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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
50,000 miles · Aug 5, 2011
Electrical System

2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500 2WD SPEDOMETER BECAME ERRATIC AND STOPED WORKING. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED WITH THE TACHOMETER ACTING ERRATIC, IT STOPPED ACTIN FUNNY AND THEN THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN ACTING CRAZY AND THEN STUCK. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10417712

20,000 miles · Jun 18, 2011
Air Bags

2004 AVALANCHE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2005 DEALERSHIP REPLACE AIRBAG UNIT SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2007 DEALERSHIP CLAIMED WIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2009 VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY AND LIGHT NOW STAYS ON WITH NO APPARENT FIX AVAILABLE STARTED RESEARCHING FORUMS ON THE INTERNET…

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2004 AVALANCHE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2005 DEALERSHIP REPLACE AIRBAG UNIT SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2007 DEALERSHIP CLAIMED WIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2009 VEHICLE OUT OF WARRANTY AND LIGHT NOW STAYS ON WITH NO APPARENT FIX AVAILABLE STARTED RESEARCHING FORUMS ON THE INTERNET AND REALIZED THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHER GM VEHICLES ARE RUNNING INTO THE SAME ISSUE NO DEATHS FROM LACK OF DEPLOYMENT IN MY TRUCK TO REPORT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10407377

74,854 miles · May 25, 2011
Air Bags

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAIN ON AT ALL TIMES NOW. HAS BEEN AN HABITUAL PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR VEHICLE, YET MULTIPLE DEALERS ARE UNWILLING TO HELP WITH THIS OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10402636

147,424 miles · Apr 4, 2011
Electrical System

WAS DRIVING MY 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING FUNNY. WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY IN UPWARD INCREMENTS OF ONE MILE PER HOUR, WHILE STICKING AND JUMPING ON EACH INCREMENT. THEN, IT JUST FLAT QUIT! NOT KNOWING THE MECHANICS OF MY VEHICLES SPEEDOMETER (IE; SPEEDO CABLE, ELECT…

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WAS DRIVING MY 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING FUNNY. WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY IN UPWARD INCREMENTS OF ONE MILE PER HOUR, WHILE STICKING AND JUMPING ON EACH INCREMENT. THEN, IT JUST FLAT QUIT! NOT KNOWING THE MECHANICS OF MY VEHICLES SPEEDOMETER (IE; SPEEDO CABLE, ELECTRONIC, OR WHAT HAVE YOU), WENT ONLINE TO SEARCH THIS OUT. FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY OF THIS INCIDENT HAPPENING WITH CONSUMERS. SEEMS THAT GM REFUSES TO RECALL THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM?? HAVE READ THAT THIS CAN COST UPWARDS OF $600 TO REPAIR? JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK/AVALANCHE (USED) FROM A DEALER IN PORTLAND, OREGON. CAN I GET ANY HELP WITH GETTING THIS REPAIRED? FROM MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT I HAVE READ (ONLINE), THERE ARE SEVERAL "STEP MOTORS". THESE STEP MOTORS ARE APPARENTLY A POOR (DESIGN) PRODUCT, AND ARE THE SAME FOR THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ETC. ALSO READ THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL BUILT BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER, THAT (EVENTUALLY) THEY WILL ALL FAIL? IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT GM IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS, FROM THE INFORMATION OBTAINED (ONLINE). I AM HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE REPAIRED FOR ME, FREE OF CHARGE, THRU GM?? HOW DO I KNOW HOW FAST I AM GOING? WHAT IF I GET A TICKET? WHAT IF MY OTHER INSTRUMENTS FAIL? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10394145

85,970 miles · Mar 28, 2011
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FUNCTIONED ERRATICALLY. MOST RECENTLY, IT WAS STUCK AT THE HIGHEST SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTUR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FUNCTIONED ERRATICALLY. MOST RECENTLY, IT WAS STUCK AT THE HIGHEST SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,970. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN UPDATED 05/18/11

NHTSA ODI #10393096

90,672 miles · Nov 15, 2010
Electrical System

ON THE 2004 AVALANCHE Z71 THE SPEED GAUGE GETS STUCK THEREFORE MAKING A SAFETY HAZARD. NOT BEEN ABLE TO KNOW YOUR SPEED COULD END UP DEADLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10365665

64,680 miles · Aug 31, 2010
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE WHICH I BOUGHT NEW THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A T-BONE COLLISION AT APPROX. 35 MPH ACROSS THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE . THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SHOULDER HARNESS LATCH EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON. I FEEL THIS MAY BE A SAFETY CONCERN SO I AM MAKING YOU AWARE OF THIS.PROBLEM SINCE I W…

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I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE WHICH I BOUGHT NEW THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A T-BONE COLLISION AT APPROX. 35 MPH ACROSS THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE . THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SHOULDER HARNESS LATCH EVEN THOUGH I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON. I FEEL THIS MAY BE A SAFETY CONCERN SO I AM MAKING YOU AWARE OF THIS.PROBLEM SINCE I WAS INJURED . THE CAR I HIT HAD PULLED OUT OF A SHOPPING CENTER ACOSS IN FRONT OF ME IT WAS A CHEVY CAVALIER , WHICH I HIT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10353075

126,450 miles · Jul 7, 2010
Air Bags

2004 AVALANCHE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. READ NUMEROUS FORUMS AND THIS SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO CHARGE DUE TO A SAFETY ISSUE. A LOT OF CHEVY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10341746

80,000 miles · Jun 30, 2010
Electrical SystemVisibility

WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL NOT CUT OFF. LEFT SIDE OF DASH BLOWS HOT AIR WHILE THE RIGHT SIDE BLOWS COLD AIR WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10340818

46,000 miles · Apr 30, 2010
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT DIFFERENT RATES OF SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN DRIVING, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD FLUCTUATE SO HE HAD TO USE GPS TO FIND OUT HOW FAST HE WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMP…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT DIFFERENT RATES OF SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN DRIVING, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD FLUCTUATE SO HE HAD TO USE GPS TO FIND OUT HOW FAST HE WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,200.

NHTSA ODI #10328275

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.