YearToAvoid

2010 Chevrolet Avalanche Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#3 most-complained of 4 Avalanche years

The 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche ranks 3rd worst out of 4 model years, with a complaint index of 33 and a 'Good' verdict compared to other Avalanche years. NHTSA lists 117 complaints, 3 recalls, and no crashes or fires for this year, with airbags as the top problem area (49% of complaints).

Complaints
117
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15.5
13.5 city / 20 hwy

Top 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags57 (49%)
  2. Other52 (44%)
  3. Structure & Body18 (15%)
  4. Electrical System9 (8%)
  5. Engine6 (5%)
  6. Brakes4 (3%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain3 (3%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (1%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers1 (1%)

What owners report

  • Dashboard plastic near the passenger airbag cracks and splits over time, raising concerns that pieces could break loose or interfere with airbag deployment.
  • Electrical faults tied to power-adjustable pedal wiring can short and trigger reduced engine power, traction control, and StabiliTrak warnings.
  • Some owners report the engine losing power suddenly while driving, including one case near 30 mph on a bridge in heavy traffic.
  • Door locks have been reported to cycle open and closed on their own at highway speed, accompanied by an unexpected downshift to first gear.
  • The original tow hitch has been reported to corrode and fracture while towing a trailer.
  • Cabin window fogging under freezing conditions has been reported, with the manual HVAC unable to run air conditioning to clear it.
2010 Chevrolet Avalanche complaints: complaints filed per quarter142011 Q22015 Q12016 Q22017 Q32018 Q42020 Q12021 Q2
151 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q2 to 2024 Q4; peak 2017 Q4 (14).

2010 Chevrolet Avalanche recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V050000Feb 5, 2021Airbags2,641,272 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL, and 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra 2500 and Sierra 3500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 22, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328760.

  2. NHTSA 21V053000Feb 5, 2021Airbags692,526 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, and Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 24, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 11, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328790.

  3. NHTSA 21V054000Feb 5, 2021Airbags1,778,128 vehicles

    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, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP, and VI or "Zone A." Additionally GM is recalling certain 2011-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL and 2011-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Additionally, GM is recalling certain 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL and 2010-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated passenger frontal inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on February 25, 2021. Second notification letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed to 40 VIN owners on May 11, 2021. A second owner notification letter was mailed to all other owners on January 24, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020; Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006; and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212328800.

2010 Chevrolet Avalanche fuel economy and fuel cost

City
13.5 MPG
Highway
20 MPG
Combined
15.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,225
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Gasoline or E85
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other Avalanche years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002010201120122013
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Good33117315.5
2011Avoid100155517
2012Best052317

All Chevrolet Avalanche years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche reliable?
Compared to other Avalanche model years, the 2010 has a 'Good' verdict, ranking 3rd worst of 4 years tracked, with a complaint index of 33 versus 100 for the worst year (2011).
What is the biggest problem with the 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 57 of 117 complaints (49%), often tied to cracked dashboard plastic near the passenger airbag.
Does the 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2010 Avalanche, all related to airbags, involving replacement of the front passenger air bag inflator.
How does the 2010 Avalanche compare to the 2011 and 2012 model years?
The 2010 has a complaint index of 33, better than the 2011 (100, 'Avoid') and 2013 (67, 'Caution'), but worse than the 2012 (0, 'Best').
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Chevrolet Avalanche?
The EPA rates the 2010 Avalanche at 15.5 mpg combined (13.5 city, 20 highway), with an annual fuel cost of $4,225.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.