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2005 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Avalanche 1500 years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 38.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

110 reports with mileage · 19 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 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. 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.

1 crash reports4 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

129 reports
125,000 miles · Feb 24, 2011
Electrical System

I OWN A 2005 CHEVY AVALANCHE. AT ABOUT 125K MILES ON THE ODOMETER I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WOULD START TO GRADUALLY LOSE TRACK OF THE SPEED AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 - 60 MILES. SO, WHEN TRAVELING AT A CONSISTENT RATE OF SPEED OF, SAY, 60 MPH THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY TO ZERO OVER THE COURSE OF 5 - …

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I OWN A 2005 CHEVY AVALANCHE. AT ABOUT 125K MILES ON THE ODOMETER I NOTICED THAT MY SPEEDOMETER WOULD START TO GRADUALLY LOSE TRACK OF THE SPEED AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 - 60 MILES. SO, WHEN TRAVELING AT A CONSISTENT RATE OF SPEED OF, SAY, 60 MPH THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY TO ZERO OVER THE COURSE OF 5 - 10 MILES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD RESET ITSELF. ONCE RESET IT MAY START HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY OR IT MIGHT BE ANOTHER WEEK OR TWO BEFORE THIS PROBLEM PRESENTED ITSELF AGAIN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE "CLUSTER" WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR APPROX. $600. JUDGING FROM THE OTHER COMPLAINTS REGISTERED HERE, I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10384385

62,000 miles · Feb 24, 2011
Air Bags

AIRBAG SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS STAYED ON. NO ACCIDENTS HAS OCCURRED TO WARRANT THE LIGHT COMING ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10384380

70,000 miles · Feb 23, 2011
Fuel System, Other

FUEL LINES - 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK 2/17/2011, I KEPT SMELLING GAS. SINCE IT IS A 45 MINUTE DRIVE, THE SMELL DID NOT DISAPPEAR UNTIL I REACHED HOME AND TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE. MY SON TOOK OUR JACK OUT TO SEE IF WE COULD LOCATE THE PROBLEM. HE FOUND THE GAS LINES SOAKED WITH GAS UNDER THE TRUCK…

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FUEL LINES - 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK 2/17/2011, I KEPT SMELLING GAS. SINCE IT IS A 45 MINUTE DRIVE, THE SMELL DID NOT DISAPPEAR UNTIL I REACHED HOME AND TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE. MY SON TOOK OUR JACK OUT TO SEE IF WE COULD LOCATE THE PROBLEM. HE FOUND THE GAS LINES SOAKED WITH GAS UNDER THE TRUCK BUT AT THAT POINT IT WAS HARD TO TELL IF IT WAS WHAT WE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE; A HOLE IN THE GAS LINES. SINCE THE DEALERS WERE CLOSED WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE GARAGE FIRST THING THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE SMELL FOLLOWED ME THE SAME AS IT DID THE NIGHT BEFORE. WHEN THE DEALER PULLED IT IN THE SHOP, THEY CONFIRMED OUR SUSPICION OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE ORIGINAL INSTALLED GAS LINES ON MY TRUCK WERE CROSSED FOR WHAT REASON IS UNKNOWN AND THEY RUBBED OVER TIME AND RUBBED A HOLE IN THEMSELVES. THEY ARE A REINFORCED BRAIDED LINE. UPON DOING SO, AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, GAS WAS SPRAYING ALL OVER THE UNDERSIDE OF MY TRUCK. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS SOAKED. THE DEALER WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THEIR SHOP UNDER ANY CONDITION BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE. THEY ALSO CHECK ALL THE RESOURCES USED BY ANY CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THERE IS NOT ONE RECALL OUT THERE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS I AM SENDING THIS INFORMATION. ONE IS THAT AFTER RESEARCHING ON LINE ABOUT MY PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS FOR VEHICLES OF THAT TIME FRAME BURSTING INTO FLAMES AND GM WARRANTING IT OFF AS A SHORT UNDER THE DASH. GM SEEMS TO BE TAKING THE VEHICLE FIRE ISSUE OF SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS I READ TOO SLIGHT. MY TRUCK COULD HAVE BURST INTO FLAMES AND CAUSED MY LIFE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. EVEN NOW THAT OUR SON CHECKED THE PROBLEM, HE WAS EVEN AT RISK JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT IT WAS! THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM GM CREATED IN THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL LINES. I HAVE PICTURES WE TOOK THAT NIGHT YOU ARE WELCOME TO HAVE SHOULD THIS PROBLEM BE ESCALATED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10384217

