Chevrolet Avalanche Complaints (2003)

395 consumer complaints on file.

#10217653February 11, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
MY SPEEDOMETER IN MY CHEVROLET AVALANCHE HAS STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. IT WILL OFTEN READ 40 MPH WHEN AT IDLE AND DURING DRIVING SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY IT EXTENDS MUCH OVER 120 MPH AND WILL STICK THERE AS I DECELERATE. THIS HAS CAUSED ME TO GET MULTIPLE SPEEDING TICKETS AS I HAVE NO ACCURATE READING OF MY SPEED. I CALLED THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS GM DIRECT AND THEY STATED THAT SINCE IT WAS NOT A DEFECT THAT IS RELATED TO "SAFETY" ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED IT AND EXPECT UPWARDS OF 400$ FOR A REPLACEMENT GAUGE CLUSTER. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER CONSUMERS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET WHO HAVE REPORTED IDENTICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS SAME VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216725February 1, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE RPM GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER IS CONSTANTLY MALFUNCTIONING ON MY 2003 AVALANCHE. SO THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY RPMS I'M TURNING OR HOW FAST I'M GOING. WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT WORK WITH ALL OF OUR 2003 AND 2004 CHEVEROLET PICK-UPS. THEY WERE ALL FIXED BY THE CHEVEROLET DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY WERE PURCHASED BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL PURCHASED THERE, BUT SINCE I AM AN INDIVIDUAL I CAN'T GET ANY SERVICE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216194January 27, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
MY 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE HAS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ALL GAUGES ON THE VEHICLE CAN STOP FUNCTIONING WITHOUT NOTICE. THIS RESULTS IN THE DRIVER BEGIN UNABLE TO SEE THE VEHICLES SPEED OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE INCLUDING WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN OR EVEN WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN "PARK". IN MY CASE THE GAUGES FAILED DURING A SNOW STORM IN COLORADO, WHICH MADE DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD RESULT IN BOTH INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. APART FROM THE OBVIOUS ISSUE OF NOT SEEING ESSENTIAL VEHICLE INFORMATION, DRIVERS COULD INADVERTENTLY PUT THEIR VEHICLE IN THE WRONG GEAR SUCH AS REVERSE RATHER THAN PARK. GM ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS A KNOW DEFECT WITH THESE VEHICLES BUT REFUSES TO CORRECT IT UNLESS THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. GM REPRESENTS THAT YOUR OFFICE CONCURS WITH THEIR APPROACH, WHICH WOULD BE A SURPRISE TO ME SINCE THIS IS NOT A WEAR PART, IS KNOWN DEFECT WITH THESE VEHICLES, AND PRESENTS S SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. GM HAS CERTAINLY DONE A CALCULATION IS EXCLUDE AS MANY VEHICLES AS POSSIBLE FROM THEIR PROPOSED "FIX" AND IS APPALLINGLY UNCONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215531January 21, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
CHEVROLET AVALANCHE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURES. OVER THE PAST 32 MONTHS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON MY 2003 AVALANCHE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL, TEMP, OIL PRESSURE AND ALL OTHER GAUGES TO NOT OPERATE. AS OF 1/19/2008 ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED COMPLETELY. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND CHEVROLET HAS ISSUED A EXTENSION OF THE WARRANTY TO 70,000 MILES FOR THIS SINGLE ISSUE BUT THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF UNDER A RECALL OF ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215448January 19, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE SPEEDOMETER WILL STOP WORKING AFTER A SHORT TIME OF DRIVING. THE NEEDLE WILL EITHER SLOWLY FALL TO ZERO OR NOT WORK ALL TOGETHER. CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS FAILURE. CHEVY HAS ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION, BUT IT ENDS AT 70K MILES. MY TRUCK HAS 78K. I WOULD LIKE A RECALL TO BE ISSUED AFTER READING THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL TRUCK ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214957January 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
ALL THE GAUGES ON MY TEC ARE GOING CRAZY. YOU CAN NOT TELL HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING OR HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE LEFT OR IF YOUR OIL IS OKAY OR IF YOUR RADIATOR IS HOT OR NOT. GM SENT A LETTER ADVISING THEY HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 7 YEAR OR 70,000 MILES, GUESS WHAT MY AVALANCHE IS 80,000 AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214952January 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
