Chevrolet Avalanche
Owners filed 1,966 complaints across 14 model years of the Chevrolet Avalanche. The 2002 drew the most (444); the 2001 the fewest (2).
Model years14
Complaints1,966
Recalls45
Fires14
Deaths3
Every Chevrolet Avalanche model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 82 | 2 | — | 2 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2012 | 36 | 3 | — | 2 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2011 | 127 | 3 | — | 2 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2010 | 111 | 4 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 76 | 5 | 1 | 4 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2008 | 258 | 4 | 3 | 7 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2007 | 377 | 4 | 7 | 7 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2006 | 11 | 1 | — | 1 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2005 | 71 | 3 | — | 2 | Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel | Routine | |
| 2004 | 165 | 6 | 1 | 6 | Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel | Routine | |
| 2003 | 204 | 6 | 2 | 10 | Service Brakes | Above average | |
| 2002 | 444 | 4 | — | 38 | Service Brakes | Fatalities reported | |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Latches/Locks/Linkages › Tailgate › Latch | Routine | |
| 2000 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and Attachments | Routine |
Which Chevrolet Avalanche years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2002 is the weakest year on record, with 444 complaints concentrated in the service brakes. It carries 4 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.