FaultScore

Worst years for a Chevrolet Avalanche

Owners have filed 2,473 complaints about the Chevrolet Avalanche with NHTSA across model years 2000 to 2013. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

2002 Chevrolet Avalanche

562 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

2006 Chevrolet Avalanche

14 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Chevrolet Avalanche year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2013 A 105 2 0 57,000 Other & Unspecified
2012 C 43 4 0 39,500 Other & Unspecified
2011 B 161 3 0 62,500 Airbags
2010 A 147 0 0 62,115 Airbags
2009 A 96 4 1 75,000 Airbags
2008 C 323 7 4 72,000 Airbags
2007 D 493 14 13 96,250 Airbags
2006 A 14 1 0 78,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2005 B 85 3 0 77,000 Electrical System
2004 C 202 9 1 52,341 Electrical System
2003 C 238 11 2 65,322 Brakes
2002 F 562 52 0 45,000 Brakes
2001 2 0 0 Engine & Cooling
2000 2 0 0 Brakes

What breaks on a Chevrolet Avalanche

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 593 24.0%

Worst in 2007

Brakes 373 15.1%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2007

Body & Structure 275 11.1%

Worst in 2007

Worst in 2004

Engine & Cooling 136 5.5%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2002

Steering 52 2.1%

Worst in 2002

Tires 51 2.1%

Worst in 2002

Suspension 50 2.0%

Worst in 2002

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2007

Exactly what failed on a Chevrolet Avalanche

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Body 121 32.4%
Instrument Cluster/Panel 65 17.4%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 55 14.7%
Hinge AND Attachments 35 9.4%
Rotor 22 5.9%
Automatic Transmission 20 5.4%
Tread/Belt 15 4.0%
Frontal 15 4.0%
Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire 13 3.5%
Engine 12 3.2%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Chevrolet Avalanche, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Aug 2001 peak 60 Apr 2026

Chevrolet Avalanche problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Chevrolet Avalanche

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.