Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500 with NHTSA between 2007 and 2024.
The largest single group is the brakes.
Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 3 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 17
Against the median year of the Chevrolet Avalanche 2500. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 0
0% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2003 compares with every other Chevrolet Avalanche 2500
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Brakes
660.0%
Median failure at 120,000 miles
Body & Structure
220.0%
Median failure at 38,000 miles
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
110.0%
Median failure at 38,000 miles
Electrical System
110.0%
Median failure at 54,000 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
25,000 – 49,999 miles
225.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
112.5%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
337.5%
150,000+ miles
225.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 2007peak 2Aug 2024
NHTSA investigations into the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA11001Opened 5 Jan 2011Closed 8 Apr 2015SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Brake line corrosion failure
On January 11, 2011, ODI opened EA11-001 to investigate allegations of premature brake line corrosion failure in model year (MY) 1999 through 2003 General Motors (GM) full-size pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles sold or registered in the following region of the United States that NHTSA has viewed as salt states for investigations of corrosion related issues:Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wis...
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Trivoli, IL
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes lines broke while in traffic at stop light. Manage to drive in low gear 1/2 block to repair shop. They replaced the lines
NHTSA complaint #11606301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 222,000 milesBEL AIR, MD
SERVICE BRAKES
SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT THE BRAKES FAILED. HOLDING THE BRAKE WHILE WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE, THE PEDAL ALL OF A SUDDEN WENT TO THE FLOOR. WHEN I BEGAN MOVING I HAD TO KEEP THE TRUCK BELOW 30 MPH TO ALLOW THE BRAKES TO WORK WITH INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE FACTORED IN. AFTER ABOUT A 5 MILE DRIVE HOME, CHECKED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED A LEAK FROM RUSTED BRAKE LINES NEAR THE DRIVER'S DOOR. TRUCK CANNOT BE SAFELY DRIVEN UNTIL RUSTED LINES ARE REPLACED. NO ABILITY TO MAKE A REGULAR STOP MUCH LESS AN EMERGENCY STOP IN THE PRESENT CONDITION.
NHTSA complaint #10859894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 100,000 milesAllentown, PA
SERVICE BRAKES
2003 2500 AVALANCHE BRAKE LINES HEAVILY RUSTED DEEP PITS BELOW DRIVER SEAT AND ALONG LEFT FRAME RAIL WILL REPLACE.
NHTSA complaint #10712897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 120,000 milesDubuque, IA
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAVE A 2003 TRUCK THAT IS REGULARLY SERVICED AT GM DEALERSHIPS AND ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL SHOP. I ALTERNATE SHOPS TO MAKE SURE I AM GETTING THE BEST SERVICE AND MAKING SURE ANY PROBLEMS ARE CAUGHT BEFORE THEY ARE SERIOUS. I WASH MY TRUCK ON A REGULAR BASIS ALWAYS GETTING THE UNDERBODY/CHASSIS WASHED OFF. SO, THE VEHICLE IS TAKEN CARE OF AND KEPT UP.THE INCIDENT ABOVE LUCKILY HAPPENED WHEN I WAS BACKING UP MY TRUCK TO CONNECT TO A TRAILER. THE BRAKE LINES BURST UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE LEAKING OIL ALL OVER WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED LIGHTLY.. GLAD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FULLY LOADED DRIVING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE ON A WEEKDAY. SINCE THERE ARE SEVERAL SCHOOLS AND BUS STOPS NEAR ME. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR PROFESSIONALLY THE LINES KEPT DEVELOPING LEAKS AFFECTING SEVERAL LINES AND DIFFERENT AREAS. NOT ONCE DID EITHER OF THE SHOPS INCLUDING GM DEALERSHIP EVER TELL ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY BRAKE LINES. IF YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO CHECK THIS AS A REGULAR MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAN WHY DON'T GM SHOPS DO IT. THERE IS NO EXCUSE WHY THESE LINES ARE FAILING THIS SOON, OTHER THAN INFERIOR MATERIALS BEING USED. IT SEEMS GM USED INFERIOR STEEL MATERIAL IN THE EARLY 2000S AS CAN BE SEEN BY THE CORROSION THAT IS SEEN ON TRUCKS OF THIS ERA. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH CORROSION ON VEHICLES OF SIMILAR AGE FROM OTHER YEARS. THE SCARY PART IS THESE TRUCKS USUALLY HAVE SEVERAL TONS OF WEIGHT BEHIND THEM, LET ALONE THE TRUCKS OWN WEIGHT OF OVER 3 TONS. EVERYDAY THESE VEHICLES ARE ON OUR HIGHWAYS AND STREETS DRIVING THROUGH RESIDENTIAL AND SCHOOL ZONES. WHEN YOU LOSE BRAKES YOU ARE NOT GOING TO REGAIN CONTROL UNTIL SOMETHING STOPS IT AND THE TONS ON BACK OF IT.
