Chevrolet Avalanche Complaints (2003)

395 consumer complaints on file.

#10575443March 28, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
KEY IGNITION SWITCH IS LOOSE AND CAR WILL SHUT OFF WHILE OPERATING, KEY CAN BE PULLED OUT OF IGNITION WHILE RUNNING. IF VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE OPERATING THEN YOU LOOSE CONTROL OF BRAKES, STEERING, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. GM IS DENYING THERE IS A PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS PROOF THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS AND THE CHEVY AVALANCHE 2003 HAS A PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10575166March 27, 2014
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW COOLANT LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEADS WERE FRACTURED AND ALLOWING COOLANT TO INADVERTENTLY ENTER THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 05/28/14 MA UPDATED 06/4/2014 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568961March 13, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT INFORMATION CONCERNING GM'S INTENTIONAL WITHHOLDING OF PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH IN CERTAIN GM VEHICLES, I FEEL COMPELLED TO SHARE MY STORY. I DO SEE OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED HERE CONCERNING THE SAME ISSUE. IN OCTOBER 2003, I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE VEHICLE HAD 5,500 DEMO MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I DROVE MANY MILES FOR WORK AND FOR TRANSPORTING HOCKEY KIDS TO PRACTICE, GAMES, TOURNAMENTS, ETC. IN DECEMBER 2006 I ALREADY HAD 80,000+ MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE (CAUSING ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!), OIL GAUGE, BATTERY VOLTMETER, RPMS, WHICH ARE ALL COMPONENTS OF AN ELECTRICAL CLUSTER BEGAN FAILING. I CONTACTED MY GM DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT A 'SILENT RECALL' HAD BEEN ISSUED TO DEALERS STATING THAT IF A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 3 YEARS AND UNDER 70,000 MILES WAS BROUGHT IN, THE DEALER SHOULD FIX THE ITEM AS A WARRANTY REPAIR. SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS 2 MOS OVER THE 3 YR AND OVER THE 70,000 MILES, I WAS DENIED A WARRANTY REPAIR AND QUOTED $700.00 TO FIX THE PART. SINCE THAT DATE, MY SON'S CHEVROLET VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM! AND, IN 2009 A FRIEND'S BRAND NEW DENALI WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM DUE TO COST AND DISAGREEMENT WITH GM. I WROTE THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND GOT NOWHERE. I DON'T SEE HOW A SAFETY ISSUE LIKE THIS CAN BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN NOR HOW GM CAN KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT NOT TELL OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE AND/OR FUTURE POSSIBLE BUYERS OF THE VEHICLE. OH WAIT, YEA GM DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE CONSUMERS MIGHT TAKE THEIR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE! I SIMPLY WANTED TO GM TO FIX THE PROBLEM, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY KNOWN ABOUT, BUT RATHER, GM SIMPLY KEEPS PUTTING THE SAME BAD COMPONENT IN FUTURE VEHICLES!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568754March 12, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I BELIEVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE GM KEY/IGNITION SWITCH IS MORE COMMON THEN WHAT IS BEING REPORTED. THE AVALANCHE 2003 HAS HAD THE SAME LOOSE IGNITION SWITCH FOR YEARS. OUR KEY SYSTEM HAS TO BE JIGGLED AND FORCED TO THE START POSITION 80 PERCENT OF THE TIME. THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL ALSO MOVE THE OFF POSITION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AND THE KEY WILL FALL OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566758March 3, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
RUPTURED REAR BRAKE LINE UNDER DRIVER SIDE DOOR DUE TO EXTREME RUST OF LINES. INSPECTION REVEALS ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF EXTREME RUST, WHICH SHOULD NOT HAPPEN FOR AN 11 YEAR OLD TRUCK. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND NOT DRIVING ON THE ROADS AT ANY SPEED. WHY THE RISK OF USING SUBSTANDARD MATERIALS FOR BRAKE LINES? WHY NOT USE STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566066February 26, 2014
ENGINE
FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO MY 2003 CHEVY AVALANCHE HAS HAD AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM OF THROTTLING DOWN WHEN I HIT ABOUT 60 MPH. THE ERROR WORDS POP UP OF "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER (AFTER NEGOTIATING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC TO GET TO SHOULDER WITH NO POWER) AND TURN ENGINE OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE STARTING IT. SOMETIMES IT DOES IT MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE FIRST HOUR OF DRIVING. SEEMS TO DO IT MORE WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLDER THAN WHEN HOT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10565173February 20, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING HOME AT ROUGHLY 35 MPH I ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND WHEN I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE ON BOARD COMPUTER SYSTEM CAME ON AND SET CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM. I WAS ABLE TO PUMP THE BRAKE AND GET SOME PRESSURE BUT I COULD HERE A HISSING SOUND ANYTIME I PRESSED THE PEDAL. I WAS WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE HOUSE AND WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND THERE WAS A HOLE FROM A RUSTY SECTION OF THE BRAKE LINE OVER THE TOP OF THE CHASSIS IN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR AREA. EVERY TIME YOU STEP ON THE PEDAL IT WOULD SPRAY A STEADY STREAM OF BRAKE FLUID. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10558604January 6, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
