Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Chevrolet Blazer problems

Owners filed 259 complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Blazer with NHTSA between May 2001 and Nov 2023. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (56).

Complaints
259
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
20
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting56
  2. Power train35
  3. Electrical system25
  4. Engine and engine cooling21
  5. Air bags19
  6. Steering16
  7. Suspension16
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic16
  9. Visibility16
  10. Fuel system, gasoline14
  11. Structure11
  12. Seat belts7
  13. Service brakes6
  14. Fuel/propulsion system6

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
200124
200235
200345
200429
200525
200615
200715
200814
20097
20109
20119
20126
20133
20147
20154
20163
20173
20181
20192
20202
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

Exterior lighting

56 reports1 fire2 related recalls
“MY BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT. AS I OWED A 2001 GMC JIMMY THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL I KNEW THAT THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS THE PROBLEM. I WENT TO MY LOCAL CHEV DEALERSHIP (KOEHNE CHEV) IN MARINETTE WI. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ONE MY VEHICLE. I ASKED ABOUT THE THREE TSB AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING WITH A TSB. I KNOW THIS IS A ONGOING AND A SAFETY ISSUE (NO BRAKE LIGHTS). THE PART NUMBER ON THE SWITCH THAT I TOOK OUT IS 26096832. THERE HAS TO BE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GM VEHICLES WITH THESE SWITCHES IN THEM WITH THE POTENTIAL FATAL ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 20, 2020Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11318861

Power train

35 reports1 crash
“2002 CHEVROLET BLAZER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FLEX PLATE ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FLEX PLATE HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 11/27/2017*JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2017Power trainODI 10703663

Electrical system

25 reports3 fires
“The Blazer is showing many codes in the ECM, even though it seems to be running properly. The codes include: p0171, p0174, p0101, p0128, p0155, p0300, p1870, p0128, p0155. The dash recently showed warning lights for parking brake, ABS, and Service Engine soon. It was checked a few days ago by a local repair shop. Two previous recalls showed multifunction switch failures which affected many vehicles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2023Electrical systemODI 11553900

Engine and engine cooling

21 reports1 crash
“WHILE DRIVING, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SPIKED AND THE CHECK GAUGES LIGHT CAME ON. ONE OF THE BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING TO THE MANIFOLD HAD SHEARED OFF DUE TO BOLT BRITTLENESS. THIS CAUSED A SERVE LOSS OF COOLANT AND THE REMAINDER OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING BOLTS TO BECOME BROKEN OFF IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. RESULTING IN A REPAIR OF AT LEAST $1,000 DUE TO HAVING TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD. THE SHOP WAS ONLY ABLE TO EXTRACT ONE BROKEN BOLT FROM THE MANIFOLD. THIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON. WE HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING ON IT, SOME THINGS MORE THAN ONCE INCLUDING THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND MULTIPLE RADIATORS ALL UNDER 75,000 MILES. WE HAVE REPLACED THE GAS CAP TO THE RADIATOR CAP AND EVEN THE WINDSHIELD TOO. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND INTAKE MANIFOLD AS THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED 5 YEARS AGO DUE TO FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET DUE TO A FAULTY GM DESIGN ON ENGINES MADE BETWEEN 2000 AND 2004 AND DEXICOOL COOLANT ISSUES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10452740

Air bags

19 reports9 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET BLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HINGE FAILED TO CLOSE, AN ABNORMAL HUMMING NOISE WAS DETECTED, THE VEHICLE ROCKED, AND A TIRE BLEW OUT. IN ADDITION, THE ABS, AIR BAG, AND PARKING BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOM JOYCE AUTOMOTIVE (18260 PAULSON DR, UNIT D3, PORT CHARLOTTE, FL 33954) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR, PINS, AND HINGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S DOOR DETACHED AND THE BRAKE LINE WAS WRAPPED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2019Air bags, Structure, Service brakesODI 11278381

Steering

16 reports4 crashes
“"TAKATA RECALL" VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO ONLY GO RIGHT AND I COULDN'T TURN LEFT AND ENDED UP HITTING THE GUARDRAIL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ALMOST TOTALLED THE VEHICLE. DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ANY RECALL SO I WENT TO JUNKYARD TO GET WHOLE FRONT END, FENDERS, HOOD AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY THING ON FRONT OF VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR MOTOR. BUT DID REPLACE FAN ON MOTOR. COST IN PARTS ONLY WAS APPROX. $700.00 (HAVE RECEIPTS). NOT INCLUDING LABOR! & TIME AND COST SPENT NOT HAVING A VEHICLE UNTIL FIXED. ALSO NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 7, 2016Steering, Suspension, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10840408
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.