2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 2500

Routine

Owners filed 9 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes5
000
Structure › Body1
000
Structure1
000
Parking Brake1
000
Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline06E043000
Filed May 19, 200688,303 vehiclesHoneywell International, Inc.

Defect. CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

Risk. THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Aug 3, 2024IL

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

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 16, 2016222,000 milesMD

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.

Service Brakes
Filed Apr 26, 2015100,000 milesPA

2003 2500 AVALANCHE BRAKE LINES HEAVILY RUSTED DEEP PITS BELOW DRIVER SEAT AND ALONG LEFT FRAME RAIL WILL REPLACE. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Dec 22, 2014120,000 milesIA

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 D

Service Brakes
Filed May 3, 2014170,000 milesMI

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. *TR

Structure
Filed Feb 2, 201038,000 milesFL

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. *TR

Parking Brake
Filed Dec 23, 2009118,000 milesMD

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. *TR

Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel
Filed Jan 21, 200854,000 milesIL

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. *TR

Structure › Body
Filed Feb 9, 2007NY

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. *JB

9 of 9 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2002
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20073000Routine
20063000Routine
20056100Routine
200410100Routine
2003 — this page9100Routine
200260120Routine

Compare every Avalanche 2500 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 19, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.