Problems · by component

1996 Chevrolet Blazer suspension problems

143 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer cite suspension, 12% of all 1,161 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
143
12% of all complaints
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the suspension

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME OFF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE. *KB THE RIGHT REAR TIRE FELL OFF, DUE TO BAD BEARINGS. OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT# 10-0020-89 UPDATED LETTER 04/29/10 *BF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2010Suspension, TiresODI 10312118
“THE FRONT TIRES ARE WORN, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. I HAVE HAD THESE REPLACED IN THE PAST. THIS IS A CONTINUAL REPAIR AND GETTING COSTLY. I CALLED GM AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL BUT BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT HAS PAST THAT IT IS NO LONGER COVERED. I AM IN FEAR OF GETTING IN AN ACCIDENT DRIVING THE WAY IT IS. IT IS VERY UNSAFE. I WAS TOLD ALSO THAT I NEED IDLER ARM REPLACEMENTS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2009Steering, Suspension, WheelsODI 10273912
“NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V200000 PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN NO: 01048 AFTER NEARLY LOSING CONTROL ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I DECIDED TO HAVE THE FRONT END CHECKED. THE FRONT BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACED. I FURTHER LEARNED OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED REFERENCES HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP IN ANKENY WAS UNHELPFUL, RUDE, AND BASICALLY TOLD ME THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY WORK REGARDLESS OF BULLETINS, ETC... EACH DAY THE VEHICLE IS HARDER TO HANDLE AND A MECHANIC FRIEND ADVISED WILL START TO CAUSE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION. WHY DO WE HAVE POLICIES BOTH GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE WHEN DEALERSHIPS TOTALLY DISREGARD ALL THE RULES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE AND KNOW OF MANY OTHERS THAT DEALERSHIPS LEFT IN DIRE STRAITS. THIS IS A PROBLEM I WOULD LIKE ADDRESSED FOR THE GOOD OF ALL. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2006SuspensionODI 10170476
“PURCHASED VEHICLE 12/03 SINCE THEN HAVE REPLACED: WATER PUMP 3 TIMES, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT, LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT, UPPER MANIFOLD GASKET, MAIN REAL SEAL. OVER THE PAST 6-8 MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED THE BRAKING ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES (MORE THAN 10.) LUCKILY NONE WERE EMERGENCY STOPS, HOWEVER WHEN BRAKING DUE TO TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGE OR STOPPING WHILE GOING DOWNHILL, THE BRAKES "CHATTER," AN AUDIBLE WHINE IS PRODUCED, AND IT IS NECESSARY TO PUMP THE BRAKES BEFORE IT WILL REGAIN PRESSURE AND STOP. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2006Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine coolingODI 10164486
“ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE BALL JOINTS, AND ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2004Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10103793
“WHILE DRIVING THE BALL JOINTS SEPARATED AND BROKE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. WAS TOLD SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY. HOWEVER, CONSUMER FOUND OUT THROUGH THE MANUFACTURER THAT HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED THE DEALER TO LET THEM KNOW THAT CONSUMER WAS INCLUDED, AND THEY NEED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE SHOP. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 15, 2004SuspensionODI 10099982

Showing 6 of 143 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Suspension: upper ball joint

Free remedy

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1996-1997 4-WHEEL DRIVE CHEVROLET BLAZER, GMC JIMMY, AND OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. SOME OWNERS HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS THAT HAVE SEPARATED. GM IS PROVIDING A SPECIAL POLICY TO THESE OWNERS TO COVER UPPER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT IF THE CUSTOMER FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR THE CHASSIS LUBRICATION AND THE VEHICLE STILL REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS DUE TO SEPARATION.

SuspensionReported Dec 4, 2001NHTSA 01I018000

Suspension: upper ball joint

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FAILURE OF AN UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY COULD OCCUR DUE TO CORROSION.

SuspensionReported Jun 28, 2001NHTSA 01V200000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.