Your vehicle report
2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 165
- Received Jan 2004 to Nov 2021
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Instrument cluster or speedometer fails38 complaints · 23% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines25 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates9 complaints · 5.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #06V289000On 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.
- Recall #05V163000On certain crew cab pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the 2ND row center occupant seat belt routing may make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of occupants, especially smaller occupants, seated in this position. Appropriate use of a child seat or booster seat, as recommended for small children, does improve the fit condition for this user group. In addition to instructions on proper infant and young child restraint (with child seats or boosters), special verbiage for restraining older child is included in the owner's manual. Also, the suggested seat belt fit/routing for adults, irrespective of seating position, is described in the owner's manual text.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 1 fire, 6 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 14 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 22 |
| 2006 | 16 |
| 2007 | 23 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 14 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 165 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 38 | 23% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 25 | 15% | – | |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 9 | 5.5% | – | |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 6 | 3.6% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 3.0% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 2.4% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 3 | 1.8% | – | NHTSA recall #04V129000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 3 | 1.8% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 3 | 1.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #06V289000August 3, 200638,439 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #05V163000April 22, 20051,359,824 vehicles affected
seat belts: rear/other
On certain crew cab pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the 2ND row center occupant seat belt routing may make it difficult to position the lap portion of the safety belt low around the hips of occupants, especially smaller occupants, seated in this position. Appropriate use of a child seat or booster seat, as recommended for small children, does improve the fit condition for this user group. In addition to instructions on proper infant and young child restraint (with child seats or boosters), special verbiage for restraining older child is included in the owner's manual. Also, the suggested seat belt fit/routing for adults, irrespective of seating position, is described in the owner's manual text.
A lap portion of the seat belt routing that is not low and snug on the hips Can allow the lap belt to ride up on an occupant's abdomen instead of fitting low around their hipbones, and therefore, Can expose them to more risk of abdominal and internal organ injury.
Remedy
Dealers will cut open the guide loop, remove a portion of the loop, and then the remaining two sides should be folded over and secured with a retainer free of charge. The recall began on july 21, 2005. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Gmc at 1-866-996-9463, or Hummer at 1-800-732-5493.
NHTSA recall #05V043000February 8, 200577,411 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic
Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator may crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.
If a separation occurred and the hood of the vehicle were open, fragments from the accumulator could cause injury to people in the immediate area. The presence of this crack or fractured surface could allow the hydraulic fluid to leak from the accumulator circuit of the booster assembly. The loss of fluid would cause increased steering and braking effort and a crash may occur without prior warning.
Remedy
Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on march 23, 2005. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Gmc trucks at 1-866-996-9463 and Hummer at 1-800-732-5493.
NHTSA recall #04V129000March 17, 20043,662,211 vehicles affected
structure: body: tailgate: hinge and attachments
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the galvanized steel tailgate support cables that retain the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position may corrode, weaken, and eventually fracture. If both cables fractured, the tailgate would suddenly drop and strike the top surface of the rear bumper.
Anyone sitting or standing on the horizontal surface of the tailgate when both cables fractured could be injured by falling from the tailgate. On vehicles that have had the bumper removed, the tailgate may drop even lower. Additionally, if there is cargo on the tailgate the cargo may fall off if the support cables fracture.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the cables. Interim owner notification began on april 7, 20004. The recall began on september 24, 2004, when replacement parts were available, and will continue through october 29, 2004. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Gmc at 1-866-996-9463, or visit www.mygmlink.com, and enter your vehicle identification number.
NHTSA recall #04V045000February 4, 200468,875 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic
Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.
Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.
Remedy
Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; Gmc at 1-866-996-9463; or Hummer at 1-866-486-6376.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN