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2005 Chevrolet Uplander EXT

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 Uplander EXT.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

Defined as a VAN, the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander EXT employs an Automatic 4-spd transmission and requires 4.0 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, while returning EPA estimated fuel economy of 15/21/17 mpg. Reliability records indicate this model year accumulated 196 total owner complaints and 4 recalls, with Structure identified as the top complaint area. These figures establish the 2005 model's position within the reliability history, meaning researchers should prioritize structural integrity when assessing the vehicle.

Model year2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy15/21/17 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 34 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory serpentine belt and cabin air filter are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 34 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP225/60R17OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175 alt 25322835
Engine air filter	15222511 alt 10354942
Spark plug	12681664
Battery	88866304
Front wiper blades	15192144 alt 15192143
Serpentine belt	12587999 discontinued · alt 12571918
Thermostat	24507563 alt 10226107
Cabin air filter	10322538 discontinued

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	204.3 in
Overall width	72 in
Overall height	72 in
Wheelbase	120.9 in
Curb weight	3896 lb
Track (front / rear)	62.6 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 21 / 17 mpg
Drivetrain	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	7.4
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Upper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	12 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	21.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	24.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	118 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	192 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order

1-2-3-4-5-6

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Standard BCI Group Number	34
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	50-60
Injector Primary Resistance	11-14 na ohms
Engine Oil Pressure	30-45 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM	1850 rpm
Intake Valve Lash	Hydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	40 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	137 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	40 ft-lbs / 32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	137 ft-lbs / 92 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.181 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

37 ft. lbs., step 2: 77

37 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 mi	Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander EXT top in one area — the structure, 28 of 196 reports (14%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 4 recall campaigns target the structure, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 7 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the structure pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

568

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

196

Owner complaints

7 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 196 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure28

Latches/Locks/Linkages28

Electrical System21

Service Brakes, Hydraulic7

Fuel System, Gasoline6

Seat Belts5

Electrical System,Exterior Lighting5

Engine & Engine Cooling4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E005000SteeringReported 17/02/2009

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE… Remedy: DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009…

05V061000Seats:Mid/Rear AssemblyReported 18/02/2005

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE OUTBOARD RELEASE HANDLE ON THE IMPACT-SIDE SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEAT MAY BE ACTUATED AND THE REAR LATCHES MAY UNLATCH EARLY IN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH. THIS WAS DISCOVERED IN A SIDE IMPACT TEST RUN BY… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE SEAT LATCH RELEASE HANDLE AND INSTALL A BLACK PLASTIC CAP OVER THE EXPOSED METAL STUD TO ELIMINATE THE SIDE IMPACT SAFETY CONCERN FREE OF CHARGE. THE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 568 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIT3532C	2026-01-30	Unknown Or Other	This PI directs technician to training regarding sliding door operation.
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Uplander EXT. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 34 battery Vehicles taking 4.0 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 15222511 Spark plug 12681664 Battery 88866304

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2005 Uplander EXT take?

4.0 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2005 Uplander EXT have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Uplander EXT get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined mpg.