Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Chevrolet Blazer problems

Owners filed 774 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Blazer with NHTSA between Dec 1996 and Jan 2023. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (143).

Complaints
774
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
60
Reported by owners
Fires
27
Reported by owners
Injuries
64
People reported injured
Deaths
4
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic143
  2. Visibility126
  3. Power train106
  4. Suspension104
  5. Engine and engine cooling92
  6. Electrical system84
  7. Fuel system, gasoline53
  8. Vehicle speed control46
  9. Air bags38
  10. Fuel system, other30
  11. Seat belts24
  12. Steering24
  13. Structure18
  14. Exterior lighting14

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19962
199724
199854
1999120
2000120
200195
200299
2003102
200468
200538
20069
200712
20084
20095
20107
20112
20120
20132
20142
20152
20163
20172
20181
20190
20200
20210
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

143 reports22 crashes2 fires
“LEFT REAR OEM METALLIC BRAKE LINE CORRODED ON A 1997 CHEVY BLAZER RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. LINE WAS NOT DAMAGE, JUST LEAKS OUT OF PIPE EVERY TIME YOU PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL. LINE IS ATTACHED TO FRAME ABOVE LEFT REAR WHEEL AXLE. UPON INSPECTION IT LOOKS RUSTED OUT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10409290

Visibility

126 reports4 fires1 related recall
“THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK ALL THE TIME. THE LAST 10 TIMES THAT I TRIED TO TURN THEM ON, THEY DIDN'T 5 OF THOSE TIMES. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST MONTH. LAST NIGHT I HAD TO PULL INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE ON THE HIGHWAY ACROSS 3 LANES IN A DOWNPOUR, BECAUSE THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED OPERATING. I WAS ALMOST HIT BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2009VisibilityODI 10266244

Power train

106 reports1 crash3 fires
“97 BLAZER WITH ORIGINAL LOW MILES HAD ENGINE STOP BOTH ON AND OFF THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT WOULD START BACK UP. IN JAN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND RPMS WENT UP. WE PULLED OFF AND FOUND THE TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN 3'RD GEAR. ALSO KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE TO REMOVE. ERRORS CAME UP P1860 P0785 AND P740 THAT REFER TO TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT TRANSMISSION BUT IGNITION SWITCH CONTACT BLOCK COMMONLY CALLED THE IGNITION SWITCH, IT IS THE CONTACT SECTION AND NOT THE KEY OR LOCK CYLINDER. THIS IGNITION SWITCH HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE. GM HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN #17006264 ON THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A BIG PROBLEM ACROSS MANY YEARS AND MODELS BUT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. AN IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM CAN CAUSE ENGINE TO DIE, LIGHTS TO GO OUT AND OTHER PROBLEMS BUT THE CONTACT FOR THE TRANSMISSION POWER SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE POINT. I REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE FOR ONE MONTH AND THEN THE PROBLEM RECURRED WITH ERRORS P1860 P0758 P0753 P0740 AND P0785. I TESTED THE IGNITION SWITCH POWER FROM RED/WHITE TO WHITE WIRE AND GOT NO POWER WHEN SWITCH WAS ON SO THE NEW SWITCH…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 29, 2015Power train, Electrical systemODI 10702398

Suspension

104 reports2 crashes2 related recalls
“DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT DEFECT AS LISTED BELOW: MAKE: CHEVROLET MODEL: BLAZER MODEL YEAR(S): 1996 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 01V200000 COMPONENT: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT PER RECALL THIS VEHICLES IS SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS AND IS ORIGINALLY FROM NEW JERSEY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2010SuspensionODI 10340970

Engine and engine cooling

92 reports3 crashes4 fires
“FOR THREE YEARS IN THE SUMMERS I COULD NOT DRIVE FAR WITHOUT SMOKE TRICKLING UP BY THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. NEVER HAPPENED IN THE WINTER. TOOK IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND TRANSMISSION SHOPS, NO ONE COULD FIND THE PROBLEM. THIS YEAR IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND I HAD TO JUNK THE VEHICLE. MY NEIGHBORS 2000 BLAZER IS DOING THE SAME THING NOW. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2010Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10347533

Electrical system

84 reports14 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET BLAZER. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS PUMP AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,300.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 10, 2016Electrical system, Service brakesODI 10825343
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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