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2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Avalanche 1500 years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 38.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

124 reports with mileage · 20 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 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. 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.

7 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

53 reports
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161,000 miles · Apr 8, 2021
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes

VEHICLE LOOSES POWER AND BRAKES GO OUT THEN DIES,DOESN'T MATTER SPEED. IF SLOWING DOWN AND PRESS THE BRAKES, THE LOCKS, LIGHTS, AND SECURITY GOES CRAZY. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS IT IS IN INTERSECTIONS AND CAUTION FOR COLLISION. THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE OFF FOR A TIME FRAME AND RESTARTS FINE AND CAN GO. HAPPENED WHEN COMING FROM RAMP AN…

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VEHICLE LOOSES POWER AND BRAKES GO OUT THEN DIES,DOESN'T MATTER SPEED. IF SLOWING DOWN AND PRESS THE BRAKES, THE LOCKS, LIGHTS, AND SECURITY GOES CRAZY. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS IT IS IN INTERSECTIONS AND CAUTION FOR COLLISION. THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE OFF FOR A TIME FRAME AND RESTARTS FINE AND CAN GO. HAPPENED WHEN COMING FROM RAMP AND IN MIDDLE OF ROAD WITH SEMI TRUCK COMING DOWN BY US.

NHTSA ODI #11407052

102,605 miles · Apr 22, 2015
Electrical SystemService Brakes

THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR AND A STATE INSPECTION. THE PART TO REPAIR THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ARE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER WITH NO DEFINITE AVAILABILITY DATE. THE TRUCK IS NOT USABLE BECAUSE OF THE FAILED STATE INSPECTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712208

95,000 miles · Mar 6, 2015
Electrical SystemService Brakes

UPON START UP OF THE TRUCK, THE ABS LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED AND STARTED CHIMING AT ME. EVERYTIME I START THE TRUCK THIS HAPPENS. I HAD MY BRAKES INSPECTED AND THEY WERE FINE. I CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ABS. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC THIS LAST WEEK AND HAD IT LOOKED INTO. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY AVALANCHE AND THEY…

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UPON START UP OF THE TRUCK, THE ABS LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED AND STARTED CHIMING AT ME. EVERYTIME I START THE TRUCK THIS HAPPENS. I HAD MY BRAKES INSPECTED AND THEY WERE FINE. I CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ABS. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC THIS LAST WEEK AND HAD IT LOOKED INTO. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY AVALANCHE AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS A PART FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT IT IS ON INDEFINITE BACKORDER. WHAT AND HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? THE ABS SYSTEM IS THROWING FAULT CODES STOPPING IT FROM WORKING PROPERLY BUT THERE IS NOT A PART TO REPLACE IT. PER CHEVY! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692628

55,000 miles · Jun 16, 2014
Electrical System

FIRST INCIDENT OF SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY WORKING OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, AND QUOTED TO FIX BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. OTHER CLUSTER GAUGES BEGAN FAILING COMPLETELY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. FINALLY THE VOLTMETER GAUGE COMPLETELY FAILS THIS YEAR. ENTIRE CLUSTER IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE NOW. …

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FIRST INCIDENT OF SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY WORKING OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, AND QUOTED TO FIX BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. OTHER CLUSTER GAUGES BEGAN FAILING COMPLETELY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. FINALLY THE VOLTMETER GAUGE COMPLETELY FAILS THIS YEAR. ENTIRE CLUSTER IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10598637

118,052 miles · Dec 31, 2012
Electrical System

OIL PRESSURE AND WATER TEMPERTURE GAUGE'S PEGGED OUT TO THE HIGH SIDE AND WILL NOT RETURN TO NORMAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10490577

99,000 miles · Nov 19, 2012
Electrical System

IN MAY 2012 I BOUGHT A USED 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, I NOTICED ISSUES WITH MY SPEEDOMETER. I FIRST NOTICED IT ON A SMALL TRIP WHERE I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO ZERO. I PULLED OVER FOR A MINUTE TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG, AND IT SEEMED THAT AFT…

