10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
62,233 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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problem #97

Dec 222017

Trailblazer EXT

  • 157,000 miles
Instrumental panel/ gage cluster. All gages continue to fail spiking all over the place prior to failing. Air bag light continues to blink on then off randomly

- Spokane, WA, USA

problem #96

Jul 042017

Trailblazer EXT

  • miles
Fuel gauge not working alone with all the other gauges and turning signal not working

- Trussvile, AL, USA

problem #95

Nov 182015

Trailblazer EXT

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer ext. The contact stated that the entire instrument panel failed to operate. In addition, the speedometer, tachometer, and fuel gauge failed to function properly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the instrument panel cluster would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Chicopee, MA, USA

problem #94

Jun 132006

Trailblazer EXT

  • 47,000 miles
When had the crash which was very hard loud and scary the air bags didn't deploy nor did the air bags on the side of seat. The crash was very serious and the electrical system and powertrain to windows.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #93

Feb 122014

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
Speedometer dropped to zero. Stopped vehicle and restarted. Speedometer started but wouldn't go above 35 mph. I had a gps speedometer on my phone and it was registering 55-60 mph and the vehicle speedometer would display 25-30. After a cool night it might work correctly for 4 or 5 miles then it either drops to zero or falls to the 10-25mph range. Sometimes restarting the vehicle will get it to work again for a short time. When it is failing the needle drops below the 0 mph towards the mileage. When it seems to be working somewhat it stops at 0 mph or just above it. This should really be a recall ! thank you

- Woodbridge, VA, USA

problem #92

May 102014

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 135,000 miles
The headlights intermittently will not work (lowbeam only). It happens at night many times and I will have to drive with the bright lights or fog lights. Sometimes the entire dash lighting will go out as well including the speedometer. It's almost as if the electrical portion of the ignition has failed. It has been happening intermittently for about a year.

- Durham , NC, USA

problem #91

Mar 112013

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 83,000 miles
Lights started flashing, gas gauge went to empty, car died. Restarted drove 1/4 mile died. Stereo system completely failed (whole unit). Keeps popping circuits changed out still doing. Cannot shut off heat due to banging sound. Car speeds up and down on own. Cannot read gas gauge correctly, not sure how full tank is.

- Marblehead, MA, USA

problem #90

May 062013

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 103,000 miles
We were doing our normal fill-up (truck was off) and after we filled it up & turned it over, the fuel gauge shot way over the 'full' mark. Every time we turned the vehicle on, the fuel gauge was reading differently, I have no idea how many times it was right. The oil pressure and battery charge gauge have also been giving false/sporadic readings as well. After much searching, I found the root cause of this to be a very common problem not only in the trailblazers but the Tahoe and several other of their vehicles (the instrument clusters are faulty). Given the expansive nature of this issue, and the potential dangers of not knowing your speed, fuel level, oil pressure or rpms, I'm having problems seeing why this isn't a recall already. It seems to happen more in the 2003-2006 models more than others from what I've found as well.

- Tampa, FM, USA

problem #89

Jan 092013

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 75,234 miles
2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer ext with 76,500 miles on it. While driving to work I noticed the oil pressure gauge was reading maximum. I immediately pulled over in the dark on a busy hwy to check oil and it was full. Then approx 2 weeks later the oil pressure gauge is pointing down and stays there. Now the speedometer is reading 80 mph even when stopped. This is a huge safety issue. I have serious doubts as to whether the gas and water temp gauge is reading correctly. There are numerous complaints already filed about this model and many other Chevrolet models. Recalls have been made on some models for this problem, but not this one. Chevrolet needs to recall this model asap and correct the infamous problem that they are well aware of. This is a very costly repair and one that the consumer should not have to pay for.

- Prince Frederick, MD, USA

problem #88

Jul 022012

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
All gauges on control panel not working, but all service lights come on check engine, ABS seat belt, reduce power, battery lights. Speed and fuel are impossible to know as well as warnings to observe from lights. 2004 Chevrolet trailblazer, speedometer will show a faster speed than you moving or will go to 0 while on the freeway. The tach has the same problem. This is a serious safety issue and it should be recalled now. I heard that they had the same issue on pick-ups and they were recalled. Most instrument backlights have burned out preventing the speedometer and other gauges from being seen at night. Very dangerous. Quick search on internet results in a severe epidemic of this problem with all GM SUV's. a class action lawsuit resulted in a nationwide recall for this problem for all similar vehicles but not the Chevy trailblazer or GMC Envoy. This seems to be a criminal act by GM. Something needs to be done to protect owners of these vehicles. Driving down highway headlights go out..while driving at night the low beam lights went out, I had to drive home with high beams on, www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2004/Chevrolet/trailblazer/electrical+system check out all these other complaints there are hundreds of them and I am one of many. This is so dangerous and a safety hazard to others as well, please get us a recall on these cars the expenses are tremendous.

- Forsyth, GA, USA

problem #87

Sep 022012

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 61,384 miles
The speedometer started to malfunction while driving 40 mph North bound on davis blvd. The speedometer was reading 80 mph then when stopped it was still reading 80 mph. It then moved past the gauge not allowing to know my actual speed. This to me is a car safety issue because we never know how fast we are going. The gas gauge has been malfunctioning for more that 24 months. The caution light (yellow) turns on when you need to fill the tank so we have been using this light to fill the car with gas. The gauge needs to be repaired. Since the car is not abused we fill this is something which should have lasted the regular 100,000 miles before there was a problem. The warranty period is over. From talking to other users and repeated searches online it seem to be a regular failure item. I believe it should be repaired by General Motors corporation. Many drivers have had to spend lots of money to have this item fixed in less than average mean times between failure of (100,000 miles).

