U.S. public vehicle records

2006 Chevrolet TRAILBLAZER EXT problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

189 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

56,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 168 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 102 of 189 complaints (54.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Fuel system concerns	28	14.8%
Engine operation	16	8.5%
Electrical and battery issues	14	7.4%
Braking behavior	12	6.3%
Steering behavior	4	2.1%
Transmission and shifting	3	1.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Fuel System, Gasoline

102

Electrical System

Fuel System, Other

Exterior Lighting

Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System

Fuel/Propulsion System

Visibility

Structure

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Fuel System, Gasoline	102
Electrical System	37
Fuel System, Other	16
Exterior Lighting	11
Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System	8
Fuel/Propulsion System	5
Visibility	5
Structure	4

Fuel System, Gasoline: 102; Electrical System: 37; Fuel System, Other: 16; Exterior Lighting: 11; Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 5; Visibility: 5; Structure: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 52; 50,000 to 74,999: 61; 75,000 to 99,999: 24; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 4

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (61). 21 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2006: 1; 2007: 2; 2008: 13; 2009: 24; 2010: 40; 2011: 58; 2012: 19; 2013: 5; 2014: 11; 2015: 6; 2016: 7; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 28 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 16 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 14 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10246062 · 2008-10-20 (October 20, 2008)

AFTER GETTING GAS AND GETTING BACK IN TRUCK, I NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE READ E. AFTER DRIVING 100 PLUS MILES THE GAUGE WOULD SLOWLY DRIFT UP TO HALF, THEN FALL BACK TO E. OVER TIME IT GOT WORSE UNTIL THE FUEL GAUGE READ E ALL THE TIME. I FINALLY CONVINCED THE DEALERSHIP THIS WAS UNDER CA EMISSION WARRANTY AND THEY AGREED TO FIX IT. WHEN THEY WERE DOING THE REPAIR, THEY NOTICED THE MAIN CONNECTOR FOR THE FUEL PUMP GOT HOT AND MELTED AND WAS READY TO SHORT OUT. SO THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP ASSY. ALSO THEY NOTICED THE CLIPS THAT HOLD THE FU…

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246062 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10258943 · 2009-02-17 (February 17, 2009)

AT AROUND 53,000 MI I FILLED MY GAS TANK AND WHEN I STARTED THE TRAILBLAZER UP THE FUEL GAUGE READ EMPTY AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT WAS ON. AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES THE GAUGE STARTED TO REGISTER, BUT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY DROP TO EMPTY. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I FILL UP. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY. I HAVE NOT HAD IT CHECKED OUT FOR A SOLUTION YET. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10258943 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10277493 · 2009-07-20 (July 20, 2009)

2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER 65,000 MILES, LOST POWER ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH RESULTING IN A NEAR CRASH. GAS GAGE READ 1/2 TANK WHEN LEAVING HOME, CAR STALLED AFTER 5 MILES. TRIED TO RE-START ENGINE AND THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT AND CHIME CAME ON. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RE-START. FAMILY MEMBER BROUGHT A CAN OF GAS FOR THE VEHICLE AT IT RAN FINE. SINCE THAT TIME THE GAS GAGE HAS BEEN MORE SPORADIC. IF I FILL THE TANK, IT MAY READ FULL, IT MAY READ EMPTY. IT SOMETIMES READS FULL, THEN DROPS TO 1/2 THEN TO E IN LESS THAN 5 MILES. CALLED CHEVROLET DE…

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10277493 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10290127 · 2009-10-28 (October 28, 2009)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT LS/LT. THE FUEL GAUGE ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL INACCURATELY DISPLAYS THE AMOUNT OF FUEL PRESENT IN THE FUEL TANK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED. HE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE MECHANIC CONCLUDED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $800.00 DOLLARS TO HAVE THE GAUGE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290127 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10250628 · 2008-12-03 (December 3, 2008)

THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LED TO THE PART FAILURE. I OWN A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT AND HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE THE MOST RECENT BEING, HAVING TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DUE TO A BAD/FAULTY DIODE IN THE ALTERNATOR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 52,924 miles reported. Look up ODI 10250628 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10283540 · 2009-09-10 (September 10, 2009)

