Chevrolet Avalanche Complaints (2003)

395 consumer complaints on file.

#11683105August 26, 2025
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was on a lift at an independent mechanic, the independent mechanic found rust on the subframe. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was a private sale. The contact had purchased the vehicle two months prior to finding the rust. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to replace the muffler. The contact was informed that the subframe was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11606301August 3, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes lines broke while in traffic at stop light. Manage to drive in low gear 1/2 block to repair shop. They replaced the lines
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11414981May 3, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SERVICE LIGHT DOSE NOT COME ON WHEN MY TRUCK WON'T NOT STARTED UP UNTIL I GOT IT TOWED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11386897January 7, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AND THE CLUSTER IS OUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT MODEL THIS IS OTHER THAN A Z66 SO I CANNOT SEE ON HOW TO PROGRAM MY PHONE AT TO THE ONSTAR OR ANY OF THAT I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE SATELLITE RADIO THERE IS NO AUXILIARY PLUG IN HEATED SEATS IT'S ONLY THE BACK OF THE SEAT THAT WORKS I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S ALL THAT IS HEATED AND IT SAYS THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COME WITH A KEY FOB I DID NOT RECEIVE MY CAR COMPLETELY DIES I HAVE TO TURN IT COMPLETELY OFF TURN THE KEY AROUND AND STARTED AGAIN THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN LOOKS LIKE IT HAS BEEN REPLACED I DID NOT RECEIVE THE KEY FOB I CANNOT LOCK THE DOORS BECAUSE THE KEYS DON'T WORK IN THE DOOR BUT THEY DO AN IGNITION SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY AROUND SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING I HAVE TO CUT IT COMPLETELY OFF BECAUSE IT WILL STALL OUT TURN KEY AROUND AND IT START IT AGAIN. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE REAL MILAGE IS. JELP IM A SINGLE AND ONLY IN COME PARENT TO 3 BOUS AND THIS MOMMA NEEDS HELP PLEASE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11384649December 23, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I AM A NEW OWNER OF A 2003 AVALANCHE, I WAS SATISFIED WITH MY PURCHASE BUT MY SOONROOF FALLS UNDER THE APPROPRIATE SERIAL NUMBERS (6,000,000-6,300,000) RECALL STATES THAT IT MAY BE COVERED BY THE COMPANY WEBASTO HOLLANDIA. VEHICLE IS FINE TO DRIVE PLACES BUT SUNROOF MUST BE FIXED FOR COMING WINTER. IT WORRIES ME AS THERE'S A SLIGHT DANGER OF IT CAUSING A ROAD HAZARD IF IT WERE TO FALL OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11193455April 2, 2019
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING, TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. ON A HIGHWAY STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11192061March 27, 2019
STEERING
I CAN HEAR A CLUNKING OR RATTLING NOISE IN MY STEERING WHEEL. I CAN ALSO FEEL IT IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11162859December 20, 2018
POWER TRAIN
THIS IS THE SECOND TRANSMISSION, THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION LINE TO THE RADIATOR BREAKS ALLOWING THE LINE TO COME OFF RESULTING IN ALL TRANSMISSION FLUID BEING LOST AND RESULTING IN DESTROYING TRANSMISSION
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11160865December 12, 2018
AIR BAGS
MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AS I SLID INTO A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS IN NUMBER TO NUMBER TRAFFIC AND I TRIED CHANGING LANES. MY FRONT LEFT BUMPER TAPPED HIS REAR RIGHT BUMPER. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS SCRATCHED.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11130262September 18, 2018
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON FOR THE SECOND TIME SAYING THAT IS A VACUUM LEAK IN THE FUEL CAP I REPLACE THE CAP
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11129693September 15, 2018
STRUCTURE:BODY
CLADDING ON MY 2003 HAS TURNED GREY AND UGLY. THERE IS NOTHING USED THAT WILL RENEW IT BACK TO ORIGINAL LOOK. WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM????
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11030157September 27, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
WAS DRIVING HOME AND BRAKES FAILED. MASSIVE HOLES IN THE LINES, PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOOR NO BRAKE WARNING LIGHT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. THANK GOD MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE NOT WITH ME THIS TIME. LUCKY I'M ALIVE. I WAS NOT ON A MAIN HIGHWAY. SO FAR THE COST IS UP TO $2000.00 TO REPLACE ALL THE LINES. ALSO NOW THE MASTER CYLINDER SEEMS TO BE FAULTY. ANOTHER $400.00. I HAVE READ WAY TOOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT GM BRAKE LINES RUSTING OUT WAY TOO SOON MANY WITH LOW MILEAGE. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS IN THE FORM OF COMPENSATION. LIVES COULD BE LOST AND SOME PROBABLY HAVE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11019935August 27, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAVE READ NHTSA # 05V37900 AND SEE THAT ADDRESSES THE BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE LINE THAT I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WHERE THE BRAKE GOES TO THE FLOOR WITH NO WARNING THAT IS THE SAME AS THE 2002 THAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR RECALL. IT APPEARS THAT THE SAME BRAKE LINES WERE USED ON THE 2003 MODEL. SO WHY WAS THE 2003 MODEL NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS LOSING THE BRAKES NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE BRAKES WENT OUT AND WAS LUCKY THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC IN THE AREA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11015926August 17, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS STOPPED WORKING. NONE OF THE GAUGES WORK. START VEHICLE NO GAUGES MOVE. DRIVE AND NO GAUGES MOVE, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10994090June 9, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE BRAKING FOR A RED STOP LIGHT THE TRUCK WAS STOPPING NORMALLY AND WAS ALMOST STOPPED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT NEARLY TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING ACTION WAS SEVERELY AFFECTED CAUSING A MUCH DELAYED COMPLETION TO THE STOP. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL COLLAPSED A CHIME CAME ON AND A BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH PANEL. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR SLOWLY OUT OF TRAFFIC GOING VERY SLOW AND USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, BRAKE FLUID WAS OBSERVED LEAKING FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE GARAGE WHERE THE INITIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS A RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10979808April 21, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE FUNCTIONALITY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST FUEL STATION. THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE LINE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION AND THE REAR BRAKE LINE ALSO EXPERIENCED SEVERE CORROSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10967809March 22, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES FLUCTUATED INDEPENDENTLY AND SEVERAL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10935940December 17, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HILL ON MY WAY HOME WITH MY THREE LILLTE KIDS IN THE TRUCK WHEN IT JUST SHUT OFF N WAS HARD TO STEER THE ABS LIGHT COME ON N THEN A LIGHT WITH A LOCK WITH A KEY THE TRUCK ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO TURN OVER BUT DID N STILL TO THIS DAY IT WILL NO TURN OVER N START UP N STILL SHOWING THE LIL LOCK WITH A KEY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10926521November 16, 2016
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DASHBOARD IS CRACKED ABOVE THE SPEEDOMETER. I HAVE 56000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I OWNED A 2008 MODEL AND HAD SAME ISSUE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ADDRESSED AND FIXED ON NEWER MODELS. I'M TOLD IT'LL COST ME $1500 TO FIX. IF THEY AREN'T GOING TO MAKE THIS GOOD I'M SWITCHING OVER TO TOYOTAS. THIS VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR DAYS WHEN I WENT TO USE IT NOTICED THE CRACK. VERY DISSAPPOINTED!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10916490October 17, 2016
AIR BAGS
THE DASHBOARD HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT NEAR THE AIRBAG AREA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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