What are the most common problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche?

Electrical system complaints lead with 68. Power train follows with 26.

Does the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche have recalls?

Yes. The page counts 4 recalls. See the Recalls section for the list.

How reliable is the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche?

NHTSA has 200 owner complaints on file. See the problems section for the groups.

What is the gas mileage of the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche?

See the fuel economy section on this page.

Is 2005 the best year for the Avalanche?

See the by-year comparison on this page.

2005 Chevrolet Avalanche Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 200 owner complaints on file for the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche^[1]. The electrical system is named most often, with 68 complaints^[2].

200owner complaints^[1]

4recalls^[3]

14–15MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name most often, biggest first.

Electrical System. 68 complaints^[2]. Owners describe gauges that act up, with the speedometer jumping, sticking or reading wrong, and instrument panel lights going dark.
Power Train. 26 complaints^[5]. In the stories we read, owners describe transmission failures, clunking noises and the truck bogging down in tight turns.
Air Bags. 21 complaints^[6]. Owners describe a service air bag light that stays on. Some stories also describe air bags that did not open in a crash.
Brakes. 17 complaints^[7]. Owners describe a pedal that sinks, ABS light and grinding, and rusted brake parts.
Steering. 16 complaints^[8].
Fuel/Propulsion System. 14 complaints^[9].
Engine. 11 complaints^[10].
Tires. 10 complaints^[11].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2005 Avalanche is necessarily included.

Engine And Engine Cooling (06V289), August 2006. About 38,439 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[12]
Seat Belts › Rear/Other (05V163), April 2005. About 1,359,824 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Power Train › Manual Transmission › Shift Pattern Indicator (05V055), February 2005. About 7,194 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic (05V043), February 2005. About 77,411 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, steering problems, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Avalanche 1500 2WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Gasoline or E85, Rear-Wheel Drive^[4]	13 / 18 / 15	$4,450
Avalanche 1500 4WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Gasoline or E85, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[16]	13 / 17 / 14	$4,800

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR None^[17]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	21.9%

Engine and size

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
AVALANCHE 1500 P/U CREWCAB S/BOX 2WD^[18]	222 in	79 in	73 in	130 in	5,437 lb
AVALANCHE 1500 P/U CREWCAB S/BOX 4WD^[19]	222 in	79 in	74 in	130 in	5,679 lb
AVALANCHE 2500 P/UCREWCAB S/BOX 2WD^[20]	222 in	79 in	73 in	130 in	6,356 lb
AVALANCHE 2500 P/UCREWCAB S/BOX 4WD^[21]	222 in	79 in	74 in	130 in	6,643 lb

How 2005 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Avalanche model year. The 2005 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2002	598	2
2003	386	4
2004	309	5
2005	200	4
2006	50	2
2007	490	5
2008	295	4
2009	96	5
2010	117	3
2011	155	5
2012	52	3
2013	111	3

NHTSA's counts for the Avalanche show 200 complaints and 4 recalls for 2005^[3]. Among the 12 model years listed, 6 have fewer complaints than 2005 and 5 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2006 (50) and the most are for 2002 (598)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2005 Avalanche?

These are unverified owner reports, so they show patterns and not proof. The electrical system stands out most in the NHTSA record, with 68 complaints^[2]. The power train and air bag groups follow^[5]^[6]. The page lists 4 recalls for this model year^[3], so check the recall section above. A used Avalanche deserves a close look at the gauges, the transmission and the air bag light before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche?: Electrical system complaints lead with 68^[2]. Power train follows with 26^[5].
Does the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche have recalls?: Yes. The page counts 4 recalls^[3]. See the Recalls section for the list.
How reliable is the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche?: NHTSA has 200 owner complaints on file^[1]. See the problems section for the groups.
What is the gas mileage of the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche?: See the fuel economy section on this page.
Is 2005 the best year for the Avalanche?: See the by-year comparison on this page.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Chevrolet Avalanche

2002 598 complaints, 2 recalls
2003 386 complaints, 4 recalls
2004 309 complaints, 5 recalls
2005 this page
2007 490 complaints, 5 recalls
2008 295 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 111 complaints, 3 recalls

Compare all model years of the Chevrolet Avalanche

Other Chevrolet models from 2005

2005 Chevrolet Corvette 537 complaints, 6 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Express Passenger 59 complaints, 8 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Malibu 1,393 complaints, 4 recalls
2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer 1,466 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Venture 42 complaints, 1 recall
2005 Chevrolet Cavalier 287 complaints, 0 recalls

All Chevrolet models

Similar cars from 2005: suvs

2005 Toyota Sequoia 352 complaints, 9 recalls
2005 Cadillac SRX 122 complaints, 3 recalls
2005 Ford Freestyle 1,459 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 GMC Envoy 511 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 Honda Element 159 complaints, 7 recalls
2005 Hyundai Santa Fe 216 complaints, 3 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 200 owner complaints on file for the 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche (3 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 5 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
68 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 60,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Chevrolet Avalanche model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Avalanche 1500 2WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Gasoline or E85, Rear-Wheel Drive: 13 city / 18 highway / 15 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,450. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
26 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 61,937). NHTSA vehicle records
21 complaints name the air bags component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 62,000). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the brakes component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 87,500). NHTSA vehicle records
16 complaints name the steering component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 13,767). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 108,404). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 38,000). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the tires component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 56,800). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 06V289, filed August 3, 2006: Engine And Engine Cooling. NHTSA recall database
Recall 05V163, filed April 22, 2005: Seat Belts › Rear / Other. NHTSA recall database
Recall 05V055, filed February 14, 2005: Power Train › Manual Transmission › Shift Pattern Indicator. NHTSA recall database
Recall 05V043, filed February 8, 2005: Service Brakes, Hydraulic. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Avalanche 1500 4WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Gasoline or E85, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 13 city / 17 highway / 14 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR None: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 21.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, AVALANCHE 1500 P/U CREWCAB S/BOX 2WD: length 222 in, width 79 in, height 73 in, wheelbase 130 in, curb weight 5,437 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, AVALANCHE 1500 P/U CREWCAB S/BOX 4WD: length 222 in, width 79 in, height 74 in, wheelbase 130 in, curb weight 5,679 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, AVALANCHE 2500 P/UCREWCAB S/BOX 2WD: length 222 in, width 79 in, height 73 in, wheelbase 130 in, curb weight 6,356 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, AVALANCHE 2500 P/UCREWCAB S/BOX 4WD: length 222 in, width 79 in, height 74 in, wheelbase 130 in, curb weight 6,643 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2005 Chevrolet Avalanche: problems, recalls and fuel economy