10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 5
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 79,814 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Chevrolet dealer began recall repairs but GM filed bankruptcy and dealer refused to repair citing inability to get paid by GM for recall, returning the vehicle to me unrepaired. Next dealer said records showed repairs were completed. They were not.
- Loleta, CA, USA
I pulled into my garage and shut my truck off but my doors wouldn't unlock. Then it started making funny ticking sounds and all my lights inside started flicking and my windows all rolled up and wouldn't go back down so I could get out. After about 20 minutes or so I turned it back on and was finally able to get my door unlocked to get out. Now when I touch anything my other windows go up and my seat starts to move on its own. My driver's window is stuck up and won't come back down. I have 5 kids and can not chance something happening and us not being able to get out safely.
- Zanesville, OH, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the reverse lights failed to operate. The light bulbs were replaced but the lights would not illuminate. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000. Updated 05/09/17
- Milton, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. While driving at a low speed, the contact was informed by another driver that the tail lights were not working. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V527000 (exterior lighting). The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 133,982.
- Huntington, WV, USA
Both right and left low beam headlights stopped working as of 10/27/2016. The amber turn signal indicators seem to work sporadically. As of now, the vehicle can only be driven safely during the day. Early morning darkness and the earlier onset of sunset make driving hazardous. The vehicle was not in motion at the time this was discovered, but before leaving to make a school drop-off. The high beam lamps and fog lamps work when activated. The R and L head light fuses are intact.
- Fresno, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. While operating the vehicle, all the exterior lights randomly shut on and off. While driving at various speeds, the transmission would suddenly switch to first gear and caused the speed to suddenly reduce. The vehicle would not operate in reverse. After shutting the vehicle off and restarting the engine, the vehicle would operate normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failures. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 171,000.
- Opa Locka, FL, USA
I purchased a used 2002 Chevy Trailblazer, (with the loan company and car lot),I could not get the loan without having the car sales company put an anti-theft device in, when they did that, all of the features stopped working, .not able to lock, open with remote, seat-belt and airbag light stay on etc etc etc diagnoses (body control module $950. Currently using the vehicle.
- Clovis, CA, USA
Since I've owned this vehicle "new", I've replaced the drive lights three times for burned cables also, the passenger side seatbelts locks while in motion. My local dealer informed me that, that was typical of the passenger safety device.....as a passenger, once you set down and put the seatbelt on, it locks, holding you too tight, and virtually choking the passenger!! all other seatbelts works fine. And still functions the same to this day.
- Hephzibah, GA, USA
I was driving home one night from work on a back road in South Carolina going 35mph when my headlights shut off and the car completly stalled, I quickly turned on my hazard lights on to warn the oncoming traffic the car that was coming up on me had to swerve into the grass because the area was so dark he didnt see my hazard lights until he got close to me. This isnt the first time this has happen there really should be a recall on these 2002 trail Blazer because this is not safe at all im worried my child will be in the truck with me and it happens again.
- Spartnburg , SC, USA
The fiberglass cowling on top of the rear hatch fell off while driving, dangling only by the brake light cable. I had to cut the wire and remove the piece of body and light. Went to dealer asking about repair, they said it was caused by "use of the tailgate during winter conditions of snow and ice." They said "we see it all the time." I asked, since it occurs with high frequency, if it is covered by warranty, bulletin or recall and they said "no, GM considers this an owner/operator error." In other words, on this vehicle, a 4X4, the tailgate cannot nor should not be used, in the midwest, during periods of snow or ice? alas, I am driving without the mandatory center brake light. Please remedy this situation with proper replacement. Sadly, I see this condition on the same make and model more often than not.
- Oak Park, IL, USA
My 02 Trailblazer I bought used 4 days after I bought it the right turn signal would flash quick if I hit the brake but would be normal without pushing break. Than my brake lights started flickering and stopped working except for the middle one. Now when I turn my right turn signal on my reverse lights come on left turn signal flickers almost all the taillights flicker when on. I did research and found a recall for that problem and was wondering if my vehicle is one that was recalled the number is- GM recall no. 04087.