GENERAL MOTORS MAILED ME A NOTICE ADVISING THAT MY VEHICLE (2003 AVALANCHE WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN OCT 2003) "COULD DEVELOP A CONDITION WHERE ONE OR MORE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGE NEEDLES MAY STICK, FLUTTER, OR BECOME INOPERATIVE." IT WAS ADDITIONALLY NOTED THAT "THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE INACCURATE READINGS, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER AND THE FUEL GAUGE." REMEDY OF REPLACEMENT WAS OFFERED FOR VEHICLES WITHIN 7 YEARS OF ORIGINAL DATE PLACED IN SERVICE OR 70,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. MY VEHICLE EXHIBITS THIS PROBLEM IN SPEEDOMETER. MY VEHICLE HAS OVER 80,000 MILES AND IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPAIR OFFER. THE CONDITION IN MINE IS EXHIBITED WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW 45-50 DEGREES (TYPICALLY IN WINTER), AND BEGAN LAST WINTER. I ASSOCIATED IT WITH THE WEATHER AND DIDN'T THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, NOW THAT I KNOW IT IS A DEFECT, I BELIEVE GM SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT IN ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. I BELIEVE IT CAN BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE - NO SPEEDOMETER - NO FUEL GAUGE READING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE WORKING PROPERLY SOMETIMES AND AT OTHERS NOT AT ALL OR INACCURATELY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214341January 9, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WAS DEFECTIVE. HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE CHEVROLET DEALER THAT STATED HIS VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE COMPONENT (THE CLUSTER), WHICH COULD CAUSE THE METERS TO MALFUNCTION AND DISPLAY INACCURATE READINGS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD BE DRIVING 10 MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DISPLAY 100 MPH. THE OIL METER WITHIN THE CLUSTER ALSO MALFUNCTIONED. THE DEALER SET A MILEAGE STIPULATION AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPLACED IF THE MILEAGE WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY LIMIT. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,833 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,152.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213844January 6, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
IT JUST BEGAN ABOUT A MONTH AGO. THE SPEEDOMETER WAS REGISTERING THE WRONG SPEED AND NOW IT DOES NOT MOVE AT ALL. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE! I AM AN MP AND HOW CAN I EXPECT OTHERS TO FOLLOW THE LAWS WHEN I CAN NOT EVEN TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213977January 6, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER STARTED JUMPING ALL OVER UNTIL IT FINALLY QUIT ONE WEEK LATER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213813January 5, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER STARTED STICKING, WOULDN'T RESET TO 0, SHOWS BETWEEN 40 - 80 MPH WHEN SITTING STILL. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213056December 28, 2007
AIR BAGS
TRAVELING AT 55 MPH AND REAR-ENDED A TOWED VEHICLE WITHOUT LIGHTS. DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212660December 24, 2007
STEERING
2003 AVALANCHE WITH Z71 SUSPENSION OPTION. AFTER LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD VEHICLE STARTED MAKING SEVERE CLUNKING NOISE FROM DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL WHEN MAKING A TURN. TAKEN TO DEALER UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER REPLACED A PART AND STATED THAT SOME CLUNKING WAS "NORMAL". NOISE CEASED AFTER REPAIR. CLUNKING RETURNED IN ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR AND IS ONCE AGAIN SEVERE. SOUNDS LIKE THE FRONT WHEEL IS GOING TO FALL OFF. CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212457December 20, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTION. THE PROBLEM AFFECTS THE SPEEDOMETER GIVING ERRATIC READINGS. REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER READS 80 -120 MPH. OR DOESN'T REGISTER AT ALL. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK OR COMPLETELY STOPPED THE SPEEDOMETER READS 60 MPH. I HAVE TO TURN THE TRUCK ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL IT GOES DOWN TO 0. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212008December 16, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
