2013 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 recalls & complaints
Source: NHTSA, updated daily. Last checked 2026-10-19. Recalls apply to specific VINs — run your VIN to confirm.
1 safety recall, most serious first
1. Steering
What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 1…
What could happen: As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2013 AVALANCHE 1500.
- Book a repair at any authorized Chevrolet dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 13V001000.
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-800-630-2438.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
Summary: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles, manufactured between November 7, 2012, through December 18, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect", and FMVSS No. 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention." The vehicles may have been built with a fractured park lock cable or a malformed steering column lock actuator gear in the lock module assembly.
Consequence: As a result, the vehicle may shift from Park with the ignition key removed or the ignition key in the OFF position. The vehicle may also shift out of Park without application of the brake pedal while the key is off. Either of these scenarios may cause the vehicle to roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible vehicle crash and/or injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and replace the steering column as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 21, 2013. Chevrolet owners may call 1-800-630-2438. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. GMC owners may call 1-866-996-9463.
Notes: General Motors' number for this recall is 12331. Customers may contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to www.safercar.gov.
Useful for owners
- OBD2 code reader — see what the car's computer is reporting
- 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 owner's manual
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Most complained-about parts: Unknown Or Other (11), Body / structure (8), Airbags (6), Lights (2), Steering (2).
Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.
Read recent complaints (8)
04/18/2021 · Body / structure
THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED WHICH IS EXPOSING THE AIRBAG
01/30/2019 · Unknown Or Other
MY DEALER WORKED ON MY AC COMPONENTS IN 2015 (NOT SURE OF THE EXACT DATE) TO REPLACE THE AC CONTROLLER COMPONENTS, SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR MY DASH CRACKED WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY ABOUT TO CRANK THE VEHICLE. ON THE DRIVER SIDE OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS IT HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN SIZE AND NOW IS CRACKED COMPLETELY CAUSING THE DASH TO BE TWO SEPARATE PI…
07/06/2018 · Unknown Or Other
DASH BOARD CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES
06/13/2018 · Body / structure
THE ADHESIVE SECURING THE 4 PIECES OF DOOR TRIM IS BREAKING DOWN AND THE TRIM PIECES WILL EVENTUALLY FALL OFF ON THEIR OWN, A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO OTHER MOTORISTS DEPENDING ON WHEN AND WHERE IT HAPPENS. THESE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A NO MAINTENANCE ITEM. REPORTED TO CHEVROLET, CASE # 8-4199057982, AND THEY DO NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED THAT THIS "LIFE OF THE VEH…
06/10/2018 · Airbags
AT +/-83000 MILES THE DASH DEVELOPED A CRACK LEADING INTO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG HOUSING. IT ALSO IS BROKEN AND, WHEN DRIVING, LOOSELY VIBRATING BETWEEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG HOUSING. GIVEN THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH AIR BAGS, THIS IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER TO ANYONE IN THE VEHICLE.
04/01/2018 · Unknown Or Other
DASHBOARD CRACKING NEAR AIRBAG. SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE THE MORE I DRIVE.
02/06/2018 · Unknown Or Other
SERIOUS LARGE CRACKS APPEARING IN PLASTIC DASHBOARD, AROUND AIRBAG AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ABOVE STEERING COLUMN.
01/22/2018 · Lights
THIRD BRAKE LIGHT NOT SEALED ALLOWING THE LIGHT TO GET IN MOISTURE AND RESULT IN FAILURE OF LIGHT TO FUNCTION AS REQUIRED BY LAW. MANUFACTURING DEFECT ALLOWS THIS LIGHT TO FAIL AT ANY TIME WHICH COULD RESULT IN VEHICLE BEING HIT FROM BEHIND.