NHTSA complaint #10667608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 170,000 milesGoodrich, MI
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES SUDDENLY GAVE OUT. PEDAL FELL TO FLOOR AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO BE REPAIRED I WAS TOLD ALL THE BRAKE LINES ROTTED OUT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS BECAUSE BY VEHICLE WAS GARAGE KEPT. MY TOTAL BILL WAS $875.00.
NHTSA complaint #10586332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 38,000 milesNorth Fort Myers, FL
STRUCTURE
2002-2009 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE REAR REMOVABLE WINDOW (FRAME). LOWER L/H SIDE (PASSENGER SIDE).PLASTIC FRAME SUBJECT TO SPLITTING IN TIME WITH HEAT AND SEPARATES AND PULLS AWAY EXPOSING TEMPERED GLASS.TEMPERED GLASS IS NOW IN CONTACT WITH SUPPORTING FRAME AND VULNERABLE TO SHATTERING FROM ROAD VIBRATION OR WORSE, COLLISION,THUS INJURING PASSENGER(S) INCLUDING INFANTS IN REAR SEAT .MY 2003 AVALANCHE FRAME BEGAN CRACKING EARLY 2007 AND IS NOW HAS A 1 1/2 INCH GAP.I ALONG WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND OWNERS (RESEARCH ON INTERNET), HAVE BROUGHT THIS MATTER OF DEFECTIVE MATERIALS TO GM AND CHEVROLETS ATTENTION ONLY TO BE TOLD "SORRY IT'S NOT COVERED".I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND RATHER ANGRY THAT GM WOULD NOT OFFER TO REPAIR OR EVEN REPLACE THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE WINDOW FRAME ASSEMBLYS.ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH WITH OTHER OWNERS UP TO 2009 MODEL YEAR, THIS DEFECT STILL EXISTS AND OWNERS THAT WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEIRS REPLACED IF STILL UNDER WARRANTY HAVE REPORTED THAT THE REPLACEMENT HAS STARTED CRACKING JUST THE SAME! THIS IS PROOF THAT GM HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO IMPROVE/REPLACE INFERIOR MATERIALS THAT MADE THIS FRAME.
NHTSA complaint #10303947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 38,000 milesNorth Fort Myers, FL
VISIBILITY
2002-2009 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE REAR REMOVABLE WINDOW (FRAME). LOWER L/H SIDE (PASSENGER SIDE).PLASTIC FRAME SUBJECT TO SPLITTING IN TIME WITH HEAT AND SEPARATES AND PULLS AWAY EXPOSING TEMPERED GLASS.TEMPERED GLASS IS NOW IN CONTACT WITH SUPPORTING FRAME AND VULNERABLE TO SHATTERING FROM ROAD VIBRATION OR WORSE, COLLISION,THUS INJURING PASSENGER(S) INCLUDING INFANTS IN REAR SEAT .MY 2003 AVALANCHE FRAME BEGAN CRACKING EARLY 2007 AND IS NOW HAS A 1 1/2 INCH GAP.I ALONG WITH SEVERAL THOUSAND OWNERS (RESEARCH ON INTERNET), HAVE BROUGHT THIS MATTER OF DEFECTIVE MATERIALS TO GM AND CHEVROLETS ATTENTION ONLY TO BE TOLD "SORRY IT'S NOT COVERED".I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND RATHER ANGRY THAT GM WOULD NOT OFFER TO REPAIR OR EVEN REPLACE THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE WINDOW FRAME ASSEMBLYS.ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH WITH OTHER OWNERS UP TO 2009 MODEL YEAR, THIS DEFECT STILL EXISTS AND OWNERS THAT WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THEIRS REPLACED IF STILL UNDER WARRANTY HAVE REPORTED THAT THE REPLACEMENT HAS STARTED CRACKING JUST THE SAME! THIS IS PROOF THAT GM HAS DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO IMPROVE/REPLACE INFERIOR MATERIALS THAT MADE THIS FRAME.
NHTSA complaint #10303947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 118,000 milesBEL AIR, MD
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE CABLE CORRODED AND FAILED. WENT TO APPLY PARKING BRAKE WHILE PARKED ON A HILL AND THE CABLE BROKE AT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. THE END OF THE CABLE FELL TO THE GROUND AND CORROSION WAS VERY EVIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10296794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 54,000 milesWestmont, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
CHEVROLET AVALANCHE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURES. OVER THE PAST 32 MONTHS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON MY 2003 AVALANCHE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL, TEMP, OIL PRESSURE AND ALL OTHER GAUGES TO NOT OPERATE. AS OF 1/19/2008 ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED COMPLETELY. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND CHEVROLET HAS ISSUED A EXTENSION OF THE WARRANTY TO 70,000 MILES FOR THIS SINGLE ISSUE BUT THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF UNDER A RECALL OF ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.
NHTSA complaint #10215531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Niagara Falls, NY
STRUCTURE:BODY
REAR WINDOW LEAKED FROM DAY 1, REPORTED TO DEALER, UPON LEASE TURN IN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT RUBBER AROUND WINDOW WAS CRACKED, THEY ARE NOW CHARGING ME FOR THE DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10182073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.