH THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. THE INCIDENT HAS JUST STARTED HAPPENING AND 340,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY WAY TO GET ROLLING IS TO PUT THE AUTO TRANS LEVER TO NEUTRAL AND TWIST THE IGNITION KEY TO CRANK POSITION AND LET KEY SETTLE TO RUN POSITION. THE IGNITION SWITCH ITSELF HAS A SPRING DETENT AND IT SETS IN A POCKET AT RUN. SO THIS SWITCH HAS A SPRING THAT OVER TIME WEAKENS AND ALLOWS THE WHOLE KEY CYLINDER ANS SWITCH TO DROP OUT OF RUN AND SHUT OFF THE ELECTRICAL. SOLUTION WAS TO PUT IN A NEW SWITCH OR JUST USE A SINGLE KEY INSTEAD OF A FULL SET OF KEYS HANGING FROM THE KEY SLOT.. THE FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE SWITCH RUNS 350$, PRTS AND LABOR.

Mileage: 341,000

20181107VISIBILITY/WIPER

I WAS HEARING ABOUT THE RECENT RECALL ACTIONS ABOUT CHEVY SUVS WITH WIPER BLADES. BUT, I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WHERE MY WIPER WOULD STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT IN THE RECALL, BUT, JUST MADE ME THINK, AND I WANTED TO SHARE. I PURCHASED A NEW ARM FROM GM AT MY LOCAL DEALER IN AUGUST OF 2018. SO, I THINK THAT I AM OK.

Mileage: 200,000

20180806STRUCTURE:BODY

THE BACK REAR HATCH WHEN I LIFTED DROPPED! I GOT MY HANDS UP FAST ENOUGH TO STOP IT AND WAS NOT INJURED THOUGH

Mileage: 175,000

20180511STRUCTURE:BODY

THE CHASSIS HAS A SERIOUS RUST ISSUE AS I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE RUST ISSUE IS ONE THAT YOU WOULD NOT EVEN SEE ON A 60 YEAR OLD CAR. IT CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL AND ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS TO BREAK FREE. I DO HAVE PICTURES (IT'S DARK OUT RIGHT AT THE MOMENT BUT I CAN BY MORNING) I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THIS FOR QUIET A WHILE NOW.

Mileage: 5

20180511ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE CHASSIS HAS A SERIOUS RUST ISSUE AS I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE RUST ISSUE IS ONE THAT YOU WOULD NOT EVEN SEE ON A 60 YEAR OLD CAR. IT CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL AND ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS TO BREAK FREE. I DO HAVE PICTURES (IT'S DARK OUT RIGHT AT THE MOMENT BUT I CAN BY MORNING) I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THIS FOR QUIET A WHILE NOW.

Mileage: 5

20180511WHEELS

THE CHASSIS HAS A SERIOUS RUST ISSUE AS I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE RUST ISSUE IS ONE THAT YOU WOULD NOT EVEN SEE ON A 60 YEAR OLD CAR. IT CAUSED THE REAR WHEEL AND ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS TO BREAK FREE. I DO HAVE PICTURES (IT'S DARK OUT RIGHT AT THE MOMENT BUT I CAN BY MORNING) I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THIS FOR QUIET A WHILE NOW.

Mileage: 5

20180320STRUCTURE:BODY

2005 CHEVY UPLANDER LT. UNDERCARRIAGE RUSTED ON BACK PASSENGER SIDE WITHIN 9 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, CAUSING SEPARATION OF THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL FROM THE BODY OF VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING, YOU CAN HEAR/FEEL CLUNKING/SQUEAKING NOISE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE THE TIRE IS GOING TO COME COMPLETELY OFF THE CAR. AREA AFFECTED CANNOT BE REPLACED NOR WELDED AS THIS CAN BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE IMAGES THAT CAN BE SENT VIA EMAIL.

Mileage: 198,000

20180320SUSPENSION

2005 CHEVY UPLANDER LT. UNDERCARRIAGE RUSTED ON BACK PASSENGER SIDE WITHIN 9 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, CAUSING SEPARATION OF THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL FROM THE BODY OF VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING, YOU CAN HEAR/FEEL CLUNKING/SQUEAKING NOISE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE THE TIRE IS GOING TO COME COMPLETELY OFF THE CAR. AREA AFFECTED CANNOT BE REPLACED NOR WELDED AS THIS CAN BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE IMAGES THAT CAN BE SENT VIA EMAIL.

