2013 Chevrolet Avalanche Problems, Recalls & Reliability

143 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 14/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Other leads the reports, typically around 55,000 miles.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

143Complaints
14/100Trouble index
2Recalls
51,627Typical trouble mileage

Better year

Where 2013 sits among all Avalanche years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Other 56 complaints (39%) · typically ~55,000 miles
“Instrument panel (dashboard) cracked in two places. One by the passenger side airbag and the other right above the steering wheel. From what i investigated, this seems to be a rather common issue.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Avalanche
Airbags 28 complaints (20%) · typically ~49,000 miles
“The dash cracked near the passenger airbag. The vehicle was stationary at the time of the crack.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Avalanche
Body & structure 27 complaints (19%) · typically ~46,613 miles
“I gothe vehicle was stationaryt in my vehicle and i noticed the dashboard was cracked”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Avalanche
Electrical 11 complaints (8%)
Engine 5 complaints (3%)
Fuel system 3 complaints (2%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 102 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 51,627 miles. Half of those reports fall between 37,000 and 72,500 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (2)

AIR BAGS 21V054000 2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL,…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on…

AIR BAGS 21V053000 2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold,…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on…

Federal defect investigations

Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture EA21002 opened September 17, 2021 · still open

Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…

Model years named: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

Technical service bulletins

1,657 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2013 Avalanche TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2014peak 33 in 20182026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche reliable?

The 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche drew 143 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 14/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).

What are the most common 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche problems?

The top reported problems for the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche are other (56 complaints), airbags (28), and body & structure (27).

At what mileage do 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche problems show up?

Owners most often report 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche problems around 51,627 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 37,000 and 72,500 miles.

Does the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2012 Avalanche All Avalanche years
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

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.