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2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Avalanche 1500 years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 38.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
144Owner complaints

Model-year median: 38

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 144 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Electrical System: 53 reports
  • Service Brakes: 32 reports
  • Air Bags: 12 reports
  • Steering: 10 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 7 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    154
    2002    182
    2003    144
    2004    129
    2005    39
    2006    113
    2007
    Compare all Avalanche 1500 years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Electrical System
    53    Service Brakes
    32    Air Bags
    12    Steering
    10    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    7
    All reported categories
    Structure
    7    Vehicle Speed Control
    7    Tires
    6    Power Train
    5    Engine
    4    Seat Belts
    4    Unknown Or Other
    4    Visibility
    4    Fuel/propulsion System
    3    Engine And Engine Cooling
    2    Equipment
    2    Fuel System, Gasoline
    2    Latches/locks/linkages
    2    Electronic Stability Control (esc)
    1    Exterior Lighting
    1    Seats
    1    Suspension
    1    Wheels
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    124 reports with mileage · 20 unknown

    NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

    What to inspect

    Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

    • Electrical System. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Service Brakes. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    7 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

    Equipment complaints

    2 reports
    Clear category filter
    80,000 miles · Oct 24, 2008
    EquipmentService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

    I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE DUE TO THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM GOING OUT WHICH MAKES THE POWER STEERING GO OUT AS WELL. PRIOR TO THE SYSTEM GOING COMPLETELY OUT IT OCCASIONALLY IT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN THE STEERI NG WHEEL UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE I CONTACTED THE RECALL DEPARTMENT IN REFERENCED TO THIS BUT THE…

    Read full complaint

    I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE DUE TO THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM GOING OUT WHICH MAKES THE POWER STEERING GO OUT AS WELL. PRIOR TO THE SYSTEM GOING COMPLETELY OUT IT OCCASIONALLY IT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN THE STEERI NG WHEEL UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE I CONTACTED THE RECALL DEPARTMENT IN REFERENCED TO THIS BUT THEY STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE IS THE YEAR AND MODEL FITTING THE RECALL MY VIN DOES NOT FALL IN THE BATCH. WHY IS THIS WHEN I AM HAVING THE PROBLEM WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE BRAKES GOING OUT. CAN THIS BE RECTIFIED. I HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED BUT IT STARTED AGAIN. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10246610

    Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 2007
    EquipmentUnknown Or Other

    ONSTAR SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE BACKUP BATTERY RENDERING STOLEN VEHICLE RECOVERY INOPERATIVE IF THE VEHICLE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED. ACCIDENT ASSISTANCE IS ALSO UNAVAILABLE IF THE BATTERY IS DESTROYED/DISCONNECTED IN A COLLISION BECAUSE THERE IS NO BATTERY BACKUP. THIS IS MADE EVEN MORE LIKELY BY THE VEHICLE BATTERY BEING SITUATED…

    Read full complaint

    ONSTAR SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE BACKUP BATTERY RENDERING STOLEN VEHICLE RECOVERY INOPERATIVE IF THE VEHICLE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED. ACCIDENT ASSISTANCE IS ALSO UNAVAILABLE IF THE BATTERY IS DESTROYED/DISCONNECTED IN A COLLISION BECAUSE THERE IS NO BATTERY BACKUP. THIS IS MADE EVEN MORE LIKELY BY THE VEHICLE BATTERY BEING SITUATED AT THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THROUGH ONSTAR WOULD ALSO NOT BE AVAILABLE IN THE CASE OF A BATTERY FAILURE BECAUSE THERE IS NO BATTERY BACKUP TO POWER THE ONSTAR SYSTEM. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10212583

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.