AFTER OUR BATTERY MANIFESTED A DEAD CELL FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 3 YEARS I DECIDED TO DO ONLINE RESEARCH TO SEE IF ANY OTHER 2006 TRAILBLAZER OWNERS HAD SIMILAR ISSUES. I FOUND A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 06V417000 CONCERNING PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR AND AFTERMARKET LEATHER UPGRADE I CONTACTED GM ONLY TO BE TOLD OUR VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I PROCEEDED TO ASK HOW A VIN COULD TELL IF WE HAD AFTERMARKET LEATHER ADDED BY THE DEALER THEY SAID OUR VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL NOTHING MORE. AFTER CALLING ANOTHER DEALER I LEARNED THE 79…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10283540 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10155864 · 2006-04-22 (April 22, 2006)

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY, IT HAS BEEN IN DEALER FOR OVER 30 DAYS. HAVE TRIED MANY THINGS TO REPAIR, NOTHING HAS WORKED. IT ONLY DOES IT SOME OF THE TIME SO IT IS HARD TO DIAGNOSE... I DO NOT WANT A CAR THAT IS NOT SAFE FOR ME AND MY KIDS!! PLEASE HELP US! MANUFACTURER DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE! DATE FEB 11, 2006 WAS FIRST DATE IN TO DEALER FOR REPAIR.... HAS BEEN IN 3 TIMES! TO DATE THEY HAVE FIXED OR REPAIRED THE: TIRES, ROTORS, CALIPERS, MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER, (AND I AM SURE SOME OTHERS THAT I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,211 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155864 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10209874 · 2007-11-26 (November 26, 2007)

MY 2006 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER EXT IS JUNK! WE PURCHASED IT USED IN NOVEMBER OF 06 IT HAD AROUND 20,000 MILES IT NOW HAS 70,000 THE FRONT DOORS MAKE LOUD POPPING NOISES WHEN OPENED AND SHUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON HAVE HAD IT SERVICED TWICE WONT GO AWAY HAD MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED ITS NOW MAKING A HORRIBLE WHINING NOISE WHEN STARTED BEING DRIVEN HORRIBLE WIND NOISE FROM FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IT IS HORRIBLE! WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE WINDSHIELD JUST POPPED! IT WASN'T HIT BY A ROCK OR ANYTHING! BACK HATCH SEEMS TO BE COMING LOOSE HAVE HAD M…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10209874 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10364017 · 2010-11-04 (November 4, 2010)

I BOUGHT A 2006 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER IN JANUARY 2009. ONCE I REACHED ABOUT 40,000 MILES, I STOPPED TO GET GAS AND AFTER I FILLED UP, MY LIGHT INDICATING I NEEDED GAS CAME ON (IT WAS NOT ON PRIOR TO GETTING GAS). I KNEW I HAD GAS SO I KEPT DRIVING; MY ENGINE LIGHT THEN CAME ON. BOTH OF THEM HAVE NOW BEEN ON FOR OVER A YEAR. IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, I NEED A $500 PART! I KEEP TRACK OF MY MILEAGE AND FILL UP EVERY 250 MILES. LAST WEEK, MY CAR JUST SHUT DOWN, WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HILL WITH MY TWO CHILDREN, I WAS APPARENTLY OUT OF GAS. …

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10364017 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10409168 · 2011-06-28 (June 28, 2011)

THE GAS TANK REGISTERS EMPTY EVEN WHEN FULL. GAS GAGE FLOATS RANDOMLY UP AND DOWN, NOT STAYING ACCURATE, GAS LIGHT COMING ON CONSTANTLY SAYING "LOW FUEL" EVEN AS PULLING AWAY FROM THE TANK AFTER A COMPLETE FILLUP. HAD BEEN DOING IT FOR A FEW WEEKS OFF/ON, NOW CONSTANT. GAUGE CONSTANTLY READING EMPTY, RARELY MOVING AT ALL. GAS LIGHT STAYS ON. NOW SEEMS TO BE CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE/TRANSMISSION. CAR IS SUDDENLY MOVING SLOW WHEN ACCELERATING INITIALLY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10409168 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10416604 · 2011-08-01 (August 1, 2011)

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN MY 2006 TRAILBLAZER EXT. AFTER STOPPING AT THE STOP SIGN IN FRONT OF MY HOME, I PRESSED THE CENTER BUTTON ON THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE TO OPEN THE GARAGE DOOR AND PROCEEDED TO TURN RIGHT AS TO POSITION THE VEHICLE TO ALLOW FOR BACKING-UP ONTO MY DRIVEWAY AND INTO THE RIGHT PARKING HALF OF MY GARAGE. BUT AS I SHIFTED THE TRAILBLAZER INTO REVERSE, I BEGAN TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I COULD FEEL THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SLIPPING, THE ENGINE WAS UNDER LOAD, AND IT WAS AS IF I WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 73,162 miles reported. Look up ODI 10416604 at NHTSA ↗