Problems · by component
2005 Chevrolet Uplander electrical system problems
57 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander cite electrical system, 29% of all 196 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
57
29% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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!”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE RADIO BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,000.”
“WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE MY UPLANDER SHUTS OFF FOR NO REASON OR WARNING. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON. I HAD ONSTAR RUN A TEST AND NOTHING IS FOUND.”
Showing 6 of 57 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.