2012 Chevrolet Avalanche: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
52
Complaints
3
Recalls
2
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
46.2
Severity index
Severity index 46.2 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Chevrolet Avalanche ranks 91 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 29% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 32 | 61.5% |
| AIR BAGS | 9 | 17.3% |
| ENGINE | 3 | 5.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 | 5.8% |
| STRUCTURE | 3 | 5.8% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 | 3.8% |
| WHEELS | 2 | 3.8% |
| STEERING | 2 | 3.8% |
The single most-reported system is UNKNOWN OR OTHER, cited in 32 of 52 complaints (61.5%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V054000 | 05/02/2021 | 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, |
| 21V051000 | 05/02/2021 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states o |
| 14V827000 | 30/12/2014 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra LD, Sierra HD, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ignition lock |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.