- North Richland Hills , TX, USA

problem #86

Jun 012012

Trailblazer EXT

  • miles
The electrical system on my 2004 Trailblazer ext is not operating properly. The tachometer doesn't register, nor does the battery gauge and uncertain if the reading on the oil gauge is accurate. The fuel gauge is not operable, the needle is either pass E(empty) or pass F (full), I'm constantly re-fueling for fear of running out of gas. When first starting the engine, the speed indicator might register correctly, but then it falls below 0 mph while traveling speeds of 35 to 55 mph and other times it may indicate speeds in excess of 100 mph. Problems with the speedometer first started in June 2012, I used a gps to keep track of traveling speed. Afterwards, the other gauges started to malfunction. No parts have been repaired or replaced.very concerned about safety issues, as I occasionally Transport my grandchildren to appointments. Has Chevrolet made any amendments to correct these problems? assistance needed please.

- Chesapeake, VA, USA

problem #85

Jan 042012

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 146,000 miles
Car felt "stuck" in gear, wouldn't accelerate, low on transmission fluid. Added more fluid, replaced speed sensor, camshaft & crankshaft sensors. Still having issues with rpms going high, car slamming from one gear into another. Also cannot run heat while driving, fan draws power & causes engine to stall out. Car also burning through gas very quickly.

- Oakdale, CT, USA

problem #84

Feb 102012

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 70,000 miles
Fuel gauge stays on empty and oil temperature gauge stays at 260 degrees. The speedometer sticks and resets incorrectly at random intervals.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

problem #83

Nov 082011

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 43,400 miles
Vehicle was being driven when all dash gauges failed. Particularly concerning was the failure of the speedometer. GM has admitted that other vehicles have had this problem and have paid for and installed replacement dash clusters on some models. The 2004 trailblazer is not covered as there has not been enough occurrences of instrument cluster failure reported.

- Manchester, MD, USA

problem #82

Aug 112011

Trailblazer EXT 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
This vehicle had been parked in the driveway from 7:45 pm, (August 10, 2011). I was awakened at approx. 3:55 am on 8-10-2011 by hearing a muffled boom. At 4:00 am (Aug. 11, 2011) I heard a loud bang type noise. I immediately got up and went to investigate. I went outside and found my 2004 trailblazer (ext) on fire from the engine bay and just beginning to flame inside the vehicle's passenger compartment at the dashboard..it only took minutes before the vehicle was fully involved. The fire began in the engine bay. The fire marshall report is still pending and I was informed it would take 6 to 8 weeks before it was available. Approx. Two to three months prior, I took the vehicle to a repair garage to fix the low beam headlights (they had failed and changing the bulbs was no help. It turned out that it was a failed relay, which was replaced. It was a couple of weeks later that I had to replace the vehicle's battery as it had gone dead and would not take a charge. The old battery was about three years old. There were no other battery/headlight issues after these repairs. No tools or other parts were dropped into the engine bay, or left in the bay. I was an aircraft mechanic and old habits of keeping rack of my tools never die and all tools used were accounted for. The roads were dry where it was driven there was no rain at the house all night. I reported this to Chevrolet that day. As a result of the fire, the eaves of the house over the garage caught fire, my wife, son and myself had minor carbon monoxide poisoning, my work truck was damaged by the heat of the fire, so I cannot work (self employed) until I get a replacement (no rental company will let me use a truck to work from as I need to carry large quantities of chlorine in my pressure cleaning business. There have been no other problems of this kind before with this vehicle.

- Florida, FL, USA

problem #81

Jan 092010

Trailblazer EXT 4WD 6-cyl

  • miles
The RPM gauge, battery gauge and the fuel gauge stopped working. First the RPM gauge stopped and then about a year later the battery gauge stopped and last was the fuel gauge that stopped. The fuel gauge stopped working just a couple of weeks after the battery gauge. I am also having problems with the daytime running lights not staying on periodically. The daytime running lights will go out about twice a year and mainly at night.

- Thomasville, NC, USA

problem #80

Jun 242010

Trailblazer EXT 4WD 6-cyl

  • 81,524 miles
The instrument cluster stopped working, only the temp gauge and the fuel gauge works. The speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure gauges do not work. I believe General Motors needs to issue a recall on this as this is a common problem with these vehicles.

- Rosemount, MN, USA

problem #79

Jan 242011

Trailblazer EXT

  • miles
My 2004 Chevy trailblazer has an instrument panel that stopped working. I feel this is very unsafe because I don't know how fast I am going, what my oil pressure is, the temperature of my car, or how much gas I have. I contacted a repair shop but it is over $1000 to replace the panel and there is no guarantee that this won't happen again. Apparently I am being told this is a problem that is very common in this year and make but there is not a recall for it. I don't understand why.

- Rising Sun, MD, USA

problem #78

Apr 012011

Trailblazer EXT

  • 41,000 miles
2004 Chevy trailblazer dash cluster. I have 43,000 miles on my vehicle and the dash gauges went out. They started to work after about 10 minutes of driving and now they come on only about 1 out of 4 trips. I searched the internet and found a lot of owners complaining about the same problem. Why is this not a recall? please help if you can.

- Churchville, PA, USA

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