Most common 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 problems
Share of the 28 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 complaints by model year
Best Avalanche 1500 years: 2010, 2012, 2006. Years to avoid: 2003, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2007. Compare all years →
2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 recalls (2)
Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; Chevrolet avalanche, colorado, express, silverado, suburban, tahoe; and GMC canyon, sierra, savana, yukon and yukon xl vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2011. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the…
Suspension › Rear › Axle › Spindle
General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac escalade ext, Chevrolet avalanche, silverado ld and GMC sierra ld vehicles. The rear axle cross pins were not properly heat treated and could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge. The safety recall began on January 11, 2011. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the…
What 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 owners say
Air bags
Dashboard has cracked into multiple pieces around and behind the instrument cluster and near the airbag. Numerous calls with Chevy have failed to resolve the problem and Chevy refuses to guarantee, in writing, that the airbag will still discharge properly in an accident and remain seated properly and that the radio will not dislodge from the dash. This vehicle is well maintained and has approximately 51K miles on it. This is a huge safety concern and is a common issue with all vehicles with the same dash made from 2009-2013. Chevy has acknowledged this is an issue yet refuses to repair or replace unless they are forced to in a recall.
2011 Chevrolet Avalanche has dashboard cracking all around the passenger side air bag. My concern is if the air bag is deployed for any reason the hard plastic dashboard material will shatter a scatter all through the cabin injuring myself, or worse my family. My understanding after reading all the reviews this is not a concern of GM even though most vehicles have this issue. It seems they are simply waiting for enough people to get injured before they have to do a recall due to using inferior products. This was my first Chevrolet and will be my last, what a disappointment.
Engine & cooling
At @4000 miles on the vehicle the engine light came on. The dealership found that there was no oil in the engine and #1 spark plug was bad. They replaced the plug & oil. Again about another 4000 mile it did the same thing. They replaced the valve guide seals, that stopped the spark plug from going bad, but I have to put a quart of oil in it every 3,000 miles. A vehicle using synthetic oil should go about 7,500 miles or more. That means two quarts oil between changes. They claim with general motors that is acceptable. I have never owned a new vehicle where I had to add oil before and due oil change. The same vehicle has so much wind noise coming in around the doors or windows it is hard to hear the radio. My complaint to the dealer their answer was ? There isn?t a bulletin on this. That means they don?t know what to do, or won?t. And didn?t do a thing.
Service stabilitrac system indication comes on, with check engine light, and engine power reduced. Happens randomly, cannot find a "common cause" spent lots of money on PCM, BCM, memory seat module, battery cables, battery, brake light switch, etc. Etc. Dangerous condition when vehicle drops into power reduction mode.
Electrical system
Service stabilitrac system indication comes on, with check engine light, and engine power reduced. Happens randomly, cannot find a "common cause" spent lots of money on PCM, BCM, memory seat module, battery cables, battery, brake light switch, etc. Etc. Dangerous condition when vehicle drops into power reduction mode.
I was in line at a drive through at burger king and as I pulled up to the cashiers window to pay for my food the engine started to accelerate. I put my foot on the brakes as hard as I could while the truck was shaking and lurching trying to go forward. I can't say for sure how high the tachometer was, but it seemed to almost peg for a few seconds while this was going on. Finally I jammed the transmission into neutral and the engine returned to normal idle. I say jammed because it took great strength to get it out of drive. For about 10-15 seconds this truck was totally out of my control. I drove away and parked for a few minutes to gather myself as I was visibly shaken..I was thankful that no one was in front of me in at burger king or that I was not in a parking lot somewhere where someone could have been injured or killed. …
2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 a good car?
Based on 28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Avalanche 1500 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Avalanche 1500 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and electrical system (4).
How many recalls does the 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500, the most recent from January 6, 2011 (spindle). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Avalanche 1500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2012 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2005, 2004, 2002 and 2007. See the full Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 48% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.