RoadVitals

2004 Chevrolet Avalanche Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
9
Latest Aug 28, 2014
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.
5%
of 165 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 windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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 visibility

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

ElectricalVisibility
Filed Aug 28, 2014

I WAS ISSUED A RECALL A FEW YEARS BACK SPECIFIC TO MY VEHICLE ABOUT A BLOWER MOTOR OPERATION MALFUNCTION. IT STATED THAT SETTINGS ON THE BLOWER MOTOR MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I TURN ON THE AIR OR HEAT I HAVE SETTINGS FOR 5 BLOWER MOTOR OPTIONS. ALL THE SETTINGS 1-4 WORK JUST FINE, SETTING 5 DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. WHEN I SET HVAC TO SETTING 5 NO AIR BLOWS OUT. I HAVE SINCE THEN MISPLACED THAT RECALL NOTICE. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS RECALL CAN YOU PLEASE GET IN CONTACT WITH ME THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID
10629010
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
102,000 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Oct 15, 2011

SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING AT ALL READS OVER 120 MPH EVEN WHEN TURNED OFF. ALL WINDOWS GET STUCK WHEN TRYING TO CLOSE THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10430310
Incident
Oct 15, 2011
Mileage
108,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 12, 2011

RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT MY VEHICLE POSSIBLY HAD A RECALLED SUNROOF MANUFACTURED BY HOLLANDIA AT WEBASTO PRODUCT NORTH AMERICA, INC. PER THE PROVIDED INSTRUCTIONS, I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT MY CAR DOES HAVE AN AFTERMARKET SUNROOF AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN OVERSEES IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SEND IT TO A SERVICE REPAIR SHOP. PLEASE INDICATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THIS CASE.

NHTSA ID
10396350
Incident
Apr 1, 2011
ElectricalEngineInterior & seats+2 more
Filed Mar 2, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE RPMS INCREASED. THE CONTACT HAD DIFFICULTY SWITCHING GEARS AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF UNLESS THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION AND THE WATER PUMP FAILED COMPLETELY. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE AND THE CONTACT CANNOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE UNLESS SHE CLIMBS OVER THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE SPEEDOMETER ONLY DISPLAYED 10 AND 20 MPH WHENEVER IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,965 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,323.

NHTSA ID
10315737
Incident
Feb 5, 2010
Mileage
23,965 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 24, 2007

MY HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. IT ADJUSTS ITSELF FROM HOT TO COLD, COLD TO HOT. IT ADJUSTS ITSELF FROM LOW TO HIGH, HIGH TO LOW. OCCASIONALLY WHEN I SHUT OF THE TRUCK AND TAKE THE KEY OUT THE HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM WILL REMAIN ON. I CAN'T DRIVE IN COLD WEATHER PARTICULARLY IN THE MORNING OR WHEN ITS RAINING AFRAID THAT MY DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER WONT WORK BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10212648
Incident
Nov 1, 2007
Mileage
69,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalVisibility
Filed Feb 27, 2007

HERE'S ABOUT MY DISAPPOINTMENT WITH MY 2004 AVALANCHE WHICH I PURCHASED ON JULY 28, 2004 WITH 137 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I PURCHASED THE VALUE GUARD GM PROTECTION PLAN. OF COURSE, THE VEHICLE WAS GREAT FOR THE FIRST 37,990 MILES. MY FIRST PROBLEM CAME ON 10/31/06, ONLY 2 YEARS 3 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE DATE. MY TAILGATE HANDLE BROKE WHILE OPENING IT HANDLE REPLACEMENT WAS $568. TO MY SURPRISE AND APPARENTLY ALSO TO THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE EXISTING SPOILER HAD TO BE TORN OFF AND REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE TO ACCESS THE HANDLE. THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL $186 PLUS LABOR. I QUESTION THE DESIGNERS OF THE TAILGATE ASSEMBLY. WHY WOULD ANYONE DESIGN PARTS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DESTROYED IN ORDER TO SERVICE ANOTHER PART? IN FACT, WHY WOULD ANY PART THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE USED FREQUENTLY BY A REGULAR TRUCKER BREAK SO EASILY? OF COURSE, NEITHER THE WARRANTY NOR THE GM PROTECTION PLAN COVERED THIS. THE NEXT PROBLEM OCCURRED ON 12/27/06 AT 41,901 MILES, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULDN'T SHUTOFF. INTO THE DEALERSHIP WE WENT AND $334 LATER A WIPER BOARD WAS REPLACED. NO WARRANTY AGAIN COVERED THIS PROBLEM. I NO SOONER GOT HOME AND HAD TO RETURN ON 12/28/06 AT 41,944 MILES. NOW MY DASHBOARD LIGHT SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WAS ON. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THE TRANSFER CASE ENCODER SHORTED OUT AND $779 LATER IT WAS FIXED. I MIGHT HAVE USED THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE 8-10 TIMES AT THE MOST. AT THAT TIME, I'D OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 29 MONTHS, THAT'S PRETTY SAD!! TODAY WITH THE LATEST EPISODE, I TRIED TO LOWER MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW AND IT WOULDN'T WORK. THE OTHER 3 WINDOWS WORK FINE. I WAITED AND TRIED AGAIN LATER STILL NO LUCK. I HEAR A CLICKING SOUND BUT NO ACTION.THIS PROBABLY MEANS ANOTHER VISIT TO THE DEALER. *NM

NHTSA ID
10183701
Incident
Oct 31, 2006
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Jan 25, 2007

1) I HAVEN'T REPLACED ANYTHING, OR DONE ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. 2) A-PROBLEM THAT IM EXPERIENCING IS THAT WHEN MY AVALANCHE IS SITTING STILL IN THE DRIVEWAY THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS THAT I AM DOING 30 TO 40 MILES PER HOUR. WHEN I DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY IT COMPLETELY STOPS WORKING AND GOES TO OVER 120 MPH. B-MY DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T WORK EITHER, THE MOTOR SLOWLY STARTED GIVING OUT ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. NOW IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. IT SEEMS LIKE MANY MORE CHEVY AVALANCHE OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE; HTTP://WWW.TOPIX.NET/FORUM/AUTOS/CHEVROLET-AVALANCHE/TJI11LGM9554MERNA 3)THE ONLY THING I DID FOR THE WINDOW NOT WORKING WAS CHECK SOME FUSES THAT WERE GOOD. *NM

NHTSA ID
10180704
Incident
Nov 15, 2006
Mileage
50,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 22, 2006

1)WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT TURN OFF, AND ONLY WORK ON 2 SPEEDS. NO VARIABLE. 2) I AM UNABLE TO USE WIPERS. FROM READING I NEED TO TAKE OUT FUSE, AND 3) HAVE THE CIRCUIT BOARD REPLACED. SEEMS TO OCCUR FREQUENTLY ENOUGH TO BE POSTED ON SEVERAL FORUMS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10155894
Incident
Apr 21, 2006
Mileage
38,420 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 1, 2004

NUTS RETAINING WIPER ARMS TO SHAFT LOOSENED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CAUSING WIPERS TO NOT MOVE. I TIGHTENED THE NUTS AS A TEMPORARY FIX AND WILL REPLACE WITH LOCK NUTS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100834
Incident
Nov 26, 2004
Mileage
19,000 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 .