Mileage: 198,000

20180103ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY ELECTRICAL WILL GO OUT AS I AM DRIVING. THE CAR HAS STOPPED COMPLETELY AND THE ELECTRICAL AS I WAS DRIVING. MY CAR WILL TURN ON AND THEN OFF, AND I HAVE TO DO IT ABOUT 5 TIMES BEFORE I CAN EVEN GET IT TO STAY ON AND DRIVE. SOMETIMES THE ELECTRICAL WILL STOP AFTER THAT BUT I CAN STILL DRIVE. THIS IS NOT SAFE. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME.

Mileage: 180,000

20170909ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE IGNITION SLIPS INTO THE OFF MODE WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING, THUS DISABLING EVERYTHING, INCLUDING POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN WHILE MOVING OUT OF PARKING SPOTS ON A PUBLIC STREET, AND MANY TIMES AFTER START UP WHEN I'M NOT MOVING. I HAVE QUIT DRIVING IT UNTIL I CAN GET IT REPAIRED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERN.

Mileage: 183,000

20170622SUSPENSION

TAMARA RECALL AS I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY IN OUR VAN, THE LEFT TRAILING ARE BROKE OFF. THEREFORE, MY AXLE STARTED TO FALL OFF. I COULD NOT STOP US. MY BREAKS DIDN'T WORK, SINCE IT SNAPPED MY BREAK LINE TOO. I WAS ONLY GOING 25MPH. ONCE WE CAME TO A STOP, WE GOT OUT, AND MY LEFT BACK TIRE WAS UNDER MY BUMPER.

Mileage: 113,000

20170423ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY CAR WITH THE HEATED SEATS ON. SHE FELT IT GET EXTREMELY HOT. SHE TURNED OFF SEAT WARMERS. WHEN SHE GOT OUT OF CAR, THE SEAT HAD MELT/BURN MARKS AND HER LEGGINGS AND SKIN HAD BURN/RED MARKS. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK INTO THIS AND HE SAID DO NOT USE SEAT WARMERS-IT WILL CAUSE A FIRE. NEW SEAT IS AT LEAST $500 WITHOUT LABOR. MAKES ME QUESTION ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, YOU HAVE CONNECTED SO MANY THINGS TOGETHER, THAT REPLACING ONE THING MEANS REPLACING A WHOLE CONSOLE. I AM A TRUE CHEVY PERSON- USED TO OWN? BE ASSOCIATED WITH A CHEVY BERETTA, 1964 CORVAIR, CITATION, MALIBU... LOOKING TO BUY AGAIN, BUT THIS BURNING WAS SCARY!

Mileage: 167,000

20170423SEATS

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY CAR WITH THE HEATED SEATS ON. SHE FELT IT GET EXTREMELY HOT. SHE TURNED OFF SEAT WARMERS. WHEN SHE GOT OUT OF CAR, THE SEAT HAD MELT/BURN MARKS AND HER LEGGINGS AND SKIN HAD BURN/RED MARKS. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK INTO THIS AND HE SAID DO NOT USE SEAT WARMERS-IT WILL CAUSE A FIRE. NEW SEAT IS AT LEAST $500 WITHOUT LABOR. MAKES ME QUESTION ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, YOU HAVE CONNECTED SO MANY THINGS TOGETHER, THAT REPLACING ONE THING MEANS REPLACING A WHOLE CONSOLE. I AM A TRUE CHEVY PERSON- USED TO OWN? BE ASSOCIATED WITH A CHEVY BERETTA, 1964 CORVAIR, CITATION, MALIBU... LOOKING TO BUY AGAIN, BUT THIS BURNING WAS SCARY!

Mileage: 167,000

Compare 2005CHEVROLETUPLANDER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER have?
The 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER has 293 NHTSA complaints, 10 crashes, 2 fires, 49 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER?
Yes, the 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is PARKING BRAKE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER?
The most-complained component for the 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 44 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH.
Is the 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER 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.