Chevrolet Avalanche Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 164 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Avalanche across 6 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (115). The words owners use most often: “brake lines” (15% of reports).
- 164service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 14mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- $1,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 19%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Brake lines: mentioned in 25 of 164 complaints (15%)
- Anti lock: mentioned in 15 of 164 complaints (9%)
- Went floor: mentioned in 14 of 164 complaints (9%)
- Rear brakes: mentioned in 11 of 164 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes, hydraulic repair on the Chevrolet Avalanche at $1,500, and half of them between $680 and $1,700.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2012), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 133 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 164 complaints, 14 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Chevrolet Avalanche service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 Avalanche | 2 | 1% | 54,567 |
| 2005 Avalanche | 4 | 6% | 90,000 |
| 2004 Avalanche | 15 | 9% | 51,971 |
| 2003 Avalanche | 27 | 13% | 47,000 |
| 2002 Avalanche | 115 | 26% | 46,000 |
| 2000 Avalanche | 1 | 50% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Model years: 2002
Problem: Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles may experience unwanted antilock brake system (abs) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas. This recall will be launched in the "salt belt" states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia only.
Risk: This can cause increased stopping distances during low-speed brake applications, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel speed sensor, and check the peak-to-peak output voltage to ensure the wheel speed signal is within specifications. The recall began september 22, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Model years: 2004, 2005
Problem: Certain trucks, sport utility vehicles, and vans equipped with bosch hydro-boost brake assemblies, the hydraulic brake booster pressure accumulator may crack and separate from the hydro-boost assembly during normal operating conditions.
Risk: If a separation occurred and the hood of the vehicle were open, fragments from the accumulator could cause injury to people in the immediate area. The presence of this crack or fractured surface could allow the hydraulic fluid to leak from the accumulator circuit of the booster assembly. The loss of fluid would cause increased steering and braking effort and a crash may occur without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will test the hydro-boost assembly for functional operation of the two-function valve. If the hydro-boost assembly fails the test, dealers will replace the assembly free of charge. The recall began on march 23, 2005. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc trucks at 1-866-996-9463 and hummer at 1-800-732-5493.
Service brakes, hydraulic
Model years: 2003, 2004
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and passenger vans fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, ?passenger car brake systems.? Some of these vehicles were produced with an out-of-specification brake hydro-boost housing relief valve bore.
Risk: Consequently, the valve o-ring seal may fracture. Steering efforts may be slightly increased while braking or parking. Under certain driving conditions, a fractured seal may require a slight increase in the applied brake pedal effort to achieve the same vehicle deceleration rate as prior to the seat fracture.
Fix: Dealers are to replace the hydro-boost relief valve. The recall began on june 18, 2004. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; gmc at 1-866-996-9463; or hummer at 1-866-486-6376.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear brakes needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired however…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet avalanche.while at a traffic light, the contact could not depress the brake pedal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet avalanche. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle began to decelerate and the brakes failed to engage. The contact stated that the brake rotors overheated and produced steam. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet avalanche. The contact stated the brake and fuel lines was rusted and leaking fluid. In addition, the contact stated that the frame was rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was…
I was leaving the fish and game club in londonderry nh when i went to stop the pedal went to the floor i pushed harder it finally stopped. I pumped the pedal a few times some pressure built up i continued to the corner where a stop sign was hit the brake again and this time the pedal went to the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Avalanches have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 164 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the Chevrolet Avalanche. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Avalanche service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Avalanche?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $680 and $1,700), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Chevrolet Avalanche?
The most frequent phrase is “brake lines”, in 25 of 164 complaints, followed by “anti lock” (15).
Other Chevrolet Avalanche problems
- Air Bags problems (591)
- Structure problems (275)
- Electrical System problems (206)
- Service Brakes problems (147)
- Power Train problems (100)
See all Chevrolet Avalanche problems.