2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Power Train Problems

I NOTICED A SPRAY ON THE BACK OF MY AVALANCHE. I CHECKED NUDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A SMALL PUDDLE OF FLUID WHICH APPEARED TO BE TRANSMISSION FLUID. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS NEAR EMPTY. I ADDED FLUID AND WHEN I USED THE VEHICLE IT RAN OK, BUT WHEN I STOPPED IT LEFT A LARGER PUDDLE UNDER THE VEHICLE. I DROVE MY VEHICLE FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND WHEN I CHECKED AGAIN IT WAS LEAKING STILL. I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT IT WAS LEAKING FROM WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE OR AXLE. (NOT SURE WHAT ITS CALLED). I HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT AVALANCHES HAVING BAD TRANSMISSIONS. MOST WERE AROUND THE SAME MILEAGE. I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX MY VEHICLE, AND SINCE I NOTICED IT NOW IT MAY JUST NEED A NEW SEAL, BUT WHERE THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING FROM IT IS EXPENSIVE.WHAT HELP CAN I GET, THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE MY FAMILY AND I OWN. ALSO WHEN I START MY AVALANCHE, SOMETIMES THE STARTER WILL STAY ON AND I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY OFF AND RESTART IT. IT APPEARS THE IGNITION OR STARTER IS DEFECTIVE. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED..THANK YOU!! *TR

Mileage: 77,242

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH MY 2003 CHEVORLET AVALANCHE Z71 ONLY 62,000 MILES. MY PROBLEMS STARTED AROUND 8,000 MILES WITH THE REAR BRAKES GOING BAD. I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FOUR (4) TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. THE ABS SPEED SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND NEED REPLACED AGAIN. THE SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK AT 120 MPH, THE U JOINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT. I FEEL THAT CHEVORLET SHOULD FIX THESE PROBLEMS UNDER A WARRANTY/RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 62,000

AT A REGULAR SERVICE INTERVAL, THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL HAS A BAD SEAL AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS SEEMS PREMATURE SINCE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 34,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY REPAIR DUE TO TIME ELAPSED SINCE PURCHASED WAS OVER 36 MONTHS. *TR

Mileage: 34,295

2003 CHEVORLET AVALANCHE 1500 - DRIVE SHAFT UNIVERSALS FAILED (FRONT GONE, REAR GOING. I HAD DEALER REPLACE BOTH) - I NOTICED THE NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK VEHICLE IN. HAD I NOT NOTICED OR COULD NOT PINPOINT THE CAUSE I MAY HAVE CONTINUED DRIVING AND IT COULD HAVE FAILED AND FAILING WHILE DRIVING ON THE THRUWAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A GOOD THING AS THE FRONT END OF THE DRIVESHAFT IMPACTS THE ROAD. MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN TALKING WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE FOLKS WITH WHOM I TALKED COULD NOT SAY WHETHER GM HAD A DATA BASE ON THE AVERAGE/MEAN FAILURE TIME ON THE UNIVERSALS. I WANTED TO DETERMINE SHOULD I START CONCERNING MYSELF AS I GET TO 100,000 MILES, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST ME. SO I AM WRITING YOU IF YOU HAVE HAD OTHER UNIVERSAL FAILURES AROUND 50,000 MILES. *JB

Mileage: 55,000

PICK A PROBLEM. PIN FROM TRANSMISSION GEARS WERE TOO SHORT FROM THE MANUFACTURER, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THIS REPAIR WAS DONE AT 8000 MILES. 4 QUARTS. LOW ON OIL WITHIN MONTH OF CHANGING. NO LEAKS AND NO EXPLANATION FROM THE DEALER AS TO WHERE THE OIL WENT. A/C FUNCTIONED IMPROPERLY AFTER TRUCK SURGED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. STILL NO EXPLANATION. REMOTE ENTRY WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. INTERIOR LIGHTS PULSE WHEN TRUCK IDILING. HEATER MOTOR FUNCTIONS ACCORDING TO SPEED OF VEHICLE, SLOW WHEN BRAKING AND SPEEDS UP WHEN ACCELERATING. DRIVERS POWER WINDOW STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND STARTED WORKING THE EVENING BEFORE TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. POPPING NOISE FROM EXHAUST JUST AFTER STARTING AND SHUTTING OFF. FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE RUNNING I CONTINUOUSLY HEAR COOLING FLUIDS FLOWING. SOMETIMES THE HORN DOES NOT FUNCTION WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. BRAKING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. ALWAYS FEELS AS THERE ISN'T ENOUGH BRAKE PRESSURE TO STOP IN A NORMAL DISTANCE. ALONG WITH THE REMOTE ENTRY NOT WORKING THE PERSONAL PRESETS FOR DRIVER 1 MOST OF THE TIME DO NOT OPERATE WITH THE REMOTE ENTRY. I HAVE TO SELECT DRIVER 1 FROM THE INTERIOR TO ENGAGE SETTINGS. BED PLASTICS ARE FADING. BUTTONS FOR RADIO ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND RADIO ARE FLAKING. *AK