CORRODED STEEL BRAKE LINE DEVELOPED A HOLE AND LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID. THIS LED TO INABILITY TO BRAKE ADEQUATELY TO STOP. ALL 4 BRAKE LINES NEED REPLACED DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THERE APPEARS TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE AND SIMILAR GM VEHICLES EXPERIENCING BRAKE LINE FAILURES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10556640December 19, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOORBOARD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,353.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10556405December 17, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY WIFE AND GRANDDAUGHTER WHEN ALL THE BRAKES ,I MEAN ALL THE BRAKES WENT, AND A SERVICE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME.I MANAGED TO DRIFT TO A STOP, OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE HURT SOMEONE OR BEEN KILLED. NO WARNING. I HAD TO PAY 1900 FOR THE REPAIR WHICH WE CANNOT AFFORD SINCE I AM ON DISABILITY. IT STILL SCARES US. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10556147December 16, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES FAILED DUE TO A RUSTED BRAKE PIPE WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. LUCKILY I WAS ON MY STREET AND TRAVELING JUST UNDER 25 MPH. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE UNDER SIDE OF VEHICLE I DISCOVERED NOT ONE BUT, TWO LEAKS. I DO EXPECT SOME ISSUES WITH A VEHICLE MY AGE AND MILEAGE BUT, NOT A TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. I DID CONTACT THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS JUST TO LEARN THAT THE PARTS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10556208December 16, 2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY SPEEDOMETER AND SEVERAL GAUGES HAVE BEEN ACTING ERRATICALLY FOR MONTHS, AND NOW THE SPEEDOMETER BATTERY GAUGE, AND THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE HAVE STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. IN RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE OF THIS RECALL. I HAVE LIVED IN THE SAME LOCATION SINCE 2001, BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. IF THERE WAS A RECALL AFFECTING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT IN. WHY DIDN'T CHEVROLET NOTIFY ALL OWNERS? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10550520November 1, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
APPROACHING STOP LIGHT, HIT BRAKES, AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, THERE WAS NO BRAKE AT ALL. NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME AT LIGHT , SO I TURNED RIGHT AND COASTED INTO PARKING LOT. HAD TRUCK TOWED HOME, FOUND RUSTED AND SPLIT BRAKE LINE UNDER DRIVERS DOOR, THE OTHER 3 LINES IN THE BUNDLE WERE ALMOST GONE TOO, JUST MOVING ANOTHER ONE CAUSED IT TO BREAK OPEN, SO .AS OF TODAY , I REPLACED THE FRONT4 LINES.AND PLAN ON DOING THE REAR THIS WEEK... THE ENTIRE UNDER- CARRIAGE IS RUSTY, WAY MORE THAN NORMAL, I RESTORE ARS AND HAVE A 1951 CHEVY, THAT'S ORIGINAL FRAME AND LOOKS NEW.. I COMPARE TRUCKS EVERY TIME I GET A CHANCE,,,AND THIS CHEVY IS BADDD. LOVE THE TRUCK, JUST HATE REPLACING, BRAKES, ROTORS, LINES ALL THE TIME...REAR BACKING PLATES HAVE BEEN. RUSTED AWAY, SINCE 2005. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10549475October 25, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BRAKING POWER DUE TO A LEAK IN ONE OF THE FRONT METAL BRAKE LINES. TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO INFORMED ME ALL THE METAL BRAKE LINES WERE HIGHLY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED JIM MCKAY DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THESE BRAKE LINES ARE ON BACK ORDER WITH NO INDICATION OF WHEN PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. REPAIR SHOP HAS TO CUSTOM MAKE ALL BRAKE LINES WITH AN ESTIMATE OF $1,500 - $1,600. BRAKE LINES SHOULD NOT CORRODE, THIS IS DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. LINES SHOULD BE STAINLESS STEEL, IF NOT, COATED AT A MINIMUM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10548348October 18, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES PER HOUR AND BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO PREPARE FOR A RIGHT TURN. AT FIRST THE BRAKES WERE BEGINNING TO BE EFFECTIVE, BUT SUDDEN LOSS OF HYDROLOGICAL PRESSURE RESULTED IN BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND LITTLE TO NO BRAKING POWER WAS AVAILABLE. INDICATOR LIGHTS AND BELLS ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED SERVICED. VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND WAS PLACED INTO PARK. BRAKE FLUID WAS VISIBLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL WELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10544528September 20, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES WENT OUT WHILE PULLING A TRAILER. WENT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THANK GOD IT WAS EARLY ON A SUNDAY MORNING. BRAKE LINE HAD A COMPLETED RUSTED AND BURST. WHEN LOOKING TO REPAIR, THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND BLISTERED. ALL OTHER LINES WERE ABOUT TO BURST. HAD TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES AND MUCH OLDER AND HIGHER MILEAGE VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE LINES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS HOW BAD THE LINES WERE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND I KNOW IT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10543328September 12, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE COASTED UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COVERED WITH RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10541835September 4, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT AND HE WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10541753September 4, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
LOST BRAKES. LINE FROM FRONT OF TRUCK TO BACK BRAKES RUPTURED. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. ALL BRAKE LINES ARE IN RUSTED CONDITION AND NEED REPLACEMENT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10538262September 1, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE AN UNLOADED TRAILER IN MY YARD, I BEGAN TO BACKUP TO THE TRAILER APPLYING THE BRAKES SINCE I WAS LINED UP TO THE TRAILER, APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP AND THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE MESSAGE FLASHED STATING BRAKE ISSUE AND LOTS OF BELLS GOING OFF. INCIDENT OCCURRED 8/23/13, HAD TRUCK TOWED TO GARAGE SINCE IT TOOK 10X THE DISTANCE TO TRY TO STOP THE TRUCK AND WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SINCE THE TRUCK IS AT THE GARAGE WAITING ON PARTS I DO NOT HAVE ACTUAL MILEAGE BUT HAS APPROXIMATELY 91K MILES. I DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER WARNINGS AND HAD NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS INSTALLED IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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