Chevrolet TRAILBLAZER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
7,131 owner complaints analyzed
28 distinct recall campaigns
70,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 to 2026 model years. Data snapshot: . 5,426 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,698 of 7,131 complaints (23.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 684 | 9.6% |
| Braking behavior | 635 | 8.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 620 | 8.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 488 | 6.8% |
| Engine operation | 345 | 4.8% |
| Steering behavior | 257 | 3.6% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1698 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1259 |
| Exterior Lighting | 524 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 519 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 383 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 283 |
| Power Train | 280 |
| Air Bags | 278 |
Electrical System: 1,698; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1,259; Exterior Lighting: 524; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 519; Fuel/Propulsion System: 383; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 283; Power Train: 280; Air Bags: 278
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 563 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 959 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1464 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1066 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 979 |
| 150,000 and above | 395 |
Under 25,000: 563; 25,000 to 49,999: 959; 50,000 to 74,999: 1,464; 75,000 to 99,999: 1,066; 100,000 to 149,999: 979; 150,000 and above: 395
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1,464). 1,705 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 129 |
| 2003 | 258 |
| 2004 | 270 |
| 2005 | 255 |
| 2006 | 237 |
| 2007 | 328 |
| 2008 | 430 |
| 2009 | 627 |
| 2010 | 847 |
| 2011 | 991 |
| 2012 | 538 |
| 2013 | 286 |
| 2014 | 430 |
| 2015 | 360 |
| 2016 | 230 |
| 2017 | 153 |
| 2018 | 113 |
| 2019 | 93 |
| 2020 | 53 |
| 2021 | 52 |
| 2022 | 51 |
| 2023 | 62 |
| 2024 | 101 |
| 2025 | 119 |
| 2026 | 114 |
2001: 4; 2002: 129; 2003: 258; 2004: 270; 2005: 255; 2006: 237; 2007: 328; 2008: 430; 2009: 627; 2010: 847; 2011: 991; 2012: 538; 2013: 286; 2014: 430; 2015: 360; 2016: 230; 2017: 153; 2018: 113; 2019: 93; 2020: 53; 2021: 52; 2022: 51; 2023: 62; 2024: 101; 2025: 119; 2026: 114
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 684 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 635 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 620 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 10475456 · 2012-09-14 (September 14, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT A SENSOR IN THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10475456 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000436 · 2002-12-31 (December 31, 2002)
AFTER NOTICING A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE AND DISCOVERING A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDER THE FUEL TANK, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE FUEL TANK HAD A SPLIT IN THE TANK WHERE THE FILLER NECK JOINS THE TANK. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000436 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10595238 · 2014-05-30 (May 30, 2014)
TOOK A TRIP OF APPROXIMATELY 130 MILES, DRIVING MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDCHILDREN IN VERY HILLY PART OF CINCINNATI, OHIO. UPON GETTING BACK HOME I NOTICED A OILY SPOT ON THE DRIVEWAY AND GOT IN MY VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. INSPECTION OF BRAKES SHOWED A RUSTY BRAKE LINE WITH HOLE. ALL LINES SHOW PREMATURE RUSTING. REST OF VEHICLE SHOWS LITTLE RUST. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 111,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595238 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011295 · 2003-03-10 (March 10, 2003)
THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011295 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10055444 · 2004-01-20 (January 20, 2004)
WHILE TRAVELING ELECTRICAL DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ANALYSIS, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10055444 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10219784 · 2008-03-01 (March 1, 2008)
I WENT TO START THE BLAZER TO GO TO WORK. TURNED THE KEY AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WENT DIED AND KEY STUCK IN THE IGNITION. HAD THE BLAZER TAKEN TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY, TWO HOURS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS DIED AGAIN. THE MECHANIC SPENT THE NEXT THREE DAY TRYING TO TRACE THE DRAW THAT WAS KILLING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. ALL COMPONENTS CHECKED FINE. NO CODES. THE DOOR AND WINDOW SYSTEMS WOULD NOT OPERATE AT ALL AFTER FAILURE. THE FUEL SYSTEM BUILT UP TO MUCH PRESSURE AND BLOW OUT A LINE. THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND BEING…
Owner-reported narrative. 131,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10219784 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10087386 · 2004-08-06 (August 6, 2004)
CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT AT 67,000 MILES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, AND INTERMITTENTLY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING. REPAIRS WERE DONE AT AN REPAIR SHOP. CURRENTLY, AT 85,000 MILES THE PROBLEM RECURRED. VEHICLE WAS BACK AT THE REPAIR SHOP, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10087386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030808 · 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)
POWERTRAIN TRANSMISSION - 50,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT.... SUNSHELL I BELIEVE IS WHAT THEY CALLED IT. HIGHWAY MILES ONLY AND SERVICED REGULARLY. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN!*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10030808 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10080999 · 2004-07-13 (July 13, 2004)
WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR IS RUNNING THERE IS A NOTICEABLE LOSS OF POWER. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP IT IS NECESSARY TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER IF THE COMPRESSOR CYCLES ON. IF THE COMPRESSOR CYCLES OFF DURING ACCELERATION YOU NEED TO LET UP ON THE GAS PEDAL TO COMPENSATE FOR THE INCREASE OF POWER. THE DEALER CLAIMS THIS I NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE 1999 AND 2000 TRAIL BLAZERS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TROUBLE. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080999 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10049968 · 2003-12-03 (December 3, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED, RESULTING IN STEERING AND BRAKES FAILURES. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 11,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049968 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 565722 · 2002-05-09 (May 9, 2002)
WHILE TRAVELING, THE STEERING SUDDENLY LOCKED FOR ABOUT THREE SECONDS WITH NO WARNING. CONSUMER HAD TO INVEST IN A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP, THE POWER STEERING BOX ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MONIES SPENT ON REPAIRS. *SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 565722 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 0 |
2014: 0; 2021: 4; 2022: 1; 2023: 0; 2024: 0; 2025: 0; 2026: 0