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2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 2WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2011 Avalanche 2WD.

The 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 2WD represents a rear-wheel-drive configuration in Chevrolet's Avalanche range, carrying a 6-quart 5W-30 engine oil specification. It arrives with a reliability profile of 155 owner complaints and three recalls, with air bags standing out as the dominant issue area. Viewed against the model's 2000–2013 complaint history—peaking at 673 in 2002 and bottoming at 2 in the 2000 debut year—the 2011 sits comfortably in a moderate middle band, well clear of the early-decade problems yet still above the quietest years of the nameplate's run.

Model year2013 2011 2003

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 615 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12690386. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 48 · 615 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP265-70R17OEM · verified

Wheel / rim8.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12690386
Engine air filter	22845992 alt 15908916
Spark plug	12680072
Front wiper blades	22793882
Serpentine belt	19210691 alt 12626222
Thermostat	89018168 alt 12587397

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	218.1 in
Overall width	79.1 in
Overall height	73.2 in
Wheelbase	130.3 in
Curb weight	5437 lb
Track (front / rear)	68.5 / 67.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	52/48

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6 qt of 5W-30 engine oil, Synthetic · SAE 75W in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	6
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	Synthetic · SAE 75W
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	2.75 qt
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	6 qt

Engine torques

Engine Valve Cover Bolts

8.85 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)	74.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket	125.0 plus 90 degrees ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle	70.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket	70.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order	1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Standard BCI Group Number	48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	615 cca
Optional BCI Group Number	48
Optional BCI Cranking Performance	730 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	50-60 w/o FPCM
RPM	43-45 @ Idle rpm

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH RPO J92, JD9 / WITH RPO JH6
Torque Caliper to Bracket	74 ft-lbs / 28 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	148 ft-lbs / 122 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake Application	WITH RPO J92, JD9 / WITH RPO JH6
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0007 in / 0.007 in / 0.0001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in / 0.005 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.181 in / 0.787 in / 1.496 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

3.7 ft. lbs., step 2: 7.4

3.7 ft. lbs

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

11 ft. lbs., step 2: 15

11 ft. lbs

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

3.7 ft. lbs., step 2: 7.4

3.7 ft. lbs

Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

11 ft. lbs., step 2: 15

11 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2011 Chevrolet Avalanche 2WD lead in one area — the air bags, 45 of 155 reports (29%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the air bags are also the target of recalls 21V-054 and 21V-050 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming they were actually performed. 3 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

155

Owner complaints

3 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10’11’12 ’13

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 155 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags45

Unknown Or Other42

Structure17

Air Bags,Unknown Or Other12

Air Bags,Structure6

Power Train4

Electrical System2

Power Train,Engine2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V054000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 05/02/2021

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… 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…

21V050000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 05/02/2021

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… 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…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Avalanche 2WD. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 48 battery Vehicles taking 6 qt Engine oil filter 12690386 Engine air filter 22845992 Spark plug 12680072 Front wiper blades 22793882

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2011 Avalanche 2WD take?

6 qt of 5W-30 MEETING GM DEXOS 1 SPECIFICATION, per the factory manual.

Does the 2011 Avalanche 2WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.