Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 02/08/2011 | 198000 | ||
| I was driving my truck and the speedometer was reading 60 and when i look down again it was reading 120. i stop and started again then i realize that it was not reading now. my fuel, rpm, oil pressure gauges stop also. i had a mechanic look at it and they said it was the cluster. i research and i notice that all these vehicle is having the same problems. i think that chevy should be responsible for this defective item. i brought this truck new and i did'nt think that i would be having any problems like this. i replaced the part but guess what, its doing the same thing after six months. now the door chime will not stop when the door is close and while im driving so i dont drive it. | |||
| 03/01/2012 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet avalanche 1500. the contact stated that the speedometer failed to provide accurate speed readings. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the instrument cluster needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 108,965. kmj | |||
| 03/01/2012 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet avalanche 1500. the contact was traveling when the speedometer failed to provide accurate readings. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the vehicle confirmed the instrument cluster needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 108,965. rds | |||
| 07/28/2011 | 200000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet avalanche 1500. while driving approximately 55 mph, the contact noticed the entire instrument panel and gauges failed to operate. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the contact stated the instrument panel cluster would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 200,000. js | |||
| 01/09/2011 | 90000 | ||
| Speedometer quit working | |||
| 11/18/2010 | |||
| The temperature is not functioning. the gauge did a 360 rotation and stuck in the final position. i have seen some web posting which say people have received a recall and my make/year are listed, but i do not see the recall listed on your site. is this a recall item? | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Speedometer failed on my sons 2003 chevy avalanche. read where this is a prevalent problem. why in the world has this not been the subject of a recall. i am reporting this to congress. | |||
| 03/07/2009 | |||
| I own a 2003 chevrolet avalanche, my speedometer is stuck at 50 mph, i cannot accuratley guage my speed, i also have a service air bag ligh that will not go off. these are some serious safey issues and a recall should be issued. | |||
| 05/19/2009 | 102000 | ||
| 2003 chevy avalanche caught on fire from defective wires behind radio panel that shorted. burned all the wiring and smoked the vehicle. | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 87000 | 1 | |
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) my 2003 chevy avalanche z-66 has just now developed speedometer problems and i am sorry it is a safety issue and concern but general motors has brushed it off as no case closed. my speedometer started acting weird,it only works for short distance driving then either shows last speed obtained or zero. my example for gm is this: no other gm vehicle i purchase ever had this problem and even though you may not think of it as a safety issue perhaps you might rethink this thought by getting into a vehicle where the speedometer sporadically works then stops working all together while you are driving. perhaps gm can tell me how they would/could tell the speed they are going when this happens 0 reading so that i can tell the law enforcement personnel who pulled me over for speeding or driving under the limit that i tried to judge my speed but my gm speedometer stopped working and gm said it wasn't a safety issue. it's a defect and gm has a limit of 70,000-80,000 miles or 7 years which ever occurs first...this is a cop out. i even wrote and addressed an email to [xxx]to no avail. i would like to copy and paste my letter so that you will see that i am seeking a free repair/ replacement including free labor for a new ipc. it is a defect they admit and it is a safety issue and concern that affects many vehicles besides mine no matter how many miles the vehicle has on it. god..this is an american car company, have they not learned anything about loyalty? *tr | |||
| 10/01/2009 | 110000 | 1 | |
| Speedometer on 2003 chevrolet avalanche not working, stuck at 120mph. i consider this a safety issue. other cluster gauges -- tachometer and fuel gauge -- have also failed. complete cluster needs to be replaced. gm will not correct problem because it is out of warranty. there was a tsb issued by gm to repair the cluster. however, the tsb only requires gm to repair vehicles (at their expense) with less than 70k miles. my vehicle has over 110 miles. is this problem any less of a safety issue for me than it is for those with less than 70k miles? gm is charging $500 to repair the most important instrument in the car. speedometer failure is clearly a safety issue that should be corrected. the vehicle?s mileage should not be a determining factor as to whether gm or the owner have to pay for the repair. a speedometer should last for the expected life of the vehicle, not just 70k miles. *tr | |||
| 05/12/2009 | 69000 | 1 | |
| Engine stalls shortly after starting. unable to get any response after the initial stall (it would not crack). battery cables must be disconnected from the battery and reconnected after two to three minutes in order to restart the vehicle. no engine trouble code displayed after the incident. *tr | |||
| 03/05/2009 | 100000 | 1 | |
| Www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov. *tr | |||
| 01/14/2008 | 66000 | 1 | |
| Just driving my truck to work and the speedometer just quit working now when driving you never know how fast you are going it might stop at 50mph and the next time you drive it will start from there i have not yet had this serviced as i feel this is a major safety issue, and apparently it is a well known problem with chevy's but they will not stand behind it. i have even gotten a speeding ticket over this . *tr | |||
