2005 Chevrolet Avalanche Problems, Recalls & Reliability
238 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 26/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 62,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2005 sits among all Avalanche years
What owners report
“The shift lever position is not illuminated. There is another recall for this same issue but the company will not do anything. I turn the vehicle on and cannot tell what gear i even am in,”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Avalanche
“Driving down county rd stopped at stop sign. Started to take off it started slipping then quit pulling completly.puet it in all drives 1,2,3, & d nothing happened cut engine off put it in drive it started out like nothing happened for short distance then same thing again.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Avalanche
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 196 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 66,825 miles. Half of those reports fall between 40,000 and 103,567 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
ON CERTAIN CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE 2ND ROW CENTER OCCUPANT SEAT BELT ROUTING MAY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO POSITION THE LAP PORTION OF THE SAFETY BELT LOW AROUND THE HIPS OF OCCUPANTS, ESPECIALLY SMALLER OCCUPANTS, SEATED IN THIS…
Fix: DEALERS WILL CUT OPEN THE GUIDE LOOP, REMOVE A PORTION OF THE LOOP, AND THEN THE REMAINING TWO SIDES SHOULD BE FOLDED OVER AND SECURED WITH A RETAINER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 21,…
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT." UNDER…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, AND GMC AT…
CERTAIN TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND VANS EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH HYDRO-BOOST BRAKE ASSEMBLIES, THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE BOOSTER PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR MAY CRACK AND SEPARATE FROM THE HYDRO-BOOST ASSEMBLY DURING NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TEST THE HYDRO-BOOST ASSEMBLY FOR FUNCTIONAL OPERATION OF THE TWO-FUNCTION VALVE. IF THE HYDRO-BOOST ASSEMBLY FAILS THE TEST, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE…
Technical service bulletins
751 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2005 Avalanche TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche reliable?
The 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche drew 238 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 26/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche are electrical (72 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (26), and fuel system (22).
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche problems around 66,825 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 40,000 and 103,567 miles.
Does the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.