WHEN IGNITION KEY IS IN ACCESSORY POSITION AND VEHICLE IS IN PARK, THE BRAKE/SHIFTER INTERLOCK IS DISABLED, ALLOWING THE SHIFTER TO BE ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. IF THE VEHICLE IS ON A SLOPE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTS FREEWHEELING DOWNHILL.*AK FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND STOP WITHOUT INCIDENT...

SERVICE 4WD COMES ON AND TRUCK REVERTS TO 2WD, DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED A FEW TIMES UNABLE TO CORRECT. WHEN TRAVELING DOWN ICY ROADS WITH NO NOTICE. *NM

Mileage: 15,000

2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE WITH HARSH AND SUDEN UNEXPECTED DOWN SHIFTS. DEALER HAS ATTEMPED REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. WHEN SLOWING IN TRAFFIC OR FOR A TURN THE TRANSMISSION WILL DOWNSHIFT HARD AND CLUNK AND BANG AS IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO BREAK. THIS IN MY OPINION IS A SAFETY HAZARD ON SLIPPERY ROADS WHILE MAKING A TURN AS IT COULD CAUSE A SPINOUT. LAST CALL FROM DEALER THE SERVICE MANAGER READ TO ME A TSB FROM CHEVROLET SAYING THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION AND NOT TO ATTEMPT A REPAIR. NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAVE BEEN AN AUTO TECH FOR 38 YEARS. I FEEL THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING INTO 1ST GEAR INSTEAD OF 2ND WHEN SPEED DROPS JUST BELOW 20MPH. THIS JUST MAY BE A SHIFT PROGRAM PROBLEM, BUT WHAT DAMAGE IS BEING DONE TO TRANSMISSION OVER LONG TERM? *AK

Mileage: 5,000

TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING GROWLING AND WHINING NOISE WHILE ATTEMPING TO SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR, THEN STARTED SLIPPING IN 4TH GEAR.SHIFTING WAS ALSO STIFF OR HARSHER THAN WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS. I TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS DISMISSED AS THEIR COMPUTER DID NOT RECORD ANY TROUBLE CODES. 1 WEEK LATER, AND ONLY 65 MILES TRAVEL DISTANCE, BOTH 2ND AND 4TH GEARS COMPLETELY FAILED, CAUSING A COMPLETE OVERHAUL AND REBUILD OF TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 14, 700 MILES ON IT WHEN PROBLEM SURFACED. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME NO KNOWN PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE.*AK

Mileage: 14,700

2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, DRIVING DOWN ROAD SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE IS LOCKED IN ALL WHEEL DRIVE, OR 4 WHEEL DRIVE.LIGHT HAS COME ON 6 TIMES, DEALER HAS INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES, AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.NO CORRECTION HAS BEEN MADE SO FAR.*AK

Mileage: 22,000

THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO SHAKE WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. TURNS OUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS MESSED UP. THE DEALER FOUND LOTS OF METAL IN THE PAN. REBUIT THE BROKEN PARTS @ 15,000 MILES NOT A NEW ONE JUST REBUILT. *AK

Mileage: 15,000

A WARNING LIGHT STATING "SERVICE 4WD NOW" APPEARED ON MY DASH OF MY 2003. CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANAUL, THIS INDICATES THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE OF MY VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION AT THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE IS A BULLETIN FROM GM STATING NOT TO DO ANY REPAIRS FOR THIS CONCERN. MY VEHICLE IS NOW STUCK IN 2WD AND GM DOES NOT KNOW IF OR WHEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO REMEDY THIS DEFECT.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ERROR CODE LIGHT FOR 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAME ON. *AK

ON DECEMBER 12, 2003 VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, RESULTING IN A CRASH THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. CONSUMER STATED, THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN SEVEN TO EIGHT TIMES AT DEALER WITH ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

Mileage: 9,000