| 08/15/2008 | 91000 | 1 | |
| At approximately 91k miles the speedometer began to intermittently fail, then at approx. 96k miles, the tachometer began having the same issues. i've noticed on multiple bulletins where hundreds to thousands of people are having this same issue and we're all curious to know why gm has not been instructed to issue a recall. gm has stated (via customer service reps) that knowing your speed is not a safety concern. i pose the question then, why do we have speed limits? of course your speed is a very important safety concern or it wouldn't be regulated. they need to replace these defective products they've put on the road & reimburse those that have already paid to have the repairs completed. putting a mileage limit on this issue is absurd considering that most people experiencing this issue either got the letter from gm after the 70k mile mark or don't experience the defect until afterwards. since when does safety have a mileage limit? *tr | |||
| 02/20/2009 | 78000 | 1 | |
| I have 79,000 miles on my 03 avalanche and about a month ago the speedometer started failing at around 78,000 miles. researched this problem online and found there was a fix for this defect up to 70,000 miles or 7 years. was told i would have to pay for it myself! why!! this is a safety defect that shouldn't have a mileage or year stipulation on it!! if you read all the complaints, this happens over the 70,000 or 7 years stipulation with many other owners!!! i've owned many trucks and never had a speedo or cluster problem!! this should be recalled with no mileage or year restraints on it!! very dissatisfied customers out there about this!! this is a safety issue defect that the consumer shouldn't have to pay for!! *tr | |||
| 10/10/2008 | 99000 | 1 | |
| The speedometer on my 2003 avalanche sticks at random points and then indicates an incorrect speed which is very unsafe. for example it will stick at 45 mph and then increase from there as the vehicle sped is increased. or it may slip to some other indicated speed from one moment to the next. very unsafe. i checked the internet and this problem is being talked about by many, many consumers. i believe that you should issue a recall to require gm (chevrolet) to fix this problem. thank you. *tr | |||
| 09/22/2008 | 70000 | 1 | |
| 2003 avalanche speedometer fluctuates. *tr | |||
| 07/18/2007 | 79565 | 5 | 02/01/2007 |
| Since purchasing this truck on 02/01/2007, there have been multiple problems with the transmission, engine, and electrical system that have not gotten resolved, however they do seem to get worse. the worst of these problems has occurred while driving on the northeast extension of the pennsylvania turnpike. while attempting to pass another vehicle in the left lane the engine shut off. i was doing approx. 60-65 mph when this occurred during the am rush hour. after losing engine power i somehow made it safely to the right hand shoulder and let the truck coast to a stop. the power steering was not working, nor were the power brakes. after finally stopping, the truck did restart and i slowly continued on my way to work. the truck was taken to a dealership, and for almost (2) weeks the truck sat there while they tried to figure this out. after getting the truck back, the same problem occurred, and it went back to the same dealership. since then it has been ok, except i have lost dashboard lights, radio lights, and also the cruise control indicator light, they claim other problems, however these issues were never a problem before they worked on the truck. now i have air-bag lights flash at me while driving, and the transmission is slipping, this was the first problem with the truck that i reported on 03/14/2007 to the dealership that i purchased this truck from. i have already paid over $1500.00 i repair costs, only to have them tell me it will cost approx. another $800.00-$1000.00 to correct the air-bag, and transmission issues. these should be covered by my warranty, except the dealership insists i pay for the repairs. i have paid enough, and i am at my wit's end with this truck, and the dealership. i feel that i can no longer safely drive my family around in this truck, and i still have many years of payments left. ( i have never been late on a payment) please help me, i feel as though i have been sold a money pit. *tr | |||
| 11/22/2006 | 47000 | 10 | 05/22/2003 |
| 2003 chevy avalanche - 48k miles. while driving, the speedometer ticks somewhat like a watch and does not measure accurate speed. the speedometer will slowly reduce to zero, even though the vehicle is still moving. *nm | |||
| 11/10/2006 | 87000 | 1 | 06/30/2003 |
| 2003 chevrolet avalanche; my speedometer suddenly quit working. the readings are crazy, showing that i am going over 100 mph when i am only going about 50 mph. at one stop sign, the speedometer insisted i was going 120 mph! this situation is dangerous. *nm | |||
| 08/01/2006 | 50000 | 1 | 03/01/2003 |
| 2003 chevrolet avalanche, z71 package. the speedometer on the vehicle sporadically stops working or sticks on a particular speed. the dial is not accurate and i cannot tell how fast i am going. *nm | |||
| 10/12/2006 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2003 chevy avalanche the speedometer show when i am at a full stop it is going 30mph. i have no way of knowing how fast i am going. i only have 50,000 miles. *nm | |||
| 10/19/2006 | 43000 | 5 | 05/15/2003 |
| Speedometer reads erratically. yesterday 0 was 30 mph. each time i start the vehicle 0 is something different. *nm | |||
| 10/12/2006 | 59462 | 15 | 12/19/2002 |
| Speedometer malfunctions. sticks at different speeds... +10 mph, +30 mph, +60 mph etc. will reset itself after various amounts of times. minutes to days later. *nm | |||
| 10/06/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2003 chevy avalanche z66 speedometer failure, seems like a very common problem and should be addressed by the manufacturer with recall. *nm | |||