RoadVitals

2011 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
127
Latest Apr 23, 2025
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jun 5, 2013

What this page shows

Our database holds 127 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 127 · page 1 of 6

Electrical
Filed Apr 23, 2025

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 127,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 223,000. Local authorities had been contacted.

NHTSA ID
11656297
Incident
Apr 23, 2025
Mileage
223,000 mi
Suspension
Filed Feb 13, 2025

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, there was a loud banging sound coming from under the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and the steering wheel became stiff. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic but was not yet diagnosed. The contact believed that failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V643000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA ID
11642582
Incident
Feb 12, 2025
Mileage
101,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 24, 2022

The structure that holds the rear differential and axle to the frame rusted through and broke off from both sides so the whole rear axle unit broke loose and pulled back so the drive shaft pulled loose and the rear tires were rubbing on the fenders. If this happened at highway speeds I don’t know what might have happened. The vehicle was towed to a welding shop to see if it can be repaired. It has not been inspected. If it can not be repaired the vehicle will have to be junked. There was no warning that this would happen.

NHTSA ID
11475560
Incident
Jul 24, 2022
BrakesSteering
Filed Dec 22, 2021

Vehicle sometimes without warning, would shut down.Yes its available for inspection. Its unsafe because of the element of surprise when suddenly finding out that the ability to control the vehicle is dangerously compromised. Specifically when trying to steer or brake effectively or even trying to get to a safe location. With no warning there is not much time to react to the situation. In spite of having a perfect driver score I become a threat to other drivers and pedestrians when my vehicle shuts down. I have had it looked at by two different local mechanics. After trying a few less expensive options its becoming more evident that its a faulty sensor. After checking to see about other owners with similar issues, I have learned that the crankshaft position sensor was often behind the problem. This is not to say, it is in my case. My point is that with it posing a safety risk why should these other owners and Im sure more to come and me have to respond after possibly being in a deadly accident when this has been a documented as an ongoing problem. As for the rest of the questions, no one other than a mechanic has looked at the vehicle. Some times there would be an indication message on the dash along with engine trouble light and nothing would happen. But most recently it twice shut down without any indicator message. Once was on the highway the other about two hundred yards before a railroad crossing.

NHTSA ID
11444714
Incident
Dec 20, 2021
Airbags
Filed Aug 17, 2021

February of 2021 I was notified the driver side air bag in my truck I drive daily has an issue that if goes off can cause serious injury or death. that as 6 months ago and still no path forward to fix it, how safe it this for me to drive is death is an option? I feel this would be a concern for drivers and the companies doing more to prevent something if a part cannot be secured. Maybe start offering deals to accept the trade ins so your customer doesn't have to drive around an unsafe vehicle because of supply issues? This needs to be addressed so something silly can be avoided.

NHTSA ID
11429418
Incident
Feb 1, 2021
Airbags
Filed Aug 13, 2021

Was advised of the recall of my vehicle on Feb 26th 2021 and that the part to fix the problem was not available it is now six months later and have heard nothing and don,t know how log they expect people to wait with a faulty part to be repaired.

NHTSA ID
11429025
Incident
Feb 26, 2021
Airbags
Filed Apr 22, 2021

DASHBOARD HAS 5 LARGE CRACKS 4 LATERAL AN 1 VERTICAL TOP FRONT SPEAKER HAS FALLEN OFF CLIPS.VEHICLE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING WHILE JUST SITTING OVER TIME AND WHILE DRIVING ROAD VIBRATION HELP CRACKING CONTINUE I'M AFRAID THAT WITH THE CRACKING SINCE IT IS IN THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AREA AS WELL IT COULD CAUSE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY CAUSING MORE DAMAGE INJURIES TO PASSENGER OR A WRECK BY SUDDENLY GOING OFF AND CAUSING DRIVER TO SWERVE SUDDENLY.

NHTSA ID
11413432
Incident
Jan 9, 2021
Mileage
97,000 mi
Filed Jan 30, 2021

DASH HAS SEVERAL LARGE CRACKS AND IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE WITH TIME

NHTSA ID
11390769
Incident
Jan 16, 2014
Mileage
25,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 24, 2020

I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL NOTICES ABOUT HAVING THE AIR BAGS REPLACED BUT THE LOCAL CHEV DEALER TELLS ME WHEN THEY GET THE PARTS THEY WILL CALL ME. WHEN WILL THE PARTS BE READY?

NHTSA ID
11376123
Incident
Nov 24, 2020
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 12, 2020

PURCHASED A USED 2011 CHEVY AVALANCHE WITH 87,000 MILES ONE OWNER FROM A SMALL DEALERSHIP. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOTICED IT SHUDDERING WHEN PULLING ANY KIND OF GRADE. THINKING IT WAS SOME KIND OF MISFIRE HAD ALL THE PLUGS CHANGED ONLY TO FIND THAT IT ALSO HAD AN OIL FILE PROBLEM WITH 1 OF THE CYLINDERS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER IT WAS AROUND 1500-2000 RPMS. IF I WOULD GIVE IT MORE GAS IT MADE IT PAST THE 2,000 RPMS AND WOULD SHIFT WITH NO PROBLEMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW TOAST AS IT GAVE OUT COMPLETELY AND NEEDS REPLACED. NO WARNING LIGHTS OF ANY KIND MADE ME AWARE OF A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM. AFTER READING MORE I AM SEEING THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS SOMETHING THAT GM HAS NOT FULLY TAKEN CARE OF AS STATED WITH OLDER MODELS. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE ROADWAY WHILE NEARING THE TOP OF A HILL. IT JUST WENT COMPLETELY INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD JUST REV THE ENGINE. THE TRUCK WAS CARRYING 3 ADULTS AND 2 CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THANKFULLY WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD SAFELY. CURRENTLY THE TRUCK HAS 89,995 MILES ON IT. I ONLY PUT APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES ON IT SINCE PURCHASE.

