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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.

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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

What owners actually said

144 reports
101,000 miles · Jul 10, 2014
Service Brakes

TRAVELING APPX 35MPH APPLIED BRAKES TO MAKE LEFT TURN, PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME OR WE WOULD HAVE HIT THEM. BRAKE FLUID POURING FROM UNDER TRUCK, UNDER DRIVER SIDE DOOR AREA. BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO RUST. LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED RUPTURED LINE. I INSPECTED ALL LINE FEW MONTHS LATER AND FOUND THEY WE…

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TRAVELING APPX 35MPH APPLIED BRAKES TO MAKE LEFT TURN, PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME OR WE WOULD HAVE HIT THEM. BRAKE FLUID POURING FROM UNDER TRUCK, UNDER DRIVER SIDE DOOR AREA. BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO RUST. LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED RUPTURED LINE. I INSPECTED ALL LINE FEW MONTHS LATER AND FOUND THEY WERE ALSO IN BAD SHAPE DUE TO RUST. TOOK TO LOCAL GM DEALER $550 TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINE. GM SHOULD HAVE PICKED UP COST FOR NOT USING NON-CORROSIVE BRAKE LINE. VERY LUCK ME AND MY KID DIDN'T GET HURT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609527

55,000 miles · Jun 16, 2014
Electrical System

FIRST INCIDENT OF SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY WORKING OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, AND QUOTED TO FIX BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. OTHER CLUSTER GAUGES BEGAN FAILING COMPLETELY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. FINALLY THE VOLTMETER GAUGE COMPLETELY FAILS THIS YEAR. ENTIRE CLUSTER IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE NOW. …

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FIRST INCIDENT OF SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY WORKING OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, AND QUOTED TO FIX BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. OTHER CLUSTER GAUGES BEGAN FAILING COMPLETELY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. FINALLY THE VOLTMETER GAUGE COMPLETELY FAILS THIS YEAR. ENTIRE CLUSTER IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10598637

55,000 miles · May 12, 2014
Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT READ ANY SPEEDS OVER 20 MPH. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT READ ANY SPEEDS OVER 20 MPH. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ODI #10587757

84,000 miles · Apr 23, 2014
Tires

THE SPARE TIRE SECONDARY LATCH WAS STUCK IN THE HOIST BODY NOT ALLOWING THE SPARE TIRE TO BE RELEASED. THE DEALER, SIERRA CHEVROLET, MONROVIA, CA STATED THAT THE HOIST MECHANISM WAS STRIPPED, NOT ALLOWING THE TIRE TO BE LOWERED. I HAD SEEN THE CABLE LET DOWN BUT THE TIRE NOT COME DOWN AT COSTCO, AZUSA, CA WHERE THEY WERE REPLACI…

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THE SPARE TIRE SECONDARY LATCH WAS STUCK IN THE HOIST BODY NOT ALLOWING THE SPARE TIRE TO BE RELEASED. THE DEALER, SIERRA CHEVROLET, MONROVIA, CA STATED THAT THE HOIST MECHANISM WAS STRIPPED, NOT ALLOWING THE TIRE TO BE LOWERED. I HAD SEEN THE CABLE LET DOWN BUT THE TIRE NOT COME DOWN AT COSTCO, AZUSA, CA WHERE THEY WERE REPLACING MY TIRES, SO I KNOW THE MECHANISM WAS NOT STRIPPED. MY COMPLAIN IS BOTH AGAINST THE DEALER FOR FALSELY REPRESENTING A PROBLEM AND CAUSING ME A COST OF OVER $250 AND FOR THE DESIGN OF THE HOIST WHICH WAS FLAWED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10584381

89,000 miles · Mar 31, 2014
Service Brakes

I CAME AROUND A CURVE AND THERE WAS ROAD WORK GOING ON AND HAD TO STOP REAL QUICK. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE ROTTED. I HAD TO CHANGE EVERY BRAKE LINE ON MY TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576007

113,000 miles · Mar 11, 2014
Engine

THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS FASTNERS ARE SNAPPING OFF WHICH IS CAUSING CARBON MONOXIDE TO FILL THE CABIN AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAZARD JEPORDIZES THE HEALTH OF EVERY PERSON DRIVING OR RIDING AS A PASSENGER IN THE V8 POWERED VEHICLES. THIS IS HAPPENING TO NEWER MODELS AS WELL. GM IS WANTING TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER $1,500-$3,000 TO DU…

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THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS FASTNERS ARE SNAPPING OFF WHICH IS CAUSING CARBON MONOXIDE TO FILL THE CABIN AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAZARD JEPORDIZES THE HEALTH OF EVERY PERSON DRIVING OR RIDING AS A PASSENGER IN THE V8 POWERED VEHICLES. THIS IS HAPPENING TO NEWER MODELS AS WELL. GM IS WANTING TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER $1,500-$3,000 TO DUE REPAIRS FOR DEFECTIVE PARTS.