75,000 miles · Jan 22, 2011
Equipment

2005 AVALANCHE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. SPEEDOMETER WILL NOT RETURN TO ZERO AND WILL NOT GIVE CORRECT VEHICLE SPEED. FOUND NUMEROUS CUSTOMERS WITH SAME FAILURE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. NOT KNOWING VEHICLE SPEED IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10378299

90,000 miles · Jan 22, 2011
Electrical System

MY 2005 CHEVY AVALANCHE HAS SHORT IN THE SPEEDOMETER, REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING,SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT-TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING LIGHT NOT WORKING PROPERLY IT JUMPS REVERSE WHEN I SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND INSTEAD I GO FORWARD I AM GOING BACKWARD AND NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS BROKEN. IT…

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MY 2005 CHEVY AVALANCHE HAS SHORT IN THE SPEEDOMETER, REAR RIGHT TAIL LIGHTS NOT WORKING,SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT-TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING LIGHT NOT WORKING PROPERLY IT JUMPS REVERSE WHEN I SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND INSTEAD I GO FORWARD I AM GOING BACKWARD AND NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS BROKEN. IT ONLY SHIFT TO 3RD GEAR AND I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT. I CALL CHEVROLET TO REPAIR THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS AND EQUIPMENTS BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO REPAIR IT. THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE. AND I ALMOST HIT SOMEBODY DURING STOPPING AT THE INTERSECTION. BECAUSE MY CAR SUDDENLY PULLS ON REVERSE. CAN I ASK THE NHTSA PLEASE HELP ME BY DEMANDING CHEVROLET TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE PLEASE! I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, [XXX] OR LET ME KNOW WHAT I SHOULD PLEASE? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10378262

95,000 miles · Jan 16, 2011
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER READS 60 MPH FASTER THAN ACTUAL SPEED. SPEEDOMETER READS 60 MPH AT STOP. REPAIR SHOP STATES INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. *LN

NHTSA ODI #10376845

Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2011
Electrical System

2005 CHEVY AVALANCHE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTION. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE SPEEDOMETER RACED TO 120 MPH AND IS NOW STUCK. I AM UNABLE TO VERIFY MY SPEED WHILE DRIVING. ODOMETER READS 62K MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10376371

20,000 miles · Dec 16, 2010
Steering

RATTLING IN STEERING COLUMN...HAVE HAD GREASED 3 TIMES AND IT STOPS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. 2 FRIENDS DRIVE 3/4 TON CHEVROLET PICKUPS AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10370870

71,000 miles · Dec 6, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicTires

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE K1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED PREMATURE WEARING OF THE BRAKE PADS AND DISC. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE SPARE TIRE WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A PERSONAL MECH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE K1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED PREMATURE WEARING OF THE BRAKE PADS AND DISC. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE SPARE TIRE WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A PERSONAL MECHANIC. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.

NHTSA ODI #10369320

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2010
Electrical System

MY 2005 AVALANCHE 1500 SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING IT FAILS TO RECORD THE CORRECT SPEED IT STAY ON 0 MOST OF THE TIME. THINK GM SHOULD HAVE RECALL THIS PROBLEM TOO MANY 05 CHEVY AVALANCHE OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS TROUBLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10369230

Official recalls

1

06V289000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Aug 3, 2006

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

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.