Chevrolet Avalanche Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 1,962 consumer complaints across the 12 model years of the Chevrolet Avalanche (2002–2013) that have at least 5 complaints. 2002 has the most, with 444. Across all years, the part named most often is air bags (591 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
Best and worst Avalanche years →
All Avalanche model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 82 | 55,000 | 2 | 1,560 | 0 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2012 | 36 | 44,000 | 3 | 1,544 | 39 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 127 | 63,000 | 3 | 1,509 | 59 · Typical | Falling |
| 2010 | 111 | 65,000 | 3 | 1,467 | 27 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2009 | 76 | 75,500 | 5 | 1,297 | 66 · More | Falling |
| 2008 | 258 | 74,000 | 4 | 1,217 | 73 · More | Falling |
| 2007 | 377 | 95,000 | 4 | 1,130 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 11 | 84,000 | 1 | 91 | — | Not enough data |
| 2005 | 71 | 71,685 | 3 | 151 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 165 | 55,150 | 5 | 168 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 204 | 65,543 | 4 | 145 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2002 | 444 | 50,500 | 2 | 97 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Air bags591 30%
- Brakes346 18%
- Other or unknown317 16%
- Body and structure274 14%
- Electrical system206 10%
- Transmission and drivetrain100 5.1%
- Engine72 3.7%
- Fuel system60 3.1%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2008: “After a couple of years my vehicle developed several cracks in the dash, especially around the airbag. Yesterday I had the airbag recall performed. As a result of the repair, the cracks are now broken pieces. I now fear that in the event of an airbag deployment, shards of sharp plastic will be thrown into the air and could potentially result in severe injury.”
NHTSA complaint #11405930, filed 2021-04, 62,600 miles2009: “My stability control and traction control keep turning off. I have taken it in and the mechanic says it is the steering angel sensor. They cannot fix it because the part is back ordered nation wide. He said it is used on lots of GM platforms. So now at various times I have no stability control or traction control and cannot get the truck fixed.”
NHTSA complaint #11256076, filed 2019-09, 105,000 miles2013: “I'm not exactly sure when it started, but it was fine this summer (I estimated 11/10/18 below). The dashboard has cracked in two spots - drivers side near instrument panel hump, and passenger side near airbag. The cracks are continuing to get larger and the dashboard has stated to vibrate and rattle. I am concerned about a safety hazard in an accident.”
NHTSA complaint #11170635, filed 2019-01, 69,000 milesOther Chevrolet models
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About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology