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Chevrolet Trailblazer Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.

22
Total Recalls
5128
Total Complaints
285
Total Crashes
308
Reported Injuries
30
Reported Deaths
2005
Worst Year
2026
Best Year
0
Poor
Overall Reliability Score (0–100)
Accelerating +151%
Complaint Trend
138 last 24mo vs 55 prior 24mo

Recent Safety Incidents — Last 5 Model Years

1
Fire Reported
10
Crashes Reported
6
Injuries Reported

Own a Chevrolet Trailblazer? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.

Chevrolet Trailblazer — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison

YearVerdictRecallsComplaintsCrashesInjuriesDeathsTop Issue
2026BestExcellent6EngineFull report →
2025Excellent19Electrical SystemFull report →
2024Excellent333EngineFull report →
2023Excellent4588EngineFull report →
2022Excellent19111Unknown Or OtherFull report →
2021Good21121210Unknown Or OtherFull report →
2009Excellent1421Exterior LightingFull report →
2008Good14956Electrical SystemFull report →
2007Caution34271319Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
2006Avoid4809284321Fuel System / GasolineFull report →
2005WorstAvoid95047391Electrical SystemFull report →
2004Avoid182645723Electrical SystemFull report →
2003Avoid478048512Electrical SystemFull report →
2002Avoid786773583Power TrainFull report →

14 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.

Most Common Chevrolet Trailblazer Problems

Electrical System
1314
Fuel System / Gasoline
756
Exterior Lighting
435
Power Train
411
Air Bags
222
Engine And Engine Cooling
206
Fuel/Propulsion System
202
Visibility
192
Fuel System / Other
151
Engine
139
Unknown Or Other
127
Structure
120

Based on 5,128 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.

Recent Safety Recalls — Chevrolet Trailblazer (20222026)

#21V4400002022
10/06/2021
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT:STAND

General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A212335470.

Showing 1 recall from 20222026 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.

Recent Owner Complaints

Direct reports filed with NHTSA by Chevrolet Trailblazer owners — 20222026 model years.

Electrical System /Unknown Or Other /Visibility/Wiper04/23/2026

Rear camera stoped working. I read 2022 to 2024 had recalls on internet. Ours is 2025. Been to dealer they ordered new camera under warranty. But there on back order. They said they would call us when it came in. That’s the story.

Power Train /Engine04/22/2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly shift into gear while the gear shift lever was in use. The check engine and another unknown warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where several undisclosed fault codes were cleared. The vehicle was towed back to the same local dealer, where it remained for further investigation. The contact was informed that the transmission might need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100.

Engine04/16/2026

My vehicle started overheating out of no where towed it to the shop, it’s been there for 2 weeks they’re actively waiting for a manufacturer engineer to tell them what to do because they can’t figure out how to fix it. On top of that there have been a lot of overheating issues cause by different parts on the vehicle. There was another trailblazer in the at the same time as mine that was also overheating! A 2025 vehicle should not be having issues at this point gmc should just take all the trailblazers off the market! Also they need to change their manufacturing warranty on rentals because not one person should not have to pay out of pocket for a rental when it’s the manufacturers fault!

Electrical System /Engine /Forward Collision Avoidance04/14/2026

The vehicle has experienced ongoing and unresolved issues despite multiple service visits. The primary concern is excessive engine vibration. It shakes concerningly when backed into a driveway at an incline and placed in park. This occurs while the vehicle is stationary and idling. The issue has been reproduced and acknowledged by a dealership service advisor during a test drive, who stated the vibration was excessive and concerning. However, no repair was completed, and no clear diagnosis has been provided. The vehicle has also displayed repeated error messages with no confirmed cause, ongoing Bluetooth connectivity issues even after system updates and resets, and a malfunctioning forward collision warning system. Prior repair attempts include replacement of the backup camera, center console, and exterior windshield trim. The windshield trim repair was incomplete, as only the middle section was replaced while the remaining components were not, resulting in a mismatched and unresolved condition. No service documentation was provided for the most recent visit despite being advised that updated findings would be sent. These issues have persisted across multiple service attempts and remain unresolved. The engine vibration and malfunctioning safety systems raise safety and reliability concerns, including the potential for reduced driver awareness and increased risk of a collision.

Electrical System /Service Brakes /Engine04/10/2026

My brand new two week old 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer LS Issue: Auto Start/Stop system failure, the engine shuts off and does not restart Description:
 While stopped at traffic lights with the auto start/stop feature engaged, the engine shuts off as designed. However, when I release the brake pedal, the engine does not restart as it should. Instead, the vehicle displays a message stating “press brake to start,” and the vehicle behaves as if it has been completely turned off. This leaves the vehicle temporarily disabled in traffic and unable to move immediately when the light changes. I must press the brake and manually restart the vehicle, causing a delay and creating a safety concern, especially in intersections. This issue has occurred multiple times and appears to be related to a malfunction in the auto start/stop system. The failure to automatically restart the engine creates a risk of being stranded in active traffic and increases the likelihood of a collision. No warning lights or prior indications are given before the failure occurs. Concern:
 This is a safety issue for me and my family because the vehicle does not respond as expected when attempting to accelerate from a stop and leaves me stuck in traffic unexpectedly. It is now in the shop for the second time, as I was able to record this continuous malfunction of my brand new 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer. I get anxiety everytime I drive it. I feel I’m going to be rear ending or be involved in some type of crash. The vehicle is currently not safe to drive currently at the dealership for a second time. I had it towed each time, as I feared for my life and safety. Dealership could not duplicate issue. They asked me to record it and I was able to.

Unknown Or Other04/07/2026

the dash/infotainment system goes blank while driving, almost like the car looses power. then turns back on after 60 seconds with all the warning lights on before returning back to normal

Electrical System /Fuel/Propulsion System03/30/2026

My vehicle has 2 issues that are known but only recalled for another year. My car will say shift to park when in park and will not power off. My vin shows no open recalls for this issue for my vehicle but there is a service bulletin for this issue with my year vehicle. The dealer will not cover the cost of repair since my vin is not listed in the recall. Also I just had to replace the vaper cannister purge pump and vaper cannister valve and extended warrenty was offered on the purge pump and valves for 2021 trailblazer for this known issue but not 2022. Dealerships refuse to address my concerns to assist/investigate/return phone calls to help to see how to add the 2022 trailblazer to the recall

Service Brakes03/29/2026

Brakes squeal when rotors and pads are cold. Problem disappears when they warm after driving

Air Bags03/27/2026

While driving on the highway in light traffic at approximately 70 mph and changing lanes, the side airbags in my vehicle suddenly deployed without warning. There was no collision, no contact with another vehicle, no road debris, and no apparent external cause for deployment. I did not strike anything before, during, or after the deployment. There were no vehicles within several car lengths of my vehicle at the time. Highway Patrol was dispatched to the scene. Officer TJ Carter with Guilford County responded. Upon inspection of the vehicle at the scene, we found no evidence of impact or contact with another vehicle, object, or debris. The vehicle was covered in yellow pollen at the time, and even light contact would have left visible marks or disturbance in the pollen. After examining the vehicle, no signs of contact were identified. The vehicle does have unrelated prior body damage from over a year ago on one side, but that damage predates this incident and was not caused by this event. The responding officer can confirm there was no collision or new impact associated with the airbag deployment. There was no accident associated with this airbag deployment. The airbags deployed while I was traveling at highway speed, which caused a sudden and dangerous driving event and required me to quickly maneuver to the side of the roadway. This created a serious safety risk to me and to surrounding traffic. Prior to this incident, there were no warning lights, safety alerts, or service notifications indicating an issue with the airbag system or vehicle safety systems. However, a notification did appear in the My Chevrolet app at or around the time of the incident. The vehicle has not yet been fully inspected following the incident. A safety claim has been submitted to General Motors. I also have video footage of the Highway Patrol Officer cutting down the airbags on-site but cannot add that below so I have added a screenshot.

Power Train03/19/2026

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into park(P) as needed. The contact attempted to turn off the vehicle, and the message "Shift to Park(P)” was displayed. The contact jiggled the gear shift lever and the vehicle shifted to park(P and then turned off. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but was a recurring failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the shift lever assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched online and stated that it was a known failure. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was 47,304.

Engine03/16/2026

The studs that connect the front exhaust to the rear exhaust and muffler rusted and the exhaust fell down and crumpled up. Basically tore the exhaust off of the car when this happened.

Unknown Or Other03/16/2026

The park switch inside the transmission control assemblies shifter control assembly fail to detect when shifting gear into park

196 total complaints retrieved from NHTSA for 20222026. For older model years, see individual year pages.

Trailblazer Years to Avoid

2005 Trailblazer
950 complaints · 0 recalls · 47 crashes · 1 deaths
Details →
2002 Trailblazer
867 complaints · 7 recalls · 73 crashes · 3 deaths
Details →
2006 Trailblazer
809 complaints · 4 recalls · 28 crashes · 21 deaths
Details →

Ranked by combined complaints, recalls, crashes, injuries, and deaths.

Best Trailblazer Years to Buy

2026 Trailblazer
6 complaints · 0 recalls
Details →
2009 Trailblazer
14 complaints · 0 recalls
Details →
2025 Trailblazer
19 complaints · 0 recalls
Details →

Years with fewest complaints and recalls.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Problems by Year

Select a year to see detailed complaints, recall notices, and safety incident data.

Frequently Asked Questions — Chevrolet Trailblazer Reliability

What year Trailblazer has the most problems?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 950 complaints and 0 safety recalls. See the full 2005 report for specific defects.

Is the Chevrolet Trailblazer reliable?

The Chevrolet Trailblazer has accumulated 5,128 owner-filed complaints and 22 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. There have been 30 reported deaths associated with complaints. The 2026 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used Trailblazer.

What are the most common Trailblazer problems?

The most frequently cited problem areas are: Electrical System (1314 reports), Fuel System / Gasoline (756 reports), Exterior Lighting (435 reports), Power Train (411 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.

How do I check if my Trailblazer has an open recall?

Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.

Check a Specific Chevrolet Trailblazer VIN

Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.

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