RoadVitals

2004 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Feb 26, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 144 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 10 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.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesSteering
Filed Feb 26, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V043000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

NHTSA ID
11074968
Incident
Feb 10, 2018
Mileage
250,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 2, 2016

VEHICLE DEVELOPED A CLUNKING , WHILE DRIVING, THAT CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT DOES NOT MATTER THE TYPE OF ROAD. MECHANIC ADVISED THAT IT WAS THE STEERING SHAFT.

NHTSA ID
10823717
Incident
Nov 1, 2015
Mileage
190,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 3, 2009

LOUD POPPING SOUND FROM CROSSMEMBER AND, DEFECTIVE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ON STEERING. 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10272792
Incident
Jun 2, 2009
Mileage
35,000 mi
Steering
Filed Mar 3, 2009

THE STEERING GEAR BOXES ON MOST GM TRUCKS. THEY HAVE TO BE TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE EVERY 30,000 MI 150 DOLLAR CHARGE. IT MAKES YOU THINK THERE IS SOMETHING LOOSE IN THE FRONT END. HAD MINE REPLACES BUT AFTER 30,000 MI. IT'S BACK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10260624
Incident
Oct 26, 2007
Body & structureBrakesSteering
Filed Feb 6, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE STRAPS WERE RUSTY AND BEGINNING TO FAIL. IN ADDITION, THE ABS SPEED SENSOR WAS SLOW AT STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE ABS WOULD PULSE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD TAKE LONGER TO STOP. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND VIBRATED WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP. THE SHAFT BUSHING IS ALSO FAILING IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURES; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000. UPDATED 3/5/09 *CN UPDATED 03/10/09. *JB

NHTSA ID
10257709
Incident
Oct 6, 2008
Mileage
86,000 mi
BrakesOther / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Oct 24, 2008

I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE DUE TO THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM GOING OUT WHICH MAKES THE POWER STEERING GO OUT AS WELL. PRIOR TO THE SYSTEM GOING COMPLETELY OUT IT OCCASIONALLY IT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN THE STEERI NG WHEEL UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE I CONTACTED THE RECALL DEPARTMENT IN REFERENCED TO THIS BUT THEY STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE IS THE YEAR AND MODEL FITTING THE RECALL MY VIN DOES NOT FALL IN THE BATCH. WHY IS THIS WHEN I AM HAVING THE PROBLEM WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE BRAKES GOING OUT. CAN THIS BE RECTIFIED. I HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED BUT IT STARTED AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10246610
Incident
Sep 20, 2008
Mileage
80,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jan 28, 2008

THERE IS POPPING AND TWISTING MOTIONS IN THE STEERING COLUMN OF MY 04 AVALANCHE, IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY LIKE THAT AS I WAS TOLD. MY STEERING WHEEL EVENTUALLY TWISTED ALL THE WAY AROUND WITHOUT TURNING THE TIRES ONE DAY... THANK GOD NO ACCIDENT. VERY SERIOUS ISSUE WAS TOLD ALL AVALANCHES IN THIS YEAR POP AND TWIST LIKE THAT. HAD TO REPLACE STEERING COLUMN. OLD PART IS AT LANDFILL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10216313
Incident
Sep 11, 2007
Mileage
56,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 27, 2007

STEERING SOME TIMES MAKING A KNOCKING TYPE NOISE, BROUGHT TO DEALER STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WAS TOLD CHEVY KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10200843
Incident
May 16, 2007
Mileage
41,016 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 21, 2007

AT IDOL OR LOW SPEEDS LIKE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, IT WAS AS IF MY 2004 AVALANCHE HAD NO POWER STEERING TO THE RIGHT AND ONLY THE RIGHT. UPON TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC, THEY PULLED UP A SERVICE BULLETIN STATING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING BOX AND THERE IS A REDISIGNED STEERING BOX AND SHOULD BE REPLACED , I DONE THAT AND $732.96 LATER THE PROBLEM IS FIXED AT MY EXPENCE WHEN IT IS THEIR POOR DISIGN. SIDE KNOTE: MY WIFES A CANCER PATIENT, I SHOULD BE PAYING DR. BILLS WITH THAT MONEY!!!!!

NHTSA ID
10193881
Incident
May 25, 2007
Mileage
92,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 6, 2007

IN THE MORNING - BELOW SAY ABOUT 55 DEGREES WHEN I FIRST GET IN AND DRIVE, I HAVE TO TURN THE WHEELS TO THE LEFT TO EXIT MY DRIVEWAY. FOR THE FIRST MINUTE OR TWO, THE STEERING IS VERY STIFF, ALMOST LIKE MANUAL - THEN IT GOES NORMAL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY.

NHTSA ID
10181812
Incident
Jan 29, 2007
Mileage
61,500 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .