2004 Chevrolet Avalanche

MY 2004 AVALANCHE STARTED MAKING KNOCKING SOUNDS WHEN TURNING CORNERS - TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND $700 LATER AND A NEW STEERING YOKE THE KNOCK WAS SQUELCHED (NOT GONE) AND THE SPEEDOMETER COINCIDENTALLY STARTED MOVING LIKE A SECOND-HAND ON A WATCH (JERKY) - TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY WANT $525 FOR A NEW CLUSTER THAT THEY SAY IS NOT COMMON - LOOKING ON THE WEB, I FOUND THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH AVALANCHES AND THE WAITING LIST CAN BE IN THE HUNDREDS BEFORE ME - IF THIS IS SO COMMON, WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL AND WHY DOES THE DEALER DENY THE NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES? *NM

(1) 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. 119,000 MILES, 95% INTERSTATE. VEHICLE DOES NOT TOW, GO OFF ROAD, OR ENGAGE IN OTHER ACTIVITIES WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE STRESS ON THE DRIVE TRAIN BEYOND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. TRANSMISSION HAS RECEIVED REGULAR MAINTENANCE PER THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS. (2) PART FAILED DURING MERGE ONTO HIGHWAY FROM COMPLETE STOP. FAILURE RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS TO VEHICLE, MAKING ACCELERATION VERY DIFFICULT AND MAXIMIZING VEHICLE SPEED AT 35 MPH. TRAFFIC BEHIND VEHICLE HAD TO SIGNIFICANTLY SLOW DOWN TO AVOID ACCIDENT. (3) DEALER REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER AND IMMEDIATELY SHIPPED PART OFF SITE BEFORE REQUEST FOR RETURNED PART. DEALER CLAIMS CUSTOMER ABUSE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY VIBRATED. TOTAL CONTROL WAS LOST OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER INTO THE OTHER LANE RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE HITTING THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, POPPING NOISES WERE HEARD WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT GOING FORWARD AND IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD WAS BROKEN. THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NOT A POLICE REPORT FILED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, A BRAKING SITUATION OCCURED, AND EXTRA EFFORT WAS NEEDED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER IS AT FAULT. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 04V045000. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

MY HUSBAND, MY TWO CHILDREN AND I WERE ALL IN OUR 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE K1500, HEADED TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING, GOING DOWN THE STREET WE LIVE ON. MY HUSBAND, WHO WAS DRIVING, TURNED ON THE CROSS STREET. ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERY ONE HEARD A BIG CLUNK, LIKE SOME THING HAD DROPPED. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. MY HUSBAND DROVE OUR VEHICLE BACKWARDS ALL THE WAY HOME. IT WAS PARKED FOR A FEW WEEKS, WHILE WE CONTACTED AAA, THE MANUFACTURER, AND LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIPS TO FIND OUT ABOUT REPAIR AND WARRANTIES. WE BELIEVE THIS IS A FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 39000 MILES, JUST OVER THE WRITTEN WARRANTY, WHICH IS 36000. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS BUT ADVISED US TO TAKE IT IN TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM THE DIAGNOSTICS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BE TESTED BY A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN REDDING, CA. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY WILL DO TO REPAIR THE CONFIRMED "TRANSMISSION" PROBLEM. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT HAS RESULTED IN OUR LOSS OF USE OF A VEHICLE THAT WAS WITHIN ITS NORMAL EXPECTED USE AND REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL BURDEN. I HAVE ALSO CONTACT THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. I WAS PLEASE TO KNOW THAT THE VEHICLE MAY STILL BE WITHIN ITS IMPLIED WARRANTY (FIRST FOUR YEARS) AND THE RIGHT TO REVOKE PURCHASE MAY BE AN OPTION IF THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP REFUSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT NO COST TO US. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, MAY BE MORE WIDESPREAD, AND FELT I SHOULD REPORT THIS DEFECT OF THE CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2004 K1500, FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN CASE OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *JB

THE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE QUIT WORKING. PREVIOUSLY, IT HAD TEMPORARILY STUCK OR HESITATED OCCASIONALLY BUT THEN WAS OKAY. NOW IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. THE ODOMETER AND ALL THE OTHER GAUGES/INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INDICATORS ARE STILL WORKING. OBVIOUSLY, NOT KNOWING ONES' SPEED CREATES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. IN ORDER TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE THE DEALER STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND SENT TO THE GM REPAIR/REPLACE FACILITY IN TEXAS. COST; APPROXIMATELY $400.00 DOLLARS AND TAKE 7-10 DAYS. SINCE MY AVALANCHE HAS 42,000 MILES THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, AND IS TO COSTLY FOR ME TO REPAIR AT THIS TIME. *NM