There are 9 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2006 GMC Sierrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
DEFECTIVE CASTECH HEADS. LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO ENGINE. THINS OUT THE ENGINE OIL AND COULD ENGINE TO OVER HEAT OR SIEZE UP WHILE DRIVING. GM KNOWS OF THE DEFECTIVE HEADS BUT WILL NOT WARRENTY THEM. PLEASE CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US POOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOT STUCK WITH THIS BAD DEFECTIVE DESIGN.
I HAVE A 2006 GMC SIERRA WITH THE 5.3L VORTEC ENGINE AND I FOUND OUT THAT THE CASTECH HEADS ARE FAULTY AND LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE ALSO FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND GM KNOWS ABOUT IT ,TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IS 06-06-01-019B WHICH STATES GM IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT THIS TRUCK WAS BOUGHT BY MY BOSS BRAND NEW AND I PURCHASED IT FROM HIM I BELIEVE GM SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS FOR MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. JUST NOTICED THIS THIS MONTH AND THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND SMELLED BURNING COOLANT AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGAN TO RAPIDLY INCREASE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE ENGINE OVERHEATING WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF COOLANT. IMMEDIATELY, WATER WAS DISPENSED INTO THE RADIATOR RESERVOIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWO DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.
I HAVE A 2006 GMC SIERRA 2500 WITH THE LBZ DURAMAX AND ALLISON TRANSMISSION. TWO OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINES BEGAN LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AT THE CRIMP ENDS IN DEC OF 2010. THE TRUCK ONLY HAD 30,000 MILES, BUT WAS THE 36 MONTH WARRANTY PERIOD. SERVICE UNDER WARRANTY WAS DENIED. AN ON-LINE SEARCH REVEALS SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THAT THE DEALER INSTALLED OEM REPLACEMENT LINES ARE NO BETTER (DEVELOPING LEAKS SOON AFTER REPLACEMENT), YET NO TSB OR CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN ISSUED BY GM. LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID IS A FIRE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. THE LEAKS ARE GETTING WORSE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHICH WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE VEHICLE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ UPDATED 03/06/12
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE RESISTOR FOR THE FAN MOTOR OVERHEATED AND FUSED WITH THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,422 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
AT THE FIRST OIL CHANGE IN MY NEW 2006 GMC SIERRA, I FOUND PIECES OF METAL (ASSEMBLY FROM THE ENGINE) ATTACHED TO THE MAGNETIC DRAIN BOLT. SUCH IS USUALLY SYMPTOMATIC OF A DEFECTIVE BEARING OR SOMETHING. NO PROBLEM AS OF YET WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT REGISTERING THIS OBSERVATION. FOR RECORD PURPOSES. THE ATTENDANT AT THE PLACE WHERE I GOT THE OIL CHANGED SAID MY VEHICLE WAS THE FOURTH ONE HE'S OBSERVED WITH THE SAME KIND OF METAL PIECES. *TR
4.3 ENGINE STARTED SHAKING FOR NOT APPARENT REASON, MILEAGE AT INCIDENT 10,000 MILES. ENGINE RPM'S WOULD GO UP & DOWN AT IDLE & ROUGH IDLE IT DID THIS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. ENGINE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND JERKED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING WOULD NOT TURN ON. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE ECM (COMPUTER) & CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. VEHICLE AFTER TWO WEEKS IS NOW ROUGH IDLE AT TIMES AT START UP & RPM'S AT IDLE STILL VARY AT TIMES. VEHICLE TAKEN IN TO DEALER AND TECH STATED NO HIDDEN CODES VEHICLE CHECKED OUT OKAY ACCORDING TO DEALER??? *NM
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.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026