U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Chevrolet TRAILBLAZER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,081 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

67,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 897 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 380 of 1,081 complaints (35.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	123	11.4%
Fuel system concerns	103	9.5%
Braking behavior	64	5.9%
Transmission and shifting	46	4.3%
Engine operation	37	3.4%
Steering behavior	24	2.2%

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.

Electrical System

380

Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel

245

Exterior Lighting

Fuel System, Gasoline

Fuel/Propulsion System

Vehicle Speed Control

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Air Bags

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	380
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel	245
Exterior Lighting	74
Fuel System, Gasoline	70
Fuel/Propulsion System	43
Vehicle Speed Control	35
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	31
Air Bags	30

Electrical System: 380; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 245; Exterior Lighting: 74; Fuel System, Gasoline: 70; Fuel/Propulsion System: 43; Vehicle Speed Control: 35; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 31; Air Bags: 30

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

163

50,000 to 74,999

274

75,000 to 99,999

176

100,000 to 149,999

137

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 88; 25,000 to 49,999: 163; 50,000 to 74,999: 274; 75,000 to 99,999: 176; 100,000 to 149,999: 137; 150,000 and above: 59

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (274). 184 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.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

119

2009

192

2010

185

2011

108

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2025

2004: 40; 2005: 46; 2006: 42; 2007: 80; 2008: 119; 2009: 192; 2010: 185; 2011: 108; 2012: 52; 2013: 39; 2014: 51; 2015: 49; 2016: 26; 2017: 13; 2018: 11; 2019: 17; 2020: 4; 2021: 3; 2022: 3; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 123 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 103 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 64 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 10062841 · 2004-03-10 (March 10, 2004)

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE STALLED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULDN'T RESTART. ALSO, KEYS WERE STUCK IN THE IGNITION. AS A RESULT, BATTERY WAS DRAINED. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LOCK CONTROL, BATTERY FUSES , PROGRAMMED THE CALIBRATION FOR THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, THE STARTER, AND ITS RELAY SWITCH. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062841 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10090856 · 2004-09-12 (September 12, 2004)

MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED IT LESS THAN A YEAR.THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. EXITING THE FREEWAY THE I HAD A COMPLETE POWER FAILURE. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED AND LOCKED UP AND THERE WAS A SEMI TRUCK BEHIND ME! MY VEHICLE WAS MOVING AND IN "DRIVE" WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAD TWO OF MY TODDLERS IN THE CAR WITH ME! THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO A LOCAL DEALER AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. APPARENTLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RESTARTED IT ERASES THE CODES IN…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090856 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066034 · 2004-04-13 (April 13, 2004)

EVERY TIME I FILL UP THE GAS TANK (TRIED 10 DIFFERENT PUMPS AT 10 DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS) THE AUTOSHUT OFF ON THE GAS PUMP DOES NOT WORK QUICK ENOUGH. GAS OVERFLOWS OUT OF THE TANK AND SPILLS ON THE GROUND. SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THE TRAILBLAZERS FILL UP TUBE? I AM NOT TRYING TO "TOP OFF" THE TANK EITHER.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066034 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088528 · 2004-08-25 (August 25, 2004)

I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN A MONTH AND FILLED IT WITH GASOLINE 6 TIMES IN TWO CITIES AT DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS. I NEVER HAVE TOPPED OFF THE TANK, BUT WHEN THE FUEL PUMP HANDLE CLICKS OFF, THE GASOLINE POURS OUT FROM THE TANK UNDER MY VEHICLE. IT NEVER MATTERS HOW MUCH FUEL I PUT IN THE VEHICLE IT ALWAYS "OVER FLOWS."

Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088528 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058278 · 2004-02-16 (February 16, 2004)

2004 TRAILBLAZER HAS 40 SECOND TURN ON OF HEADLIGHTS AND BACK UP LIGHTS WHEN REMOTE KEY USED TO UNLOCK DOORS. THIS HAS ON 2 OCCASIONS HAS CAUSED VEHICLES IN TRAVEL LANES TO SUDDENLY BRAKE BECAUSE WITH THE BACK UP LIGHTS ON BLAZER APPEARS TO BE BACKING INTO TRAFFIC. SOLUTION: ONLY OCCURS AFTER DARK, SO MUST BE RELAYED THRU DAYLIGHT RUNNING DETECTOR. NEEDS TO DO AS BRAKE AND TURN SIGNALS DO, FLASH ON AND THEN OFF. HEADLIGHTS HAVE STAYED ON SHINING INTO A GROUP WHO THREATEN ME WITH BODILY HARM. DEALER SAID A GM PROBLEM, THEY CAN'T CHANGE. HAD 2002…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058278 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10092830 · 2004-09-20 (September 20, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL BECAME DISENGAGED. TALSO, BRAKE LIGHT AND THE TAIL LIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10092830 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10080818 · 2004-07-11 (July 11, 2004)

I HAVE A 2004 TRAIL BLAZER EXT. AT ABOUT 2200 MILES THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AND WHEN I GOT AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE IT IN, THEY TOLD ME, THAT IN FACT IT WASN'T AN ISSUE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL, THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SHORT IN THE TORQUE CONTROL CONVERTER SOLONOID WHICH WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THEY HAD A PART OVERNIGHTED TO ALDERMAN'S CHEVROLET, WHO FIXED IT QUICKLY AND MADE SURE I HAD A RENTAL WHILE IT WAS IN BEING FIXED, BUT A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I AM TAKING IT IN TOMORROW, BUT I AM AFRAID T…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080818 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10080889 · 2004-07-12 (July 12, 2004)

ENGINE STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND IDLES ROUGH ON STARTUP. DEALER REPROGRAMMED IDLE CONTROL MODULE. ENGINE SURGES AND SHAKES UNDER A LOAD FROM POWER STEERING OR ALTERANTOR. DEALER CLEANED THROTTLE BODY (ONLY 4800 MILES) AND FOUND LARGE LEAK AT EVAP VAPOR PIPE. CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP CONTACT GM FOR HELP. GM REPLIED THAT "4.2 LITER MOTORS HAVE AN INHERENT VIBRATION AT THAT SPEED." GM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ALSO STATED "ENGINE SURGE UNDER IS NORMAL UNDER LOAD BY DESIGN." CAR IS TICKING TIME BOMB FOR ANOTHER STALL IN TRAFFIC AND DAI…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,651 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080889 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10067131 · 2004-08-20 (August 20, 2004)

WHEN GETTING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PLACED TOWARDS THE LEFT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT IN THE CENTER OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT CONTACTED THE CONSUMER. *AK THE CONSUMER SUGGESTED THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN THE LEATHER VERSUS FABRIC. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS NOT STRAIGHT. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10067131 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10071923 · 2004-04-29 (April 29, 2004)

THE DRIVER SEAT DIDN'T ALIGN WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. *PH THE CONSUMER BELIEVED IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071923 at NHTSA ↗