Should I buy a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado with documented wheels problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented wheels issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2006 Chevrolet Silverado wheels problems

severe Owners of the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado have filed 13 NHTSA complaints about the wheels, typically surfacing around 42,000 miles at roughly $400 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See wheels across all vehicles →

Failure mileage

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$400

wheels complaints on the Chevrolet Silverado, by model year
Model year	wheels complaints
2005 Silverado	14
2006 Silverado (this page)	13
2007 Silverado	6
2008 Silverado	4
2009 Silverado	4

1crash

1injury

What stands out

Among the 16 model years of Chevrolet Silverado in our records for wheels problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.

All 2 active wheels recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 06V307000 August 11, 2006

Certain sport utility vehicles and trucks fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no

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.

Fix: 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.

severe NHTSA 07E106000 December 17, 2007

Certain federal-mogul replacement wheel hub assemblies with the brand names: national, carquest p/nos

Wheel separation can result in a vehicle crash.

Fix: Federal-mogul will notify customers and will replace the hub assembly free of charge. The recall began on february 7, 2008. Owners can contact federal-mogul toll-free at 877-489-6659.

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering wheels on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.

Service Bulletin PIT3271G Jan 2015

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin PIT3271F Dec 2012

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Service Bulletin PIT3078F Oct 2012

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have grease leaking from front hub bearings. Technician should not replace the bearing for grease purge. Technician should be advised to not clean the purged grease from the area immediately on or adjacent to the seals because this grease provides additional protection. Technician should only replace the bearing if the seals show visible damage, bearing endplay is greater than 0.005" or 0.13mm, bearing exhibits rough rotation, or bearing exhibits abnormal noise.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

The failure pattern owners describe

The 2006 Silverado has chronic problems with its front wheel hub bearings and assemblies. Owners report grinding noise, abnormal steering feel, and ABS warning lights appearing well before wheel failure, but some failures happen without warning whatsoever. One owner's tire detached at 40 mph and caused a crash; another had braking system failure tied to hub bearing breakup. Wheel hubs fail repeatedly on the same truck — one owner replaced the left hub four times and the right hub twice.

The hub assemblies are sealed cartridges that cannot be regreased; any bearing failure means replacing the entire assembly for $300–$750 in labor plus parts. Owners report this happens at mileages as low as 19,000 to 45,000 miles on highway-driven trucks. Multiple mechanics told owners this is a known design problem and that bearings "just go bad immediately without warning," making early failure a foregone conclusion.

A separate issue affects the spare tire secondary release mechanism, which jams and cannot be operated even by professional mechanics. One owner was stranded in the Colorado backcountry for six hours unable to access the spare. Owners also reported tire defects unrelated to the hub issue.

Same Chevrolet Silverado wheels reports on nearby years: 2005

Failure modes owners describe

Wheel hub assembly detachment

The wheel hub assembly separates from the vehicle, causing the tire to detach from the vehicle during operation. This failure occurs without prior warning or obvious symptoms in some cases.

When: Low mileage reported; one failure at unknown mileage, one at 35,000 miles with both hubs failing within weeks of each other

Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal thud-like noise before failure; No audible warning in some cases; Loud scraping, crunching, popping noise from affected wheel

Repairs/costs cited: Wheel hub assembly replacement; owners reported mechanic shops kept old parts and noted this is not an uncommon incident

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 07E106000 (Wheels) cited by one owner; manufacturer informed but vehicle not repaired in that case

Front wheel hub bearing failure

Sealed wheel hub bearings fail prematurely, causing grinding noise and potential loss of braking function. The hub assembly design does not allow for field lubrication. Owners report multiple failures on the same vehicle.

When: Failures reported between 19,000 and 104,649 miles; some vehicles experienced two failures within weeks

Symptoms owners cite: Loud grinding or whirling noise from wheel area; Unusual bump sensation followed by stiff steering; ABS warning light illumination; Wheel turning inward abnormally; Braking system compromise; Wheel wobbling on lift; Unexplainable tire tread wear; Vehicle pulling

Codes mentioned: ABS warning light

Repairs/costs cited: Both front wheel bearings replaced; typical repair cost cited as $750 plus brakes and rotors replacement; one repair cost $377; sealed design prevents field relubrication and necessitates full hub assembly replacement

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealer blamed condensation as cause; another dealer advised extended warranty purchase and refused warranty repair; one VIN confirmed not included in NHTSA Campaign 07E106000

Spare tire secondary release mechanism failure

The spare tire secondary release mechanism jams and cannot be operated, leaving owners stranded with no way to access the spare tire.

When: Occurrence timing not specified; owner reported spending 6 hours attempting to release

Symptoms owners cite: Spare tire secondary release will not operate despite repeated attempts; No visible way to release the tire

Repairs/costs cited: Spare tire remained stuck even after local garage attempted repair; owner described as common problem on Chevy trucks

Tire tread and belt separation

Federal Couragia MT tires experience tread and belt separation, creating bubbles or bubbling on the sidewalls after moderate mileage.

When: After approximately 16,000 miles on 2012 Federal Couragia MT 33/12.50/20 tires

Symptoms owners cite: Tread and belt separation; Bubbles or bubbling on tires

Repairs/costs cited: Tires rotated regularly and pressure maintained correctly

Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 0 most recent

Had wheels trouble with your 2006 Chevrolet Silverado? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.

Common questions

How serious is the wheels problem on the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado?

It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $400.

At what mileage does the wheels typically fail?

Across the 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most wheels failures cluster between 37,000 and 100,000 miles, with the median around 42,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 37,000; a quarter make it past 100,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $400 for wheels repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to wheels?

Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover wheels issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Chevrolet/Silverado. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.