YearToAvoid

2006 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

5/100

#20 most-complained of 21 Sierra 1500 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 has 203 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 5 out of 100 — #20 highest of 21 Sierra 1500 model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is brakes (97 complaints, 48% of the total). Complaints report 12 crashes, 8 fires, 4 injuries, and 1 death.

Complaints
203
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
12 / 8
Injuries / deaths
4 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
14 city / 18 hwy

Top 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes97 (48%)
  2. Electrical System32 (16%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires32 (16%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain16 (8%)
  5. Structure & Body13 (6%)
  6. Airbags12 (6%)
  7. Fuel System11 (5%)
  8. Steering11 (5%)
  9. Engine10 (5%)
  10. Other7 (3%)
2006 GMC Sierra 1500 complaints: complaints filed per quarter152005 Q42008 Q12009 Q42011 Q32013 Q42015 Q32017 Q32020 Q2
247 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q4 (15).

2006 GMC Sierra 1500 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 06V307000Aug 11, 2006Suspension, Wheels & Tires3,227 vehicles

    Wheels:rim

    Certain sport utility vehicles and trucks fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles have an incomplete tire rim designation on the certification/tire label located on the driver's door edge. In addition, the label may also be missing the tire load rating on the label. Although this information is not required by the standard, if a tire of a lesser load rating is installed, the tire may not be able to sustain the loads encountered during use.

    Risk: If a customer replaces a wheel and only relies on the rim size designation that is indicated on the label, a wheel that is of a different rim contour designation may be installed. It may be difficult or impossible to mount the tire on a wheel with the wrong contour. If the tire is mounted on the wheel with the wrong contour, the wheel and tire may not perform as intended, which could increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: A label that will correct the label originally installed will be mailed to consumers along with installation instructions. The customer will have the option for dealers to install the label. The recall begaon on november 7, 2006. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2239, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and gmc trucks at 1-866-996-9463.

  2. NHTSA 06V289000Aug 3, 2006Engine38,439 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling

    On certain trucks equipped with an 8.1l v8 (rpo l8-VIN g) engine have a condition in which the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip may fracture resulting in inadequate retention of the damper.

    Risk: If the damper comes loose, a fuel leak may result. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine fuel rail pulse damper retainer clip free of charge. The recall began on august 31, 2006. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and gmc trucks at 1-866-996-9463.

  3. NHTSA 05V552000Dec 7, 2005Other32,068 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on march 31, 2006. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463, hummer at 1-800-732-5493, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or isuzu at 1-800-255-6727.

See all 4 recalls for the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 →

2006 GMC Sierra 1500 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
15 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,300
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Sierra 1500 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Caution152981015.5
2006Good5203415
2007Good253224—
2008Caution504674—

All GMC Sierra 1500 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 ranks #20 of 21 among Sierra 1500 model years (Complaint Index 5/100, verdict: Good). It has 203 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (97 complaints), electrical system (32 complaints), and suspension, wheels & tires (32 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 51,190 miles.
Does the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500, most recently reported 2006, covering suspension, wheels & tires, engine, other, and steering.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500?
EPA rates the 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 at 15 MPG combined (14 city / 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,300. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.