PROBLEMS WITH INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SPEEDOMETER STUCK AT 30. OTHER PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED WITH OIL PRESSURE READING INCORRECTLY. TODAY, THE SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK AT 30 AND IT WON'T MOVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10211464December 11, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE. IT HAS ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT. JUST LAST WEEK THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED GOING HAYWIRE. IT WILL READ ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 60 MPH WHEN STOPPED. WHEN DRIVING IT WILL READ ANYWHERE FROM 70 TO 110 MPH. IT IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING SO THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW FAST YOU ARE REALLY GOING. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HAW FAST YOU ARE GOING. I LOOKED ALL OVER THE INTERNET TO SEE IF IT WAS SOMETHING SIMPLE I COULD FIX. THERE SEEMS TO BE ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS NOT ONLY WITH THE AVALANCHE BUT WITH GM MODELS IN GENERAL FOR THE 2003-2006 YEARS. IF IT IS SUCH A PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I WILL BE PRINTING THE COMPLAINT FORUMS AND TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TO SEE WHAT THEY WILL DO. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10209971November 26, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
FIRST OF ALL MY VEHICLE IS A 2003 CHEVY. AVALANCHE, WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAS 62,000 MILES. TO GET STARTED, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN I HEARD THIS BANGING NOISE, SO I PULLED INTO THE NEAREST GMC DEALERSHIP. THEY CHECKED THE ENGINE OUT AND FOUND OUT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO FLUID GOING INTO THE ENGINE. WE WERE TOLD WE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE SO I AUTHORIZED THEM TO PUT A NEW ONE IN. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND A COUPLE OF TECH'S LOOKED AT THE ENGINE AND AGREED IT WAS A DEFECT. I CONTACTED GMC IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY HAVE A GOODWILL POLICY AND THEY FELT THEY SHOULD PAY SOMETHING TOWARDS THE ENGINE. CUSTOMER SERVICE INSISTED THAT I PUT THE ENGINE PUT BACK IN AND HAVE IT OWED TO A CHEVY DEALER. I ASKED THEM WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS BETWEEN GMC AND A CHEVY DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT RESPOND TO ME. I DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE COST ALL I WAS ASKING WAS FOR THEM TO HAVE A REP. GO TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LOOK AT THE ENGINE BUT THEY SAID NO. BY THIS TIME I WAS VERY FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY. I CALLED GMC EXECUTIVE OFFICE AND SPOKE TO ANOTHER GIRL AND SHE ASSURED ME SHE WOULD HELP ME. WELL LOW AND BEHOLD SHE SAID "I DIDN'T BRING MY VEHICLE TO A CHEVY DEALER THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT HELP ME OUT FINANCIALLY. . ALL I WANT IS SOME FINANCIAL HELP FROM GMC AS $6,000.00 IS ALOT OF MONEY AND I AM ON A FIXED INCOME, SS ONLY. I HAD TO PAY THE BILL OF $6,000 PLUS $125.00 FOR A RENTAL ON VARIOUS CHARGES BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE CASH. IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED IF YOU COULD ADVISE ME ON HOW TO PROCEED. I SENT A CERTIFIED LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF GMC AND HE WON'T EVEN PICK UP THE LETTER FROM THE POST OFFICE. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE DETROIT PRESS AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING ALSO. THE DEALERSHIP THAT REPAIRED MY TRUCK ALSO COVERS THE WARRANTIES AND REPAIRS CHEVORLET VEHICLE. SO WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO TOW MY VEHICLE OUT OF THERE? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10209837November 25, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER BROKEN. CAN READ ANYWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND 120 MPH WHEN STOPPED. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT SPEED I AM GOING. THIS SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETHING THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10208760November 13, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
FAILURE OF MY SPEEDOMETER TO WORK PROPERLY ON MY 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10208777November 13, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE THAT I PURCHASED NEW FROM THE DEALER. IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 104,000 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MY SPEEDOMETER IS ACTING ERRATICALLY. SOME TIMES IT WILL SAY I AM DOING 120 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY OR CITY STREET AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. WHEN I TURN OFF MY VEHICLE, IT IS OFTEN STUCK AT SOME SPEED SUCH AS 65MPH. I CAN HEAR A PHYSICAL GRINDING NOISE IN THE SPEEDOMETER ITSELF. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO ADVERSELY AFFECT THE ODOMETER. I CANNOT RELIABLY TELL WHAT SPEED I'M GOING, AND MY VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS THE TEXAS STATE INSPECTION WITH THIS PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THIS WAS EXTREMELY COMMON, BUT THAT THERE IS NO RECALL. THEY SAID IT WILL COST OVER 500.00 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I RESEARCHED IT ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF CASES OF THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I POINTED THIS OUT, AND THE DEALER SAID BASICALLY THAT CHEVROLET WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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