2003 Chevrolet Avalanche. Click image to enlarg

By Chris Chase

Photo Gallery:
Chevrolet Avalanche, 2002-2006

Most avalanches only travel downhill, but in 2002, Used Chevrolet invented one that could go up them, too. The Chevy Avalanche was – and still is – a nifty truck, aimed at those drivers who have long agonized over whether they should get a full-sized pickup or an SUV.

It really is a conundrum: get a pickup for its haul-anything open bed or choose an SUV for its size-limited, but fully enclosed cargo area? The first-gen Avalanche (gen two is out now) was the best compromise yet: a four-door pickup truck with a bed that could be completely sealed off from the elements, plus a rear seat and “midgate” that could be folded down to add to the bed’s capacity.

From the outside, first- and second-year models were distinctive for the acres of black plastic cladding wrapped around the lower half of the body. Thankfully, GM got the hint that this was fairly ugly and in 2004, the Avalanche got plain old sheetmetal all over.

The Avalanche was originally offered in half and three-quarter ton versions. Half-ton trucks got a 5.3-litre V8 (285 horsepower), while three-quarter ton variants got an 8.1-litre (!) V8 that made 340 horses. The only transmission available was a four-speed automatic.

Fuel consumption ratings were, as you’d expect, on the high side but respectable for the kind of work the Avalanche could do (it was based on the Suburban SUV, which in turn was based on the then-current GMT800 pickup truck platform). The smaller V8 carried NRCan ratings of 16.8 L/100 km in the city and 11.8 L/100 km on the highway; surprisingly, the 8.1-litre motor didn’t use much more: its ratings were 16.9 L/100 km (city) and 12.7 L/100 km (highway).

2003 Used Chevrolet Avalanche. Click image to enlarge

One issue that seems to be fairly common is a bad valve in the evaporative emissions control system that causes the check engine light to come on; the replacement part is apparently inexpensive, so handy owners should be able to handle this one for relatively little cash.

There’s an issue involving a loose intermediate steering shaft that causes poor steering feel. It can be fixed with the installation of a “lube kit.”

2004 Used Chevrolet Avalanche. Click image to enlarge

Automatic transmission problems appear to be common in all model years; some owners at the Chevy Avalanche Fan Club report a “service 4WD” warning message coming up randomly. On the surface, it looks like it’s mainly due to a faulty sensor, but one member is convinced that if left alone, that sensor will cause problems with the dash control switch for the four-wheel drive system as well as with the electronic actuators that engage drive to the front wheels when four-wheel drive is selected.

One smaller issue is the frequent failure of power window regulators. On the whole, Consumer Reports gives the Avalanche a “worse than average reliability rating.”

2004 Used Chevrolet Avalanche. Click image to enlarge

The Avalanche’s crash safety story is a bit surprising, too. This truck earned three and four stars for driver and front passenger protection in frontal crash tests from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA didn’t conduct side impact tests on the Avalanche, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has no test results for the Avalanche, period.

Used Avalanches carry notably higher resale values than their traditional pickup cousins, partly due, quite simply, to the fact the Avalanche came better equipped in basic form and was more expensive when new. Canadian Red Book pegs used values as ranging from $15,350 for a 2002 half-ton 4×2 model, to $29,425 for a 2006 version. I’d suggest sticking with the lighter-duty model unless you really need the extra hauling capacity or you have something else to compensate for. How about a 2004 model for about $20,000?

The Avalanche has a lot going for it. Just look for a well cared-for example to avoid an onslaught of problems later on.