Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHIFT HARD. THE ANSWER FROM THE DEALER WAS NEED NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $4500. STATED THAT THE FLUID SENSOR HOUSING WAS CRACKED AND THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. SEEMED A BIT RIDICULOUS FOR A TWO YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT TOWED NOTHING. *JS
RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED THE TRANSMISSION WENT AND I HAD TO REBUILD IT. AT THE SHOP THE TECHS TOLD ME IT WAS DUE TO COOLING, AND THEY INSTALLED A SMALL COOLER BECAUSE THEY SAID THE COOLING WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. *TR
AT APPROX 47000 MI TRAVELING AT 65MPH A HEAVY THUD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE WHOLE ENGINE BLOCK HAD DROPPED OUT, WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF ROAD TO A VACANT LOT. TRANSMISSION TOAST WITH DAMAGE TO RING AND PINION GEARS,NEVER TOWED ANYTHING, CITY DRIVING TO WORK AND HOME MOSTLY.(47K) MILES. REALLY? 3500$ REPAIR. NEXT SPEEDOMETER FAILURE AT ABOUT 53K MILES, IM EITHER GOING 0MPH OR 120MPH. ALSO HAVE LOST ALOT OF BACKLIGHTING ON MY DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION ALONG WITH CD PLAYER. SEEMS THE CD PLAYER CANNOT EJECT A NON EXISTENT CD, JUST MAKES CLICKING NOISE AND SAYS CHECK DISC. NOW AT 59K MILES IM EXPERIENCING THE POPPING FRONT END SOUND WHEN TURNING SHARPLY IN REVERSE, POSSIBLY SUSPENSION OR A-ARM RELATED HAVE NOT LOOKED INTO YET. *TR
VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND SLAMMED INTO WHAT I ASSUMED PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. THANK GOD NOBODY GOT HURT BECAUSE HAD THERE BEEN A VEHICLE RIDDING CLOSE TO BE THEY WOULD HAVE RAN STRAIGHT INTO ME! THIS IS CLEARLY AN SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD'VE CAUSE SOMEONES' LIFE HAD I'VE BEEN GOOING AT TOP SPEEDS. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! *TR
ON 12/22/12 @ 5PM- SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING ONTO THE FREEWAY, I STARTED LOSING POWER. I DIDN'T GET HIGHER THAN 50 MPH BEFORE THE RPM STARTED INCREASING & MY SPEED STARTED DECREASING. I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY, AT THE FIRST EXIT, APPROXIMATELY 2MINS AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE LOSS OF POWER. FOUND A MECHANIC THAT WAS JUST CLOSING HIS SHOP & ASKED HIM TO GIVE A QUICK CHECK TOO SEE IF I COULD CONTINUE MY DRIVE HOME, 32MINS AWAY. THE MECHANIC CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD & UNDER THE BOTTOM & GUESSTIMATED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE FLYWHEEL. THE MECHANIC ALSO RECOMMENDED NO DRIVING TIL REPAIRED. I GOT MY AVALANCHE TOWED HOME THAT FIRST NIGHT. I TOWED IT TO MY LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP ON 12/24/12, TO GET A FULL DIAGNOSTIC. I WAS ADVISED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC THAT MY 2005 AVALANCHE W/ 96319 MIS, NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY LOCAL MECHANIC ADVISED IT MAY STILL BE UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO MILEAGE, BUT I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THE WARRANTY IS 5YR/100000MI. GM IS AWARE OF PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE AVALANCHE, BUT IS NOT FIXING IT FOR THE CONSUMER. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER! *TR
PURCHASED MAY 31, 2005. 39 MILEAGE. $43,000.00. 8 MONTHS LATER THE TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER 6+ TIMES AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. NOW AT 75,000 MILES IT WON'T DRIVE IN D IT HAS TO BE IN 3, 2, 1 TO DRIVE. I HAVE READ 100'S OF COMPLAINT ABOUT TRANSMISSIONS IN 2000-2010 MODELS. GM NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMER TRANSMISSION PROBLEM OR DESIGN A BETTER TRANSMISSION. *TR
ON JANUARY 8TH 2012, WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE CHURCH LOT WE HEARD A CLUNK NOISE. THE "TRANSMISSION HOT" DISPLAY CAME ON. WE MADE IT HOME AT A SLOWER RATE OF SPEED AND EVENTUALLY THE LIGHT WENT OUT. I CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE WHEN I GOT HOME. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, BUT JUST ASKED IF I WAS TOWING SOMETHING AT THE TIME AND OTHER QUESTIONS TO WHICH THE ANSWER WAS NO. I TOOK MY AVALANCHE TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY TO GET IT CHECKED. ON THE 9TH, THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT 2ND AND 4TH GEARS WERE OUT. HE SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO TEAR INTO IT TO FIND OUT IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED. I ASKED HOW MUCH THAT WAS GOING TO BE AND HE SAID AROUND $580.00. I LET THEM TEAR INTO IT STARTING ON THE 10TH. DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ON THE 10TH OR 11TH BUT ON THE 12TH, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS "PRETTY WELL COOKED" AND IT WOULD NEED REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION FOR $3200.00. HE SAID THE REMANUFACTURED ONE WOULD COME WITH A 3YR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY. I CALLED BACK GM CUSTOMER SERVICE BACK AND LEFT A MESSAGE FOR THEM TO CALL ME. BASED ON EVERYTHING I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THAT THIS TRANSMISSION IS WELL KNOWN FOR FAILING AND I DON'T BELIEVE A 2005 AVALANCHE WITH ONLY 88,000 MILES ON SHOULD HAVE FAILED. I'VE USE MY VEHICLE FOR MOSTLY GOING TO AND FROM WORK AND ON LONG TRIPS. HOPEFULLY, GM WILL ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FAILED DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND PROVIDE ME WITH A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS TRANSMISSION IS REALLY NOT A "TRUCK" TRANSMISSION BUT IS ALSO USED IN SOME OF GM'S OTHER SEDANS WHICH WEIGH TWICE AS LESS AND ARE NOT USED FOR THE SAME TYPES OF THINGS A TRUCK IS MEANT FOR. IT'S NO WONDER IT FAILED. FOR OTHER POSTS ABOUT AVALANCHE TRANSMISSION FAILURES, GO HERE ==> HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0F8066/0. *TR
2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE HEADLIGHT WAS LOOSE AND FELL OUT WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING THE DRIVE TRAIN MAKES A CLANKING NOISE. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *TS AFTER A THUNDERSTORM, THE NEXT MORNING, THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT WATER HAD SATURATED IN THE TAILGATE AREA. *SC
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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