← New search

2005 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Avalanche 1500 years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 38.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

110 reports with mileage · 19 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 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. 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.

1 crash reports4 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

129 reports
111,836 miles · Jul 14, 2015
Fuel/propulsion System

THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LINES RUBBED TOGETHER AND CAUSED A LEAK. I PAID A LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT $1100 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE FUEL LINES AS IT WAS UNSAFE. MY VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER A RECALL BUT IN RESEARCHING, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OTHERS HAVE A RECALL. I OPENED AN INCIDENT WITH CHEVROLET AS A DEFECT BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ASSIST …

Read full complaint

THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LINES RUBBED TOGETHER AND CAUSED A LEAK. I PAID A LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT $1100 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE FUEL LINES AS IT WAS UNSAFE. MY VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER A RECALL BUT IN RESEARCHING, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OTHERS HAVE A RECALL. I OPENED AN INCIDENT WITH CHEVROLET AS A DEFECT BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ASSIST AS MY TRUCK IS OVER 70K MILES AND PASTED THE WARRANTY, THE FUEL LINES ARE NEXT TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND WOULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #10733956

59,645 miles · Feb 27, 2015
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

2005 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500 Z66 (5.3L FLEX FUEL). SUDDEN WARNING FROM INFO CENTER ON DASH THAT STABILITRAK HAD BEEN DISABLED. TRACTION CONTROL OFF AND THEFT DETERRENT WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON UNTIL VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. TRUCK WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AFTER APPROX. 1 MINUTE. ALL SYSTEMS NORMAL WHEN…

Read full complaint

2005 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500 Z66 (5.3L FLEX FUEL). SUDDEN WARNING FROM INFO CENTER ON DASH THAT STABILITRAK HAD BEEN DISABLED. TRACTION CONTROL OFF AND THEFT DETERRENT WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON UNTIL VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. TRUCK WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AFTER APPROX. 1 MINUTE. ALL SYSTEMS NORMAL WHEN RESTARTED. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND WHEN IT RETURNED LATER THAT SAME NIGHT, INNOVA CODE READER WAS AT THE READY. P1626 CODE SUGGESTED LOSS OF COMMUNICATION WITH MODULES AMONG OTHER ISSUES. PROBLEM VERY SIMILAR TO ANOTHER COMPLAINT [10631837] IN A 4-WHEEL DRIVE AVALANCHE--MY TRUCK HAS 2-WHEEL DRIVE. WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO WILLING TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT MY 2007 AVALANCHE LTZ 4-WHEEL DRIVE (5.3 FLEX FUEL) ALSO HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE LOSS OF COMMUNICATION/VOLTAGE DROP EVENTS AMONG INTERNAL COMPONENTS WITH WACKY EVENTS WHILE EITHER DRIVING OR WHILE PARKED [TO INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO FLICKERING HEADLIGHTS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGING AT SPEED EITHER BY ITSELF OR WHEN LANE CHANGE/TURN SIGNAL ACTIVATED, HVAC HEAD UNIT GOING OFF AND RESETTING, NAV/RADIO GOING OFF WITH A "POP", DRIVERS DOOR CONTROL PANEL FLASHING ALONG WITH HEADLIGHTS AS TRUCK IS PARKED @ NITE, A DRIVERS SEAT THAT MOVES ALL THE WAY FORWARD AS THE DOORS ARE UNLOCKED WITH THE REMOTE (EASY EXIT FEATURE NEVER USED BY ME), REVERSE MIRROR TILT ACTIVE (THOUGH NEVER SET TO DO SO), ONLY REAR DOORS LOCKING WHEN REMOTE PUSHED--2 FRONT DOORS HAD TO BE MANUALLY LOCKED, ENGINE HOURS BACK TO ZERO, ETC]. NO IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUES TO DATE, BUT STABILITRAK TURNING ITSELF OFF WHILE DRIVING WAS NOT REASSURING [AND COULD POSE A DANGER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND/OR HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.] DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE PROBLEM(S), BUT HAS SUGGESTED A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE OEM BATTERY CABLES--MINE TESTED OK PER DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10690995

94,459 miles · Jan 28, 2015
Power Train

WHILE CRUISING ON RT 101 AT 65 MPH, VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DOWNSHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR FOR NO REASON. IN RESPONSE, I WAS FORCED TO DECELERATE TO 35 MPH. TRIED EXPLICITLY PLACING VEHICLE IN THIRD INSTEAD OF "D" FOR DRIVE, BUT, THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS UNRESPONSIVE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A "HOT TRANSMISSION" MESSAGE APPEARED ON DASH A…

Read full complaint

WHILE CRUISING ON RT 101 AT 65 MPH, VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY DOWNSHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR FOR NO REASON. IN RESPONSE, I WAS FORCED TO DECELERATE TO 35 MPH. TRIED EXPLICITLY PLACING VEHICLE IN THIRD INSTEAD OF "D" FOR DRIVE, BUT, THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS UNRESPONSIVE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A "HOT TRANSMISSION" MESSAGE APPEARED ON DASH AND I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED FLUIDS. FLUIDS LOOKED GOOD. DROVE VEHICLE HOME IN SECOND GEAR WITHOUT ISSUE. UPON INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT MY AVALANCHE WAS BUILT WITH A WIDELY RECOGNIZED DESIGN FLAW AND UNDERSIZED TRANSMISSION. VARIOUS SOURCES SUGGESTED I FILE COMPLAINT THIS ADDRESS: HTTPS://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/VEHICLECOMPLAINT/INDEX.XHTML. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679380

Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2014
Air BagsPower TrainTraction Control System

2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG AND TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE LIGHTS CAME ON ALSO THE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE STABILITY SYSTEM WAS DISABLED. *SMD

NHTSA ODI #10631837

122,072 miles · Jul 18, 2014
Service Brakes

FRONT BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH SPEWING BRAKE FLUID. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10614498

54,000 miles · Jul 11, 2014
Service Brakes

I WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT. AN ANIMAL RAN IN FRONT OF ME. I STEPPED HARD ON THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE RIGHT FRONT STEEL BRAKE LINE RUPTURED. UPON FURTHER TESTING, THE LEFT FRONT STEEL BRAKE LINE ALSO RUPTURE…

Read full complaint

I WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT. AN ANIMAL RAN IN FRONT OF ME. I STEPPED HARD ON THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE RIGHT FRONT STEEL BRAKE LINE RUPTURED. UPON FURTHER TESTING, THE LEFT FRONT STEEL BRAKE LINE ALSO RUPTURED. BOTH LINES WERE RUSTY. THE LINES DID NOT APPEAR TO BE COATED. NEW BRAKE LINES FROM NAPA HAD A COATING. WHEN THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION, THE REAR BRAKES DID VERY LITTLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LINES IS NOT A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ITEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609807

36,000 miles · May 9, 2014
Power Train

SERVICE 4WHEEL DRIVE MESSAGE APPEARS. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED NUMEROUS TIMES. NO CODES ARE LISTED IN THE ONBOARD COMPUTER. TECHNICIANS CANNOT IDENTIFY THE FAILING COMPONENT. THEY REPLACE PARTS UNTIL THE MESSAGE GOES AWAY. THE VEHICLE SHIFTS INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES. THIS…

Read full complaint

SERVICE 4WHEEL DRIVE MESSAGE APPEARS. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED NUMEROUS TIMES. NO CODES ARE LISTED IN THE ONBOARD COMPUTER. TECHNICIANS CANNOT IDENTIFY THE FAILING COMPONENT. THEY REPLACE PARTS UNTIL THE MESSAGE GOES AWAY. THE VEHICLE SHIFTS INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NUMEROUS TIMES. THIS HAPPENS DURING HIGH HUMIDITY OR RAINY CONDITIONS. NUMEROUS TSB HAVE BEEN ISSUED. ONE COMMON CAUSE IS WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR THAT IS PRONE TO FAIL DUE TO MOISTURE. CHEVY HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587502

38,000 miles · May 9, 2014
Air Bags

SERVICE AIR BAG GOES ON AND HAS BEEN DOING SO EVER SINCE THEN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN HUMIDITY IS HIGH OR AFTER A RAIN. IT STAYS ON UNTIL THINGS DRY OUT. HOWEVER, WHEN THIS IS ON THE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587500

106,226 miles · Nov 22, 2013
Fuel/propulsion System

VEHICLE RUNNING FINE AND NO WARNING LIGHTS - NOTICED FUEL SMELL IN GARAGE AND TOOK IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND SEE WHAT'S UP - FOUND THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WAS A PUDDLE OF FUEL AND WAS RUNNING DOWN SIDES. HAD THE TANK DROPPED AND FOUND THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP WAS ROTTED AWAY WHERE THE PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES EXIT PUMP AND…

Read full complaint

VEHICLE RUNNING FINE AND NO WARNING LIGHTS - NOTICED FUEL SMELL IN GARAGE AND TOOK IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND SEE WHAT'S UP - FOUND THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WAS A PUDDLE OF FUEL AND WAS RUNNING DOWN SIDES. HAD THE TANK DROPPED AND FOUND THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP WAS ROTTED AWAY WHERE THE PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES EXIT PUMP AND BEFORE THEY ATTACH TO THE PLASTIC FUEL LINES. ONLY LEAKS WHEN VEHICLE RUNNING SO HAD NO SPOTS IN GARAGE BUT WAS LEAKING ALOT WHILE DRIVING - 25 MILE DRIVE TO SHOP USED 7 GALLONS OF FUEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10553320

160,000 miles · Nov 4, 2013
Fuel System, Gasoline

I HAVE 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE..I'D BEEN SMELLING GAS EVERYDAY I DROVE THE TRUCK FOR ABOUT A WEEK. I LEFT WORK AND MADE IT HOME ONE DAY AND GAS WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE DRIVE WAY. I CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL, BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VIN ACCORDING TO GM. I WILL NEED TO HA…

Read full complaint

I HAVE 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE..I'D BEEN SMELLING GAS EVERYDAY I DROVE THE TRUCK FOR ABOUT A WEEK. I LEFT WORK AND MADE IT HOME ONE DAY AND GAS WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE DRIVE WAY. I CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL, BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VIN ACCORDING TO GM. I WILL NEED TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE TO A GM DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10550851

Official recalls

1

06V289000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Aug 3, 2006

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AN 8.1L V8 (RPO L8-VIN G) ENGINE HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL PULSE DAMPER RETAINER CLIP MAY FRACTURE RESULTING IN INADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE DAMPER.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE DAMPER COMES LOOSE, A FUEL LEAK MAY RESULT. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL PULSE DAMPER RETAINER CLIP FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC TRUCKS AT 1-866-996-9463.

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.