Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Jan 30, 2026
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
1
Reports on file since Feb 15, 2008
What this page shows
Our database holds 11 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 GMC Sierra 3500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–11 of 11
Airbags
Filed Jan 30, 2026
The front impact sensor, also known as a crash sensor (part # 10370150), is no longer functional. It detects rapid vehicle deceleration during a frontal collision and sends an immediate signal to the Airbag Control Unit (ACU) to deploy airbags. Located behind the front bumper or on the radiator support, these sensors measure impact severity to ensure airbags deploy only when necessary. This part is no longer available from GM or any other aftermarket distributor. It is a critical part for any occupants in a crash. I am just one of many people who cannot make safety corrections.
NHTSA ID
11714436
Incident
Jan 30, 2026
BrakesSteering
Filed May 11, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED INTO THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND CAUSED THE BRAKES TO SEIZE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND ALL OF THE HOSES AFFECTED BY THE BRAKE FLUID WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,108.
NHTSA ID
10984924
Incident
May 1, 2017
Mileage
161,108 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 7, 2015
Crash reported1 injury reported
INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE DRIVEN INTO REAR OF PICK-UP AND U-HAUL TRAILER ON HIGHWAY 50 CANYON CITY,CO ,LEFT FRONT SIDE OF GMC 3500 DESTROYED ALONG WITH HOOD AREA AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF GMC3500. GMC TOTALED DRIVER SUFFERED BROKEN NECK. PHOTOS OBTAINED BUT NOT ABLE TO UPLOAD.
NHTSA ID
10780533
Incident
Aug 20, 2015
Mileage
69,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 18, 2014
I WENT OUT TO MY TRUCK IN THE MORNING AND MY DASH BOARD INDICATOR TOLD ME TO GET MY BRAKES CHECKED; EVERYTHING WAS FINE THE NIGHT BEFORE. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO MYMECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THAT MY BRAKE LINE IS CORRODED AND BROKEN. ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THIS A RECURRING AND CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE GMC SIERRAS. I HAVE MY TRUCK SERVICED BY AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THIS HAS NEVER BEEN MENTIONED TO ME. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ITEM! SERIOUS SAFETY THREAT. CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS OCCURRED 2 DAYS LATER WHEN I WAS PULLING OUR 40 FOOT RV. SHOULDN'T GM BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? MY TRUCK IS NOW IN THE SHOP GETTING THE BRAKE LINE REPLACED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10637206
Incident
Sep 17, 2014
Mileage
79,000 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 26, 2012
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED INTO PLACE. I HAD TO JERK IT HARD IN ORDER TO GET IT TO RELEASED FROM THE LOCKED POSITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE ALREADY. CAN EASILY CAUSE A CRASH. NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY MANUFACTURER. *TR
NHTSA ID
10482385
Incident
Sep 4, 2012
Mileage
54,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 13, 2011
NO EVENT JUST EVERY DAY DRIVING AND A TIRE A YEAR LEAKS FROM INNER LINING TO FORM A BUBBLE ON OUTSIDE OF TIRE WHICH BLOWS OUT. A TIRE A YEAR FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10406148
Incident
Jun 9, 2011
Mileage
45,949 mi
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Aug 15, 2010
TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES LEAKING. *TR
NHTSA ID
10349466
Incident
Aug 15, 2010
Mileage
37,000 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 21, 2010
ON MARCH 8,2010 I TOOK MY CAR THAT I BOUGHT 2 YEARS AGO TO AN OFFICIAL EMISSIONS INSPECTION STATION; THE VEHICLE FAILED. AT THIS TIME I WAS GIVEN A SET OF RECALL PAPERS 09014 SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT ENGINE CONTROL MODULE- EMISSION RELATED REPROGRAMMING THAT EXPLAINED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. IN THE MEAN TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO GM . THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $125 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BY THE TIME THEY WERE DONE I HAD A BILL FOR $280 AND TOLD IT WOULD COST OVER $1000TO FIX THE CAR SO THAT COULD PASS (THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATION I SEE THERE IS A RECALL ON THAT) I WANT TO STATE THAT I SHOWED THE WORKERS AT GM THE PAPERS SHOWING WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BUT I WAS TOLD THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM AND THEY THEN TOLD ME IF I WANT IT FIXED I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.THIS OCCURRED AFTER I SIGNED A PAPER ALLOWING THEM TO "LOOK" AT THE CAR . I NEED SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY TO HELP ME FIND OUT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY GM AND WHETHER OR NOT THE ACTION OF GM WAS FRAUDULENT. THANK YOU TOOK THE VEHICLE INSPECTION TO THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT ON 3/19/2010 AND IT PASS INSPECTION. *TR
NHTSA ID
10321261
Incident
Mar 1, 2010
Mileage
86,578 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 22, 2009
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 44000.
NHTSA ID
10296732
Incident
Dec 10, 2009
Mileage
44,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 28, 2008
TRANSMISSION COOLING PIPES HAVE BEEN REPLACE TWO TIMES IN LAST THAN 20 MONTHS BECAUSE OF FLUID LEAKING. *TR
NHTSA ID
10219627
Incident
Dec 14, 2007
Mileage
25,210 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 15, 2008
Fire reported
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE DRIVING 10-75 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART BY ITSELF AFTER DRIFTING FOR 50 YARDS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THICK, BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE OCCASIONALLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE EXHAUST AND INSTALLED A NEW PROGRAMMER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,439.
NHTSA ID
10218161
Incident
Sep 15, 2006
Mileage
300 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.