Problems · by component

2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext service brakes, hydraulic problems

46 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext cite service brakes, hydraulic, 4% of all 1,268 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
46
4% of all complaints
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I HAVE A 2002 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER THAT HAS HAD A HOST OF PROBLEMS TO DATE. NOW I AM EXPERIENCING TWO MORE. TWICE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH A 1/4 OF A TANK OF GAS OR BETTER WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STALLS, THE GAS GAUGE GOES TO EMPTY. IF I SIT FOR A MOMENT AND THEN RESTART THE CAR, THE GAS GAUGE GOES BACK TO 1/4 FULL OR BETTER. IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING WHEN THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY STALLS OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE ABS SYSTEM IS NOW COMING ON WHEN IT SHOULD NOT. IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS I HAVE HAD TROUBLE BRINGING THE CAR TO A STOP. THE ABS COMES ON AND DISENGAGES THE BRAKES AND THE CAR SKIDS AHEAD INSTEAD OF STOPPING IMMEDIATELY. WE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN ON OUR 2000 CHEVY SILVERADO TRUCK. IT WAS FIXED UNDER RECALL, THEN STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS. WHEN WE CALLED CHEVY, THEY SAID THEY ONLY FIX UNDER RECALL ONCE. WE WERE ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE ABS. I HAVE MY SERVICE STATION LOOKING NOW TO SEE IF WE CAN DISENGAGE THE ABS ON THE TRAILBLAZER TOO. THESE CHEVYS ARE A REAL HAZARD! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2010Service brakes, hydraulic, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10346796
“WHENEVER BRAKING AND SLOWING DOWN ALMOST TO A STOP, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) WILL ENGAGE. VEHICLE MAKES THE TYPICAL ABS "CHATTER" SOUND WHEN THIS OCCURS AND THE ABS ENGAGEMENT CAN BE FELT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. ROAD CONDITIONS ARE CLEAN AND DRY; ROAD SURFACE IS LEVEL AND NOT BUMPY. ONLY OCCURS WHEN SPEED IS BELOW APPROXIMATELY 10MPH (FOR INSTANCE, WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A STOPLIGHT, STOPSIGN, OR BRAKING ON A LEVEL DRIVEWAY). AS A RESULT, BRAKING DISTANCE IS EXTENDED AT THE VERY TIME THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE COMING TO A STOP -- EVENTUALLY, A COLLISION IS INEVITABLE. THIS STARTED APPROXIMATELY 2-WEEKS AGO, OCCURRING RARELY BUT NOW OCCURS ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME. BRINGING THE CAR TO THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOMORROW MORNING (6/15/2010) TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEM. NOTE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB AT THE SAME CHEVY DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 2/10/2010. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10336249
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE IS THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. IN 2006, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO A RECALL FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, BOTH OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN JULY OF 2007 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SENSOR BOARD WAS FRIED. SINCE THE REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED IN 2006, THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR IT AGAIN. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 14, 2009Service brakes, hydraulicFire reportedODI 10265305
“WELL SERVICED 90K MILES. TRAVELING AT 35MPH PUSHED BREAKS ALL THE WAY DOWN (FRACTURING RIGHT ANKLE) SLOWED ME DOWN BUT FAILED TO STOP AT UPCOMING RED LIGHT. STRUCK MEDIUM SIZE VEHICLE INJURING OTHER DRIVER AND CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. CHEVY DEALER COLLISION/SERVICE CENTER ESTIMATED $8K IN REPAIRS. IN OTHER WORDS IT COSTS MORE TO REPAIR IT THAN WHAT THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. ALSO:"MASTER CYLINDER IS BAD" AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CHEVY TECH. SAID "IMPACT WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH" . AFTER READING SOME EIGHT OTHER COMPLAINTS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS . I AM CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THIS OR GETTING INTO ANOTHER ONE. IS THERE NOT A BREAK LIGHT SERVICE SENSOR THAT I SHOULD HAVE NOTED.? SERVICE MANUAL FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SAYS TO CHECK FRONT AND REAR AXLE FLUID AND ADD FLUID AS NEEDED EVERY 5K TO 7K MILES AFTER 67.5K MILES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2009Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10257808
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH MAXIMUM PRESSURE AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT LET UP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL NOT STOP. IT LOCKED UP AND PULLED TO THE LEFT ONTO ITS SIDE AND ROLLED COMPLETELY OVER. THE VEHICLE LANDED ON ITS FOUR FLAT TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS NECK, SHOULDER, AND BACK. HE ALSO SUFFERED MEMORY LOSS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 107,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10239976
“I BOUGHT THE 2002 TRAILBLAZER ON FEBRUARY 2008 DROVE IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TOTAL THE REST OF THE TIME IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED JUST ACCELERATED ONTO THE GAS HEARD A LOUD CRACK AND THE TRUCK SHOOK LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE HAD HIT, LOST ACCELERATION WOULD NOT GO ANY FASTER THAN 30-35 MILES AN HOUR AND CAR WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM NEUTRAL AT FIRST AND THE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE., BRAKES HAVE MADE A PULSATION FEELING AND THEY WERE DONE DAYS BEFORE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED AGAIN INCLUDING ROTORS A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY CRACKLING AND METALLIC TINGING NOISES THAT DON'T GO AWAY, THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGES AND DISENGAGES ON IT'S OWN WHEN DRIVING 65-70 MILES AN HOUR. THE STEERING WHEEL HAD A CONSTANT RUBBING NOISE AND DEALER TOLD ME ALL OF MY COMPLAINTS WERE NOTHING DETRIMENTAL AND BASICALLY BLEW ME OFF. THE TRUCK JERKS ALOT ON IT'S OWN DOESN'T MATTER IF I AM IN MOTION OR IF I PUT IT INTO GEAR OR PARK IT JERKS. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE, IT SEEMS TO BE POSSESSED. I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE IT, SO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 24, 2008Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic, Power train, EquipmentODI 10235685

Showing 6 of 46 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

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