2005 Chevrolet Uplander Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the power sliding doors, which can fail to latch, reopen on their own, or open while the vehicle is moving, and about electrical symptoms such as flickering or dimming lights and a chime that keeps sounding after the doors are shut. Many of these complaints were filed at relatively low mileage, often within the first few years, and several owners describe repeated dealer visits without a lasting fix.

1. 1
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Power sliding doors reopen or fail to latch

   • 79 complaints (40%)
   • median 27,776 mi at 2.9 yrs old (67 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2015

   Owners describe the automatic sliding doors closing and then popping back open just before latching, sometimes taking repeated attempts to stay shut. In some accounts a door opens by itself while the vehicle is moving, and the door-ajar chime sounds even when the doors are closed. Complaints mention dealers replacing latches, the door motor, and wiring, realigning the door, or reprogramming the door module, with several owners reporting the problem returned afterward. Mostly reported between roughly 1,000 and 60,000 miles, often within the first couple of years of ownership.

   Recall 05V061000

   What to check: Test each power door through several open and close cycles, and try closing them while parked on a slope or over a bump. Ask whether the door module was reprogrammed or the latch and motor were replaced, and keep records of any repeat repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Rear electronic sliding door, primarily the left side, occasionally goes almost closed then just before it latches it goes back open. Usually happens once or twice per week. I cannot depend on it going shut so I have to stand there and watch it until it shuts completely and latches. Before I realized the extent of the problem I came back to the vehicle twice to find the door wide open with several hundred dollars worth of photo equipment on the seat and floorboard. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10226036, filed 2008-04, 1,000 miles

   “The right rear power sliding door on my 2006 Chevrolet Uplander will not shut properly. It will start to latch, then pop back open. It has also popped open while driving, causing me to have to pull over and attempt to close it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10203632, filed 2007-09, 24,231 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Flickering or dimming lights and blower changes

   • 44 complaints (22%)
   • median 28,728 mi at 3.3 yrs old (37 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2018

   Owners report headlights and dash lights flickering or dimming, with the heater blower slowing at the same time, typically when the accelerator is released and returning to normal when it is pressed. Some complaints describe the gauges stopping altogether, or the electrical system cutting out while driving. According to the complaints, dealers replaced the alternator, sometimes more than once, and in one case the computer, without a lasting cure. Reported from very low mileage (under 3,000 miles) up to around 40,000 miles, at various speeds.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: At idle with the lights on and the blower on high, watch for dimming or flicker and listen for blower speed changes; have the charging system and grounds checked. Ask whether the alternator or battery has been replaced and whether any software updates were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #11058184, filed 2018-01, 180,000 miles

   “This complaint covers many components of the chevy Uplander that has spanned over the three years that we have owned the van. All problems are unable to be diagnosed by dealerships and chevy refuses to help us. I have been in contact with chevy from about the second time that the van went to the shop for electrical problems. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10234001, filed 2008-07, 3,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Sudden stalling or loss of power while driving

   • 24 complaints (12%)
   • median 87,613 mi at 6.4 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2018

   Complaints describe the engine stalling without warning at speed and restarting afterward, or the vehicle refusing to start intermittently. A few owners link the stall to the ignition key or to a brake and traction-control event that cut engine power. According to the complaints, some vehicles were seen by mechanics without a fault being found, and others were repaired repeatedly without the stall being eliminated. Spread from about 11,000 to 125,000 miles, often during normal driving at road speeds.

   What to check: Ask whether the vehicle has ever stalled or failed to start, and whether the ignition switch, key, or brake and traction-control systems have been checked. A test drive should include steady-speed driving and a few restarts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The car intermittently tries to start the crank keeps turning but does not start. As well as I was traveling on freeway with a big rig on the side of me and the car stalled and steering locked. Thank god I managed to glide over to the exit lane. I was terrified as was my passenger. When I looked at the gauges I noticed I was out of gas, but I had just put in $20 . Chevy sent out tow truck to give me gas, but car still would not start. Finally hours later car was taken to chevy. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10200759, filed 2007-08, 11,000 miles

   “It is difficult to pinpoint the first occurrence. Approximately 1 year ago, my wife mentioned that her 2005 Uplander would stall at random times while she was driving. She said there seemed to be no pattern to when it would happen except she was always moving and after stopping it would always restart. We took it to a mechanic who found now issues with the car. I started driving it and never had a problem, until the day I realized that all you had to do was tap the key and it would turn off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10644275, filed 2014-10, 125,000 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Warped brake rotors and vibration

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report steering wheel vibration and shudder under braking, with rotors resurfaced repeatedly or replaced. Some complaints describe the vibration spreading to the steering column, and others report the brakes or traction control engaging on their own and slowing the vehicle. According to the complaints, dealers resurfaced the rotors without resolving the underlying vibration. Mostly reported between about 7,000 and 30,000 miles.

   Recall 05V287000

   What to check: Brake firmly from highway speed during a test drive and feel for pulsation through the pedal and steering wheel. Ask how recently the rotors and pads were replaced, and confirm any open parking-brake recall work was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “May 1, service stabilitrak system message came on, traction control light came on, vehicle stopped on own. Able to drive about 20 feet before it stopped again. This repeated about 20 times. The brakes engaged all 4 wheels without pressing the pedal each time. After restarting vehicle it works fine. May 2 going 65 MPH on I-275, the lights came back on and the brakes engaged without notice. My wife was able to get off the road (lucky). It was like she slammed on the brakes on a slick road (without using the pedal). …”

   NHTSA complaint #10126663, filed 2005-06, 6,926 miles

   “Brake rotors have been turned 5 times on a 2005 chevy Uplander and need to be turned again. Steering column needs to be rebuilt from the constant vibration caused by the warped brake rotors. Have talked to several people who own uplanders, who have experienced the same problems. Have read numerous complaints on-line concerning the same problem. Can not get a response from GM concerning the issue. Needs to be a recall before someone gets hurt.”

   NHTSA complaint #10221820, filed 2008-03, 10,000 miles

Buying note. Check the power sliding doors carefully, since they account for a large share of what owners report and often needed repeat repairs. Also have the charging system, rear suspension, and brakes inspected, and ask for service records showing what has already been replaced.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.