NHTSA ID
11363964
Incident
Oct 11, 2020
Mileage
89,895 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 8, 2020

UNABLE TO GET RECALL HELP OR SUPPORT TO FOR TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL SERVICE

NHTSA ID
11353743
Incident
Sep 6, 2020
Mileage
135,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 30, 2020

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED BY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND OVER THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON 2007 TO 2013 TAHOES, SUBURBANS, SILVERADO'S, AND AVALANCHE'S WITH THIS ISSUE. SHOULD THE AIRBAG DEPLOY THE CRACKING PLASTIC COULD BE A HAZARD.

NHTSA ID
11352088
Incident
Aug 5, 2019
Mileage
105,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 30, 2020

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2011 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. I RECEIVED THE CHEVROLET RECALL, I WENT TO DO THE AIRBAG REPAIR AND THEY INFORM ME THAT THE COMPANY THAT MAKES IT HAS GONE BANKRUPT AND THERE IS NO REPAIR. THEY ALSO INFORM ME THAT IT IS DANGEROUS TO USE THE VEHICLE SINCE THE AIRBAG CAN CAUSE DAMAGE. WHAT I CAN DO?

NHTSA ID
11342407
Incident
Jul 10, 2019
Filed Jul 28, 2020

MY DASH KEEPS CRACKING, I HAD IT REPLACED ONCE IN 2015 AND NOW 2020 (BEEN CRACKED FOR 3 YEARS NOW) BOTH PIECES ARE ALL CRACKED WITH HOLE IN THE CENTER OF DASH. SEEMS LIKE THE SUN DRIES OUT THE PLACE WHERE IT SCREWS IN. THE SCREWS/BOLTS FALL OFF AND DASH JUST BOUNCES ALL OVER ANDA STARTS CRACKING. CALL THE SAME DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REDONE. THEY TOLD ME $350 PLUS LABOR.

NHTSA ID
11341792
Incident
Sep 1, 2015
Mileage
80,000 mi
Filed Jul 20, 2020

DASH BOARD IS CRACKING AROUND THE STEERING WHEEL AND AIR BAGS STARTED AS SMALL SPOT NOW WITH THE HEAT IT HAS GOTTEN BIGGER AND CONNECTING TO OTHER CRACKS

NHTSA ID
11340506
Incident
Mar 12, 2020
Airbags
Filed Mar 5, 2020

CRACKS IN DASHBOARD BY AIRBAG. OTHER CRACKS DEVELOPING IN DASHBOARD AS WELL.

NHTSA ID
11316217
Incident
Jul 22, 2019
Mileage
89,000 mi
Filed Jan 22, 2020

DASH CRACKED ALL ON TOP.

NHTSA ID
11301249
Incident
Apr 14, 2018
Mileage
34,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 18, 2019

OPEN RECALL ON AIRBAG GM SAYS NO REMEDY YET. WHAT DO I DO.

NHTSA ID
11280876
Incident
Nov 18, 2019
Airbags
Filed Oct 3, 2019

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11265949
Incident
May 1, 2016
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Aug 30, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD WAS FRACTURED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAN VADEN BRUNSWICK CHEVROLET CADILLAC (121 ALTAMA CONNECTOR, BRUNSWICK, GA 31525, (912) 265-3540), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS), BUT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER THREE TIMES AND THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT AT THE SAME DEALER AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER: 9-5453255979. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
11252373
Incident
Jun 7, 2017
Mileage
80,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 20, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000(AIR BAGS). GERRY LANE CHEVROLET (6505 FLORIDA BLVD, BATON ROUGE, LA 70806, 225-366-7962) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
11245217
Incident
May 1, 2017
Airbags
Filed Jul 22, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN RECALL REGARDING DEFECTIVE TAKATA AIR BAGS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO COMMUNITY CHEVROLET (200 W OLIVE AVE, BURBANK, CA 91502, (866) 610-2450) AND ALLEN GWYNN CHEVROLET (1400 S BRAND BLVD, GLENDALE, CA 91204, (818) 528-8597) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE SAME INFORMATION AS THE DEALER. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
11233866
Incident
May 1, 2017
Filed Jul 4, 2019

AVALANCHE RECALL. DEVELOPED DASHBOARD CRACKS WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME.

NHTSA ID
11229468
Incident
Feb 1, 2014
Mileage
40,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalSuspension
Filed May 13, 2019

JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 3 DAYS AGO AND THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME I BOUGHT THE CAR AS IS AND THERE'S THREE RECALLS ON IT AND THEY ARE THEY'RE REFUSING TO FIX WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED DO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT AND JUST BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR AS IS

NHTSA ID
11207207
Incident
May 10, 2019
Airbags
Filed Apr 25, 2019

CRACKED DASHBOARD CREATES A CONCERN IF AIR BAG IS DEPLOYED

NHTSA ID
11203748
Incident
Nov 24, 2017
Mileage
79,000 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.

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