ChevroletAvalanche 2WD2013Overview/chevrolet/avalanche-2wd/2013/base/

2013 Chevrolet Avalanche 2WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 Avalanche 2WD.

Body SUV

The 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche 2WD is an SUV with a specified 6-quart 5W-30 engine-oil service. Within the model’s 2000–2013 complaint history, this final model year logged 82 owner complaints and two recalls, with the leading complaint area marked “Unknown Or Other.” That count sits far below the 2002 peak of 673 complaints and above the 2000 low of 2, marking the 2013 Avalanche as one of the less complaint-prone years in the lineup.

Model year201320112003

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 sizeZ71 P265-65R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12690386
Engine air filter22845992 alt 15908916
Spark plug12680072
Front wiper blades22793882
Serpentine belt19210691 alt 12626222
Thermostat89018168 alt 12587397

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length218.1 in
Overall width79.1 in
Overall height73.2 in
Wheelbase130.3 in
Curb weight5437 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. Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity6
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilSynthetic · SAE 75W
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.75 qt
Engine Oil5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity6 qt

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts8.85 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)74.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket125.0 plus 90 degrees ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle70.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket70.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub177 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance615 cca
Optional BCI Group Number48
Optional BCI Cranking Performance730 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-60 w/o FPCM
RPM43-45 @ Idle rpm

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J92, JD9 / WITH RPO JH6
Torque Caliper to Bracket74 ft-lbs / 28 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle148 ft-lbs / 122 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J92, JD9 / WITH RPO JH6
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0007 in / 0.007 in / 0.0001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.005 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.181 in / 0.787 in / 1.496 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Do not allow oil on cylinder head or head bolt bosses · M11 Bolts:

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
370 degrees; M8 Bolts:70 degrees
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
13.7 ft. lbs., step 2: 7.43.7 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111 ft. lbs., step 2: 1511 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
13.7 ft. lbs., step 2: 7.43.7 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111 ft. lbs., step 2: 1511 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 97,500 mi.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed)

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 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche 2WD dominate in one area — the unknown or other, 31 of 82 reports (38%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 2 recall campaigns target the unknown or other, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the unknown or other 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.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1560
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
82
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 82 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other31
Structure13
Air Bags11
Air Bags,Unknown Or Other8
Exterior Lighting3
Electrical System2
Structure,Unknown Or Other2
Air Bags,Structure,Unknown Or Other2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 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…

21V053000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 05/02/2021

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1560 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT6400A2026-01-16Unknown Or OtherThis PI Communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…

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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2013 Avalanche 2WD take?

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

Does the 2013 Avalanche 2WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.