NHTSA ODI #10568494

126,000 miles · Mar 11, 2014
Service Brakes

WAS HOOKING UP MY TRAILER TO TOW. HAD MY DAUGHTER STEP ON THE BRAKES TO CHECK THE LIGHTS. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND ALARM WENT OFF. FOUND BRAKE FLUID SQUIRTING ONTO THE GROUND. HAD TO HAVE ALL THE BRAKE LINES REPLACED DUE TO RUST BEHIND THE DRIVERS FRONT WHEEL. FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE AND ALL THE …

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WAS HOOKING UP MY TRAILER TO TOW. HAD MY DAUGHTER STEP ON THE BRAKES TO CHECK THE LIGHTS. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND ALARM WENT OFF. FOUND BRAKE FLUID SQUIRTING ONTO THE GROUND. HAD TO HAVE ALL THE BRAKE LINES REPLACED DUE TO RUST BEHIND THE DRIVERS FRONT WHEEL. FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE AND ALL THE CHEVY TRUCKS. ALL IN THE SAME AREA.

NHTSA ODI #10568340

92,910 miles · Mar 2, 2014
Service Brakes

I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WHERE THE LIGHT WAS CHANGING AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T SLOW DOWN. I ENDED UP GOING THROUGH THE RED LIGHT WITH MY SON IN THE CAR; LUCKILY WE DIDN'T GET STRUCK. I HAD TO UTILIZE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I LOOKED UND…

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I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WHERE THE LIGHT WAS CHANGING AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I COULDN'T SLOW DOWN. I ENDED UP GOING THROUGH THE RED LIGHT WITH MY SON IN THE CAR; LUCKILY WE DIDN'T GET STRUCK. I HAD TO UTILIZE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND SAW BRAKE FLUID POURING OUT OF A RUSTED BRAKE LINE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. I HAD A FULL INSPECTION ON 12/23/13 AT HUDSON BUICK PONTIAC GMC IN POUGHKEEPSIE, NY AND ASKED THEM TO SPECIFICALLY CHECK THE BRAKES, WHICH THEY SAID WERE FINE; I GUESS THEY DON'T CHECK THE LINES DURING AN INSPECTION. I HAVE READ THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL GM VEHICLES. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THERE IS SOME SORT OF ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10566674

153,000 miles · Sep 27, 2013
Service Brakes

GOING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY PUSHED ON MY BRAKES AN IT WENT TO THE FLOOR,UNDERNEATHTHE TRUCK BY THE DRIVERS DOOR THE FRAME WAS VERY WET WITH BRAKE FLUID,THE BRAKE LINE HAD BLOWN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10545624

58,137 miles · Sep 10, 2013
Service Brakes

BOTH BRAKE LINES FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS MODULE FAILED RESULTING IN NO BRAKES DUE TO EXCESS RUST ON LINES.CAR FAILED INSPECTION 1 AND SECOND YEAR DUE TO ROTTED ROTORS. ALSO RECENTLY FUEL LEAKING FROM TOP OF FUEL TANK AND FUEL LINES FROM FUEL PUMP MODULE BADLY RUSTED. WORSE YET FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING. DUE CHEAP STEEL. MY 19…

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BOTH BRAKE LINES FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS MODULE FAILED RESULTING IN NO BRAKES DUE TO EXCESS RUST ON LINES.CAR FAILED INSPECTION 1 AND SECOND YEAR DUE TO ROTTED ROTORS. ALSO RECENTLY FUEL LEAKING FROM TOP OF FUEL TANK AND FUEL LINES FROM FUEL PUMP MODULE BADLY RUSTED. WORSE YET FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING. DUE CHEAP STEEL. MY 1998 CHEVY ASTRO IS DRIVEN AND STORED IN LIKE CONDITIONS AND YET DOESN'T SHOW THE RUST LIKE THE AVALANCHE. THANKFULLY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN LINES BLEW. AVALANCHE IS THE FIRST VEHICLE TO HAVE SO MANY SAFETY RELATED PROBLEMS DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. DIDN'T REPORT EARLIER THINKING IT WAS AN ISOLATED CASE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10542971

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.