Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2011GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.1× usual Extended coverage
111 serious complaints of 155, the most about air bags (66) and structure (27); per car on the road, 1.1× this model's usual year. 3 recalls. NHTSA investigation EA21002: desiccated air bag inflator rupture.
What owners report
“Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 chevrolet avalanche. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v381000 (air bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to repair the vehicle. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Oct 2019
“The contact owns a 2011 chevrolet avalanche. While driving various speeds, the contact noticed that the entire dashboard was constantly vibrating. In addition, a crack was visible on the passenger side dashboard near the air bag housing area.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the structure, Aug 2015
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage The throttle position sensor may cause the engine to run rough and cause the malfunction indicator lamp and/or and Engine Reduced Power message to illuminate. 11273A - Special Coverage (additional population added). (G-169310, Jun 2013)
- Repair program This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Diagnostic Trouble Code B101D stored in Telematics Communication Interface Control Module. (PIT5236F, Aug 2015)
- Repair program Normal engine vibration while in active fuel management (afm) mode may cause the transmission dipstick tube to fatigue and fracture. Dealers are to inspect the transmission dipstick tube for a fracture and replace it if necessary. (12138, Oct 2012)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
155 owner complaints · 3 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 17 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2011 trims and features
Every Avalanche year's verdict →
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 5.3L 8-cyl · Drive: 4WD, RWD
2011 Avalanche trims
| Export | LS | LT | LTZ |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Chevrolet reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Chevrolet aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 5.3L 8-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 17 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 111 | Unknown or other (54) | — |
| 2012 | 5.3L 8-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 17 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 52 | Unknown or other (32) | — |
| 2011 | 5.3L 8-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 17 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 155 | Air bags (66) | — |
| 2010 | 5.3L 8-cyl 6.2L 8-cyl | RWD | 14–17 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 117 | Air bags (57) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Chevrolet Avalanche SUV 4WD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 82 |
| 2013 | Chevrolet Avalanche SUV RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 82 |
| 2012 | Chevrolet Avalanche SUV 4WD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 52 |
| 2012 | Chevrolet Avalanche SUV RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 52 |
| 2011 | Chevrolet Avalanche SUV 4WD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 155 |
| 2011 | Chevrolet Avalanche SUV RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 155 |
| 2010 | Chevrolet Avalanche 4-DR w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 117 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Avalanche 1500 2WD | Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L | 17 |
| 2013 | Avalanche 1500 4WD | Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L | 17 |
| 2012 | Avalanche 1500 2WD | Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L | 17 |
| 2012 | Avalanche 1500 4WD | Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L | 17 |
| 2011 | Avalanche 1500 2WD | Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L | 17 |
| 2011 | Avalanche 1500 4WD | Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L | 17 |
| 2010 | Avalanche 1500 2WD | Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 5.3 L Auto 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L |
14–17 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.