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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
120,000 miles · Sep 1, 2013
Service Brakes

BRAKE LINE RUPTURED FROM RUST. CHEV DEALER WANTED $2600 TO REPLACE/FIX 2004 CHEV AVALANCHE BRAKE LINES. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10538280

65,000 miles · May 6, 2013
Service Brakes

I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND LOST BRAKING ABILITY. THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, WHEN THAT HAPPENED THE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON WITH AN AUDIBLE ALARM. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS COMING OUT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD FR…

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I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND LOST BRAKING ABILITY. THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, WHEN THAT HAPPENED THE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON WITH AN AUDIBLE ALARM. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS COMING OUT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD FROM THE SPRAYING BRAKE FLUID. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED ALL BRAKE LINES TO BE IN SIMILAR CONDITION WITH A POTENTIAL FAILURE IMMINENT. ALL BRAKE LINES NEED TO BE REPLACED AND WILL COST OVER $1,000. THE TRUCK IS NOT USED EXCESSIVELY AND HAS LOW MILEAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510783

100,117 miles · Apr 3, 2013
Service Brakes

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE WITH OUR 3-YEAR-OLD SON IN THE BACK SEAT. WHEN SHE TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND IT TOOK A GREAT DISTANCE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS CLOSE TO HOME, SO SHE RETURNED AND PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WORK, I FILLED THE RESERVOIR W…

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE WITH OUR 3-YEAR-OLD SON IN THE BACK SEAT. WHEN SHE TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND IT TOOK A GREAT DISTANCE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS CLOSE TO HOME, SO SHE RETURNED AND PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WORK, I FILLED THE RESERVOIR WITH BRAKE FLUID, WHICH WAS INSTANTLY DRAINED. I LOOKED UNDER THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE TO FIND THE BRAKE FLUID POURING OUT ON TO MY DRIVEWAY. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. ESTIMATED COST IS $1600 TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES AND THE CYLINDERS THAT HAVE BECOME FUSED TO THE LINES BY THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF RUST. I DO NOT LIVE IN AN AREA OF THE COUNTRY WHERE ROADS TREATED FOR SNOW IS A CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10505474

118,052 miles · Dec 31, 2012
Electrical System

OIL PRESSURE AND WATER TEMPERTURE GAUGE'S PEGGED OUT TO THE HIGH SIDE AND WILL NOT RETURN TO NORMAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10490577

80,200 miles · Dec 3, 2012
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE FROM 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED, CAUSING ALL OF THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE FROM 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED, CAUSING ALL OF THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND REPAIRS. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,200.

NHTSA ODI #10487144

99,000 miles · Nov 19, 2012
Electrical System

IN MAY 2012 I BOUGHT A USED 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, I NOTICED ISSUES WITH MY SPEEDOMETER. I FIRST NOTICED IT ON A SMALL TRIP WHERE I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO ZERO. I PULLED OVER FOR A MINUTE TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG, AND IT SEEMED THAT AFT…

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IN MAY 2012 I BOUGHT A USED 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, I NOTICED ISSUES WITH MY SPEEDOMETER. I FIRST NOTICED IT ON A SMALL TRIP WHERE I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO ZERO. I PULLED OVER FOR A MINUTE TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG, AND IT SEEMED THAT AFTER THE TRUCK WAS SHUT OFF FOR A BIT (NEED TO COOL DOWN??), IT STARTED WORKING OK AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN, NOT USUALLY ON SHORT RUNS, BUT MORE WHEN THE TRUCK HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE. ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE SPEEDOMETER WAS WHEN I WAS HAULING A SMALL UTILITY TRAILER, AND GOING UP A HILL, IT DID IT AGAIN. SOMEONE TOLD ME TO CHECK OUT RECALLS AND I FOUND THIS SITE WHERE I SEE THAT MANY, MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME, OR VERY SIMILAR ISSUES. IF THERE ARE SO MANY WITH THESE SAME TYPES OF ISSUES, WHY ISN'T THE MANUFACTURER DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT, OR AT LEAST INVESTIGATING IT? I AM MILITARY, AND I CANNOT AFFORD ANY TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE VIOLATION ON MY MILITARY RECORD, NOR CAN I AFFORD A SPEEDING TICKET...JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. MY PERMANENT ADDRESS IS TYRONE, PA, BUT I AM STATIONED AT FT. BENNING, GA WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. SINCE I LIVE IN BARRACKS, I'VE LISTED MY PERMANENT HOME RESIDENCE IN PA. PHONE CONTACT NUMBER IS GOOD, AND ANY MAILINGS SHOULD GO TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BELOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485147

60,134 miles · Jun 29, 2012
Service Brakes

LEAVING THE YANKEE STADIUM PARKING LOT IN THE BRONX . TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY! THE TRAFFIC WAS STOP AND GO . UPON STOPPING I FELT THE PEDAL GO TO THE FLOOR AND SMELLED BRAKE FLUID . I PULLED OVER AND NOTICE THE SPLIT IN THE BRAKE LINE NEAR THE CHASSIE . I THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME. THE TRUCK IS A 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE WITH 60,21…

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LEAVING THE YANKEE STADIUM PARKING LOT IN THE BRONX . TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY! THE TRAFFIC WAS STOP AND GO . UPON STOPPING I FELT THE PEDAL GO TO THE FLOOR AND SMELLED BRAKE FLUID . I PULLED OVER AND NOTICE THE SPLIT IN THE BRAKE LINE NEAR THE CHASSIE . I THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME. THE TRUCK IS A 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE WITH 60,213 MILES ON IT. THE BRAKE LINE WAS SPLIT ON THE DRIVER SIDE CHASSIE. IT WAS NOT THE RUBBER LINE GOING TO THE CALIPER BUT THE STAINLESS LINE FEED THE SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10463526

86,000 miles · Oct 13, 2011
Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS THAT WILL NOT TURN OFF/ (MOISTURE SENSITIVE WIPER SYSTEM), BECAUSE THE PRESENCE OF WATER WITHIN THE WIPER MODULES CAN EITHER CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT OR CAN LEAD TO THE CORROSION OF COMPONENTS WITHIN THE MODULE. DEFECT CONSEQUENCE: DEPENDING ON THE OCCURRENCE AND WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COUL…

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WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS THAT WILL NOT TURN OFF/ (MOISTURE SENSITIVE WIPER SYSTEM), BECAUSE THE PRESENCE OF WATER WITHIN THE WIPER MODULES CAN EITHER CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT OR CAN LEAD TO THE CORROSION OF COMPONENTS WITHIN THE MODULE. DEFECT CONSEQUENCE: DEPENDING ON THE OCCURRENCE AND WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. SAME CONDITION AS RECALL ID FROM NHTSA: 04V046000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10430081

150,000 miles · Sep 20, 2011
Electrical System

THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER WAS STICKING FOR ABOUT 5 MILES. THEN, THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER STOPPED ON 60 MPH PERMANENTLY. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN STUCK AT 60 MPH AND POSES A SIGNIFCANT SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO, SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL 1500 SERIES CHEVROLET PICK-UP TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10426440

81,494 miles · Aug 17, 2011
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER BEGAN WORKING ERRATICALLY AND THEN NOT AT ALL. DEALERSHIP REPLACED "STEPPER MOTOR CLUTCH". CHARGED FOR LABOR ONLY. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10419798

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.