|
Home >
Resources
> 2003 >
What's New
2003
What's New
In the 2003 model year the Chevrolet
Silverado, Tahoe, and Suburban introduced major changes to the interior,
and the Avalanche reaped the benefit of these changes. The
exterior of the Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban were also updated, and
received an Avalanche inspired snarling grille, although the headlight
configuration remained reversed with market lamps on top, and headlamps
on the bottom on the Avalanche.
Bob Lutz, the new North American
Vice-Chairman of General Motors product philosophy is evident in the
2003 Avalanche with some features that were standard becoming optional,
and some features that were optional becoming standard. The
introduction of the "WBH," or Without Body Hardware
model introduced the Avalanche to a whole new group of owners, absent
the controversial lower cladding, and saving the buyer $600.
Later in the model year Sage Green
disappeared as a color, as did the very controversial green and orange
North Face interior. The North Face edition lived on with a slate
interior, and bright yellow was introduced as a new color. Also
later in the year the Chevrolet Avalanche 2500 series 4X2 production
ended, making it one of the rarest Avalanches on the road.
Product refinements from first year
product was also evident in the 2003 Avalanche. The biggest
improvement was to the 2003 2500 series fuel system, solving the problem
of being able to fill up the gas tank and in brake pedal feel. General Motors efforts on
the Avalanche paid off handsomely, winning a coveted Consumer Reports
Recommendation in early 2003.
Major changes from the 2002 model year
include these standard features added:
-
Dark charcoal lower cladding, cargo
cover, and c-pillar buttress - however several hundred 2003 Avalanches
in yellow came with the 2002 colored cladding
-
Dual-zone Manual Climate Control
-
New AM/FM stereo with station data
information, improved display, CD and 6 speakers
-
New design on the standard 16" rims
for the 1500 series
-
Driver's Information Center -
however to access all features you will need the optional steering
wheel controls
-
Passenger sensing airbag system with
status display in rearview mirror
-
Fuel economy improved by 1 MPG city
and highway on 2003 1500 series 4X4 models
-
Improved braking performance with a
marked improvement in brake pedal feel and modulation
-
Four position headlamp switch
including a setting to disable automatic headlamps
-
Improvement to the battery rundown
prevention system
-
Completely redesigned interior,
dashboard, and instrument cluster
-
145 Amp alternator (see
comments below)
-
Three new colors, charcoal gray,
signal blue, and yellow
Major deletions from the 2002 model
year include the removal of these standard features:
-
Driver and front-passenger side air
bags, made optional
-
Trailering package, made optional -
transmission cooler removed from package
-
Lamp for under the hood, deleted -
dimmer switch for visor vanity mirror illumination, deleted
-
Replacement fuses and toolkit, under
hood, deleted
-
Power lumbar adjustment on the
optional leather bucket seats, removed
-
Z-66 stickers on option package,
removed (although early production 2003 models still had the Z-66
stickers)
-
Soft-tonneau cover option available
only on 1500 series WBH equipped Avalanches
-
2500 series 4X2 model production
ended in spring of 2003
-
Sage green, and indigo blue deleted
as colors, some sage green 2003 North Face models were built through
December of 2002, but are very rare
-
Ground clearance on 2WD and 4WD
models dropped by 1/10 of an inch
New option packages or changes to
option packages on the 2003 model include:
-
Driver convenience package replaces
Luxury convenience package including the following items, Multi-zone
automatic climate control, Steering wheel with redundant radio
controls and scrolling message center with personalization features,
Adjustable power pedals Homelink Universal transmitter, and power
folding outside rearview mirrors
-
Bucket leather seats with center
console, Bose AM/FM Stereo with in-dash 6-disc CD changer, and eight
speaker Bose system, rear seat audio controls, and driver and front
passenger heated seats with three settings
-
WBH option package removes the body
hardware (lower cladding), available on 1500 series Avalanche only
-
Panasonic DVD Passenger
Entertainment System
-
XM Satellite Radio (requires
subscription)
-
Personal Security Package -
Including OnStar, 1-year Safe and Sound service, Side Impact air bags,
Steering wheel with redundant radio controls and scrolling message
center with personalization features
-
Ground effects package added as an
option including rigid molded mud flaps and a front air dam
-
North Face Edition interior color
changes from green to slate gray
145 Amp
Alternator On The 2003 Avalanche
Although the product specification
called for a 145 Amp Alternator on 2003 models, the 2003 Avalanche shipped
with 105 Amp alternators. A small number of Avalanches were
released from the factory with the smaller alternator, but with the 145
Amp alternator listed as a standard feature on the window sticker. Some owners complained and
successfully had their alternators upgraded at no charge. This
upgrade only applied to 2003 Avalanches that had a 145 Amp alternator
listed as a standard feature on the window sticker, and did not apply to
all Avalanches. The
product specification was changed very early in production back to 105
Amp Alternator, which was standard on the 2002 model. |
