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2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 182 owner complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500, most often about the electrical system. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500
41
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.4× the Avalanche 1500 median · #2 of 11 years by complaints
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints18210 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage85kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 26, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: 2000chevymontecarlo, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 has problems

182 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system841
Service brakes281
Service brakes, hydraulic243
Air bags121
Vehicle speed control111
Steering91
Structure83
Suspension41
Visibility40
10 other systems190

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

85kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 71 electrical system complaints. 72% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
0under 30k miles51under 100k miles20100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2003 vs. every other Avalanche 1500 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Avalanche 1500 median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Brake line corrosion failureEA11001 · closed Apr 8, 2015
    No recall
In owners' words

What Avalanche 1500 owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AND THE CLUSTER IS OUT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT MODEL THIS IS OTHER THAN A Z66 SO I CANNOT SEE ON HOW TO PROGRAM MY PHONE AT TO THE ONSTAR OR ANY OF THAT I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE SATELLITE RADIO THERE IS NO AUXILIARY PLUG IN HEATED SEATS IT'S ONLY THE BACK OF THE SEAT THAT WORKS I'M…
Complaint 11386897 · Jan 7, 2021
I AM A NEW OWNER OF A 2003 AVALANCHE, I WAS SATISFIED WITH MY PURCHASE BUT MY SOONROOF FALLS UNDER THE APPROPRIATE SERIAL NUMBERS (6,000,000-6,300,000) RECALL STATES THAT IT MAY BE COVERED BY THE COMPANY WEBASTO HOLLANDIA. VEHICLE IS FINE TO DRIVE PLACES BUT SUNROOF MUST BE FIXED FOR COMING WINTER.…
Complaint 11384649 · Dec 23, 2020 · 150,000 miles
INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS STOPPED WORKING. NONE OF THE GAUGES WORK. START VEHICLE NO GAUGES MOVE. DRIVE AND NO GAUGES MOVE, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER
Complaint 11015926 · Aug 17, 2017 · 150,000 miles

Own a 2003 Avalanche 1500?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.