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IN MAY 2012 I BOUGHT A USED 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, I NOTICED ISSUES WITH MY SPEEDOMETER. I FIRST NOTICED IT ON A SMALL TRIP WHERE I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO ZERO. I PULLED OVER FOR A MINUTE TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG, AND IT SEEMED THAT AFTER THE TRUCK WAS SHUT OFF FOR A BIT (NEED TO COOL DOWN??), IT STARTED WORKING OK AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THEN, NOT USUALLY ON SHORT RUNS, BUT MORE WHEN THE TRUCK HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE. ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE SPEEDOMETER WAS WHEN I WAS HAULING A SMALL UTILITY TRAILER, AND GOING UP A HILL, IT DID IT AGAIN. SOMEONE TOLD ME TO CHECK OUT RECALLS AND I FOUND THIS SITE WHERE I SEE THAT MANY, MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME, OR VERY SIMILAR ISSUES. IF THERE ARE SO MANY WITH THESE SAME TYPES OF ISSUES, WHY ISN'T THE MANUFACTURER DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT, OR AT LEAST INVESTIGATING IT? I AM MILITARY, AND I CANNOT AFFORD ANY TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE VIOLATION ON MY MILITARY RECORD, NOR CAN I AFFORD A SPEEDING TICKET...JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. MY PERMANENT ADDRESS IS TYRONE, PA, BUT I AM STATIONED AT FT. BENNING, GA WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK. SINCE I LIVE IN BARRACKS, I'VE LISTED MY PERMANENT HOME RESIDENCE IN PA. PHONE CONTACT NUMBER IS GOOD, AND ANY MAILINGS SHOULD GO TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BELOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485147

150,000 miles · Sep 20, 2011
Electrical System

THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER WAS STICKING FOR ABOUT 5 MILES. THEN, THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER STOPPED ON 60 MPH PERMANENTLY. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN STUCK AT 60 MPH AND POSES A SIGNIFCANT SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO, SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL 1500 SERIES CHEVROLET PICK-UP TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10426440

81,494 miles · Aug 17, 2011
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER BEGAN WORKING ERRATICALLY AND THEN NOT AT ALL. DEALERSHIP REPLACED "STEPPER MOTOR CLUTCH". CHARGED FOR LABOR ONLY. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10419798

50,000 miles · Aug 5, 2011
Electrical System

2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE 1500 2WD SPEDOMETER BECAME ERRATIC AND STOPED WORKING. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED WITH THE TACHOMETER ACTING ERRATIC, IT STOPPED ACTIN FUNNY AND THEN THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN ACTING CRAZY AND THEN STUCK. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10417712

147,424 miles · Apr 4, 2011
Electrical System

WAS DRIVING MY 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING FUNNY. WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY IN UPWARD INCREMENTS OF ONE MILE PER HOUR, WHILE STICKING AND JUMPING ON EACH INCREMENT. THEN, IT JUST FLAT QUIT! NOT KNOWING THE MECHANICS OF MY VEHICLES SPEEDOMETER (IE; SPEEDO CABLE, ELECT…

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WAS DRIVING MY 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING FUNNY. WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY IN UPWARD INCREMENTS OF ONE MILE PER HOUR, WHILE STICKING AND JUMPING ON EACH INCREMENT. THEN, IT JUST FLAT QUIT! NOT KNOWING THE MECHANICS OF MY VEHICLES SPEEDOMETER (IE; SPEEDO CABLE, ELECTRONIC, OR WHAT HAVE YOU), WENT ONLINE TO SEARCH THIS OUT. FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY OF THIS INCIDENT HAPPENING WITH CONSUMERS. SEEMS THAT GM REFUSES TO RECALL THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM?? HAVE READ THAT THIS CAN COST UPWARDS OF $600 TO REPAIR? JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK/AVALANCHE (USED) FROM A DEALER IN PORTLAND, OREGON. CAN I GET ANY HELP WITH GETTING THIS REPAIRED? FROM MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT I HAVE READ (ONLINE), THERE ARE SEVERAL "STEP MOTORS". THESE STEP MOTORS ARE APPARENTLY A POOR (DESIGN) PRODUCT, AND ARE THE SAME FOR THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ETC. ALSO READ THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL BUILT BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER, THAT (EVENTUALLY) THEY WILL ALL FAIL? IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT GM IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS, FROM THE INFORMATION OBTAINED (ONLINE). I AM HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE REPAIRED FOR ME, FREE OF CHARGE, THRU GM?? HOW DO I KNOW HOW FAST I AM GOING? WHAT IF I GET A TICKET? WHAT IF MY OTHER INSTRUMENTS FAIL? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10394145

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.