- Rapid City, MI, USA
While driving I noticed a burning smell outside of my vehicle but assumed it was coming from the area around me not my car. When I got to my destination I noticed smoke coming from under the left side of the hood and above the drivers side tire. I raised my hood and noticed smoke coming from around my fuse box. I had the car towed and have been told by my mechanic my fuse box and wiring harness burned. He also stated there could be other damaged related to this fire. The mechanic also asked if I had problems out of my headlights because the problem seemed to have started with the headlights. I have researched this since being given this information and electrical problems seem have been a problem with Trailblazers. I found several instances on this site and also online related to electrical problems on the Trailblazers. Complaint #10487846 is identical to mine and its a shame nothing gets done about these mechanical failures until there is a tragedy.
- Jackson, TN, USA
I was driving at night and the headlights went out. Everything else was working, I had dash board lights. I was able to pull off on a side road and try to determine from the manual if it was a fuse. I turned the car off and when I started it again, the lights came back on. This happen again 2 weeks later. I took it into the dealer and they could not find anything wrong. I researched the problem on line as I felt this was a major safety issue and found that I was not the only one experiencing this problem with Trailblazers. I just saw where corvette owners were experiencing a similar problem and that this Agency was investigating. I would appreciate it if you could include other Chevrolet models in this investigation.
- Wood River, IL, USA
The dash lights and gauges all go out intermittently.
- Canton, OH, USA
Left front headlight goes out periodically. Replace light and within at least a week it goes out again. Have seen several Trailblazers with left head light out.
- Indianapolis, IN, USA
The contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the brake light overheated and caused the bulb socket to melt. The contact replaced the bake light socket assembly himself but the failure was not corrected and the brake light failed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised the contact to have the vehicle diagnosed by the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 115,000 and the current mileage was 125,000.
- Bethany , CT, USA
The rear right and left brake lights and rear turn signal lights have burned out repeated. I purchased the 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer in December 2001. The problem first started to occur when the brake lights failed at 30,000 miles in 2003. I had to replace the circuit boards the lights plug into at my own cost to fix the problem. There was a recall to replace the circuit boards in 2004, NHTSA #04V527000, which I had performed on the vehicle. Subsequently the circuit boards burned out again a few years later. I took the vehicle back to the dealership and they said they wouldn't replace the circuit boards at their expense. I then purchased and installed the circuit boards myself. In 2010 the circuit boards burned out again. I took the vehicle back to the dealership and they investigated and said they couldn't find anything wrong with the vehicle other than the circuit board. They charged me $191.50 to investigate the problem and change out the circuit boards again. This is a safety issue because the rear brake lights and rear turn signal lights not working increases the risk of a crash. I received a ticket/warning on 2-2-11 for the brake lights not working but expect the brake lights will become inoperative again soon as this is the 5th set of circuit boards that have been placed in the vehicle and they keep burning out, and Chevrolet/General Motors hasn't supplied a satisfactory correction to solve the problem. Current mileage is 159,000 and the problem started at 30,000.
- Tucker, GA, USA
Front end problems, 4 wheel low comes on at anytime. Problem after problems with this 2002 Chevy trail Blazer..
- Lagrange, OH, USA
My headlights started to flicker one seasonably winter day. I had the heater motor replaced 2 months prior to this incident and back wiper motor just a month before this.then the heater motor cut out, and did so numerous times as I traveled on a 20 degree day. It seemed to run fine after that for the most part that day. I later got into it and again headlights flickered and heater motor cut out. Especially when I would accelerate or turn to the right. I replaced the battery, alternator and had ground wires cleaned only to have it recur a week later. I do most of my driving at night and when the lights went out and came back on I had enough. This had become quite costly and my mechanic was at a loss as to what to do next. I took it to a Chevy dealer and traded it in on another vehicle, as I can no longer afford to keep spending money on a mystery issue.
- Sauk Centre, MN, USA
- Kalispell, MT, USA