CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 · model year

2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500

11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004CHEVROLETAVALANCHE 2500 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 AVALANCHE 2500 is service brakes, hydraulic with 5 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2004 AVALANCHE 2500, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

11
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

11 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recalls (1)

06E04300019/05/2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CE

Recent Complaints

20151126SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE LINE FAILURE. I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE ABS ACTIVATED AND I WAS NOT SLOWING. THERE WAS NO CROSS TRAFFIC SO I LUCKILY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. THE BRAKE LINE FAILED DUE TO RUST. BRAKING ABILITY WITH ONLY THE REAR BRAKES ACTIVE WAS VIRTUALLY NONEXISTENT AND THERE WAS NO WARNINGS ON THE DISPLAY. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION INTO GM BRAKE LINES WAS DISMISSED.

Mileage: 68,000

20150924UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE A/C ON SUDDENLY THE DRIVERS SIDE STARTS BLOWING HOT AIR WHILE THE PASSENGER SIDE IS STILL BLOWING COLD AIR. IF I PUT THE AVALANCHE INTO NEUTRAL TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RE START THE ENGINE IT WILL SUDDENLY START BLOWING COLD AIR AGAIN - IT IS HAPPENING QUITE A BIT MORE FREQUENTLY AND I HAVE READ ON SOME AVALANCHE FORUMS OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE AS WELL. WHEN ITS 100+ DEGREES OUTSIDE THE AIR NEEDS TO WORK THE HEATER I CAN DO WITHOUT DURING THIS TIME.

Mileage: 240,000

20100523SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) BRAKE FAILURE CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 VIN [XXX] , MODEL YEAR 2004 DUE TO CORROSION AS DESCRIBED BY GROSSMAN CHEVROLET SERVICE MANAGER BRENT TURCHI ( ROTTED AND LEAKING BRAKE LINE ) - OWNER [XXX] BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR - MR. TURCHI ADVISED THAT BRAKE LINE FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO ABS MODULE ROTTED AND LEAKING - EVENT HAPPENED AT UNDER 50,000 MILES SINCE LINE IS BUNDLED WITH ALL OTHER FRONT LINES IT WAS NECESSARY TO REPLACE 2 LINES FROM MASTER TO BAS, LINE FROM FRONT ABS TO LEFT FRONT AND FROM ABS TO RIGHT FRONT , BLEED AND REPLACE FLUID $608.28 CHARGE. *TR

Mileage: 49,999

20100208CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I FILED A COMPLAINT LAST WEEK, AND READ WHAT WAS WRITTEN TODAY. THE INFO THAT WAS PUT IN YOUR SYSTEM IS INCORRECT, THE ODI NUMBER IS 10305220 THE VECHICE DOES NOT STOP SHORT, IT TAKES ALOT LONGER TO STOP, AS THE BRAKES FAIL DURING ANTI LOCK FAILURES ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DO TO NOT STOPPING PROPERLY.

Mileage: 15,800

20100204CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES GOES OFF WHEN THE SURFACE IS DRY. VEHICLE IS STOPPING SHORT BEFORE IT SHOULD STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND STATED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES BUT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALLS AND CONTACT HAS TO PAY FOR THE EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,800. UPDATED 03/04/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. UPDATED 06/14/10.*JB

Mileage: 15,800

20100121SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

WHEN COMING TO A STOP ON CLEAN DRY PAVEMENT, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BEGIN PULSATING, TRIPLING YOUR STOPPING DISTANCE. *TR

Mileage: 15,800

20100121SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN COMING TO A STOP ON CLEAN DRY PAVEMENT, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BEGIN PULSATING, TRIPLING YOUR STOPPING DISTANCE. *TR

Mileage: 15,800

20091009SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

ANTILOCK BRAKES ARE ENGAGING DURING STOPS ON DRY ROADS. CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 61,500

20080603SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

POOR BREAKING AT 8500 MILES. DEALER TURNED FRONT ROTORS. POOR BREAKING AGAIN AT 9500 MILES, DEALER REPLACED REAR PADS AND ROTORS. BREAKING ALMOST CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT, AS STOPPING DISTANCE WAS ABOUT 3 TIMES NORMAL. GM WOULD NOT COVER 2ND REPAIR. FRONT PADS WERE STILL GOOD, AND TRUCK DRIVEN GENTLY ABOUT 200 MILES PER MONTH. I BELIEVE INFERIOR STEEL USED IN MANUFACTURE, AND ALL SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

Mileage: 8,000

20080115FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I HAVE A 2500 AVALANCHE. MAIN FUEL TANK OR LINES ARE LEAKING. THIS IS A 2004. *TR

Mileage: 49,870

20070710ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

SPEEDO AT 60 MILES PER HOUR WHEN STOPPED. INCREASES FROM THERE WHEN MOVING. CAN NOT TELL CORRECT SPEED. APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 03 TO 06 CHEVY VEHICLES. WARRANTY UP ON VEHICLE DUE TO AGE NOT MILES. DEALER SAYS COST IS OVER $500. *TR

Mileage: 30,842

Compare 2004CHEVROLETAVALANCHE 2500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 have?
The 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500?
Yes, the 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500?
The most-complained component for the 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL.
Is the 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.