Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 53 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 53, in the owner's own words
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.
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
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
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
OIL PRESSURE AND WATER TEMPERTURE GAUGE'S PEGGED OUT TO THE HIGH SIDE AND WILL NOT RETURN TO NORMAL. *TR
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
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
SPEEDOMETER BEGAN WORKING ERRATICALLY AND THEN NOT AT ALL. DEALERSHIP REPLACED "STEPPER MOTOR CLUTCH". CHARGED FOR LABOR ONLY. *KB
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
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FUNCTIONED ERRATICALLY. MOST RECENTLY, IT WAS STUCK AT THE HIGHEST SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,970. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN UPDATED 05/18/11
ON THE 2004 AVALANCHE Z71 THE SPEED GAUGE GETS STUCK THEREFORE MAKING A SAFETY HAZARD. NOT BEEN ABLE TO KNOW YOUR SPEED COULD END UP DEADLY. *TR
WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL NOT CUT OFF. LEFT SIDE OF DASH BLOWS HOT AIR WHILE THE RIGHT SIDE BLOWS COLD AIR WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT DIFFERENT RATES OF SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN DRIVING, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD FLUCTUATE SO HE HAD TO USE GPS TO FIND OUT HOW FAST HE WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,200.
I OWN AN 04 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE AND THE TBC2 FUSE ALWAYS BLOWS. SO I HAVE NO DASH LIGHTS TO SHOW ME MY SPEED OR ANYTHING. I HAVE READ UP ON THIS AND LOTS OF THESE TRUCKS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH WIRES RUBBING AND SHORTING OUT. AS WELL AS THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AS WELL WHICH I THINK IS ANOTHER THING WITH WIRES BEING IN A BAD SPOT AND SHORTING OUT.
MY 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE Z66'S SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONS CONSTANTLY WHILE I AM DRIVING BY DISPLAYING THAT I AM GOING OVER 120 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ITS ONLY JUST BEEN BACKED UP AND OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. THEN WHEN I DRIVE, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW FAST I AM ACTUALLY GOING DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE SPEEDOMETER BY CHEVY STILL DISPLAYING THAT I AM GOING OVER 120MPH. EVEN AFTER IT IS PARKED AND SITS FOR AWHILE, AND IS TURNED OFF, IT STILL READS OVER 120 MILES PER HOUR. *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER WILL QUIT WORKING CORRECTLY, AFTER DRIVING FOR A LITTLE BIT THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WILL GET JERKY AND THEN START DROPPING DOWN TO ZERO WHILE MAINTAIN THE SAME SPEED ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AS YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING ANY MORE AND ALL THE OTHER DASH INSTRUMENTS SEEM TO BE WORKING FINE AND THE ODOMETER SEEM TO KEEP WORKING CORRECTLY TOO. I WAS CHECKING ON LINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THAT MANY OTHER ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE TOO AND FELT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL TO FIX THEIR ISSUE.*TR
MY 2004 AVALANCHE SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER OPERATES, IT SAYS I AM GOING 120 MILES PER HOUR AND 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN STOPPED. I CHECKED A WEB SITE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A STANDARD PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR
I HAVE A 2004 AVALANCHE AND IT HAS BEEN WORKING GREAT FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS. RECENTLY WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS MY SPEEDOMETER HAD BEEN TWITCHING AND STICKING ON A CERTAIN NUMBER. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF THAT. IT FINALLY GOT STUCK ON 15 MPH. I CALLED GM AND THEY STATED THAT THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE ALLOWED FOR A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE REPLACEMENT FOR 7 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES. I AM OVER THE MILES, BUT BELIEVE THAT IF GM HAS IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM THEY SHOULD COVER THE REPAIR ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. ON TOP OF THAT, I NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER INFORMING OF SUCH SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE. *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SOMETIMES IT SITS AT 0 WHEN I AM DEFINITELY GOING FASTER THAN THAT. WHEN IT DOES START MOVING, IT ISN'T KEEPING THE CORRECT SPEED. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2009 AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM IN JULY OF 1009. *TR
THE CLUSTER ISN'T WORKING SYSTEM STATES CHARGING AT 30 VOLTS, TESTED WITH METER 14 VOLTS, ALSO SPEEDOMETER STATES THAT I AM DOING 65MPH WHILE AT A DEAD STOP. *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE HAS GONE HAYWIRE!! WHEN I'M GOING 30 IT READS 100, AND SOMETIMES WHEN I'M GOING 20 IT READS ONLY 10 MPH. *TR
2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE..SPEEDOMETER REGISTERING 55MPH...RUNNING APPROX. 75MPH TO 80MPH...OR MORE....WHEN DECELERATING...MOVES DOWNWARD IN CLICKING MOTION..ACCELERATES IN CLICKING MOTION...THERE IS CONSTANT CLICKING/TICKING NOISE BEHIND PANEL..CALLED GM...WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ISSUE...INSULTING AS I AM GM STOCKHOLDER...HAD CONSIDERED THIS YEAR'S TRADE TO HUMMER...NOW CONSIDERING FOREIGN...NO WONDER THEY ARE IN TROUBLE...CLAIM HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL AT EXCESS OF $400 ! THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE TRUEST SENSE OF THE WORD ! *TR
SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING. *TR
THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 AVALANCHE (CLUSTER) IS FAILING. IT READS 120 MPH WHEN IT IS IDLING AND SHOWS THE SAME WHEN IM DOING 60-65 MPH. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED (WITH 25,000) AND CURRENTLY IT HAS 108,000. THIS IS RIDICULOUS! ITS A COMMON PROBLEM THOUGHT THE STATE, WHY ISN'T IT BEING REPLACED FREE ! *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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