Most common 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche problems
Share of the 82 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Avalanche complaints by model year
Best Avalanche years: 2006, 2012, 2009. Years to avoid: 2002, 2003, 2004. Compare all years →
2013 Chevrolet Avalanche recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida,…
Remedy: 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 February 24, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone…
Remedy: 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 February 25, 2021.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
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, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche owners say
Air bags all 22 →
I had an auto accident that totaled my vehicle (2013 Chevy Avalanche). It was t-boned by the other vehicle with significant damage from the front quarter panel to the rear quarter panel. All on the driver's side. NONE of the airbags deployed in my vehicle. The other vehicle that hit me had all of the air bags deployed. I had my passenger airbag replaced, based on a manufacturers recall, this past summer 09/26/2025 at a certified Chevy dealer. At that time, they said everything was replaced that needed to be and confirmed that everything was working. Because NONE of the airbags deployed in my vehicle, I sustained minor injuries, i.e. cuts, bruises, etc. and my passenger sustained minor injuries as well, i.e. bruises and neck pain. At the time of the accident, there were no warning lights or messages related to air bags. …
In December of 2020 we took our vehicle cannon dealership,the 2013 avalanche had a recall to repair a part for the takata air bag,on January 17,2022 we had and accident, some one pulling a cow hauling trailer pull out in front of us and we hit into the cow trailer,and the air bags didn't deploy.we got injured,and we are still under the doctor,we had $9000 worth of damage,would have been worse if my husband hadn't hit brakes and we were sliding all across the highway we just couldn't avoid hitting the cow hauling trailer thanks Barbara hill.
Body & structure
The Dashboard has cracked and broken in several places and I believe this to be directly as a result of the steering wheel column and moving the steering wheel tilt positions. You could hear a cracking when moving the steering wheel position and then a sound like a bolt or something dropping inside. After this happened there was a crack immediately above, perpendicular with the steering wheel in the plastic bent portion of the dash and since that time I have noticed the steering wheel seems to shift some even when you aren't attempting to tilt it and the dashboard is cracking in several places now. This vehicle has never been left outside of the garage. It has been driven as a secondary, leisure vehicle and is in excellent condition so please don't say this is normal. This is a result of something that occurred after hearing the snapping sound after the steering wheel was being tilted.
The dash is cracked at multiple places including up to the airbag. I was told by the people who repairs windshield that this is a know problem for Avalanche, silverado suburban. This is clearly a manufacturer defect and should be a recall they are quoting me a $1497 repair fee to replace the dash at the dealer. I contacted Chevrolet for assistance. They offered a $130 good will....
Engine & cooling
I am an owner of a 2013 Chevy Avalanche and must say that i enjoy driving this vehicle. The problem that i have is the vehicle has been going into Engine Power Reduced Mode. This mode makes the vehicle hard to accelerate to highway speeds. The vehicle will have a code of P2128 or P2138 which is an accelator pedel ciruit problem. I changed the acceleator pedal and did not solve the problem. I changed out the Throttle Body Sensor and still the problem remains. On the dashboard it will show Check Engine Light on, Service Stablinktrac light on, and Service Traction Control Light on. I have seen other vehicle owners experience the same problems with their vehicles and told that there was no recall and have to pay for the repairs out of pocket. These are very well made vehicles but when they going into Engine Power Reduced Mode, drive ability is diminished.
Repeated instances of engine misfire/loss of power due to known issue with 5.3L Engines. Chevy/GM have repeatedly not fixed root cause/issues leading to "Stabilitrac/Traction control" error messages during engine misfire while driving in traffic. On 3 of these occasions loss power in roads/intersections with oncoming traffic. Two of these occasions,almost caused collisions. Currently truck at dealership since 4/11/22, with Warranty company (extended warranty) and Chevy dealership discussing mechanical issues with Rings, Pistons, Lifters versus "Carbon build up". Engine very low mileage per year. Total milage under 72k. Carbon is in all engines, failure root cause according to research and service department not related to carbon. In conversation with Service Manager, in past Chevy service departments followed guidelines of "Stick a plug and wire on it, and send it out". …
2013 Chevrolet Avalanche 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 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche a good car?
Based on 82 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2013 Avalanche rates average: 32% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Avalanche 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 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche?
The air bags — 22 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (19) and engine & cooling (4).
How many recalls does the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche, the most recent from February 5, 2021 (inflator module). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2012 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002, 2003 and 2004. See the full Chevrolet Avalanche years comparison.
At what mileage do 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 44% 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.