Problems · by component
2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext electrical system problems
778 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext cite electrical system, 57% of all 1,357 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
778
57% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
16
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Electronic throttle body? No throttle control, motor will only idle, turn ignition switch off, then restart it will run. Reduced Engine Power light comes on. Happens for no apparent reason. Very unsafe situation.”
“AS YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP OR GO UNDER 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S OIL GAUGE WILL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN. ONCE YOU ACCELERATE, THE OIL GAUGE GOES BACK TO NORMAL. WHEN PUMPING GAS INTO THE VEHICLE, THE GAS PUMP WILL RESET AS IF THE GAS TANK IS FULL BUT THE GAUGE SHOWS IT'S HALF EMPTY. *TR”
“MOST OF THE GAUGES ARE VERY ERRATIC WHEN IN MOTION OR STOPPED. TACHOMETER JUMPS AROUND, OIL PRESSURE READS ALL OVER, SPEEDOMETER GOES TO ZERO OR FULL SCALE, AMP METER DROPS BELOW 14 AND LIGHTS DIM WHEN THIS HAPPENS, (HAVE HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, THIS IS QUITE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AS I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO BELIEVE ON ANY OF THE GAUGES. NO REPAIR SHOP HAS BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.”
“1 OWNER VEHICLE - BOUGHT IN 2004 & HAD 8 MILES ON IT. HAS BEEN VERY WELL KEPT & CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT AS OF 9/16/19. AS OTHERS, THE ELECTRICAL CLUSTER HAS MALFUNCTIONED. SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING OVER A YEAR AGO & NOW THE FUEL GAUGE HAS FAILED. PROBLEM IS WITH THE CLUSTER AS "ESTIMATED MILEAGE" STILL WORKS. HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER GAUGES ACT ERRATIC AT TIMES. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT CHEVY IS WELL AWARE OF YET FAIL TO ACT. TO TB TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS THEY STATED THERE IS NO RECALL. COST OUT OF MY POCKET FOR REPAIR WILL BE OVER $800.00. SPEEDOMETER ORIGINALLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HWY. IT STARTED TO WORK AGAIN BUT FAILED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY A FEW WEEKS LATER. FUEL GUAGE SIMPLY STOPPED WORKING AFTER STARTING VEHICLE.”
“WHEN DRIVING OUR VEHICLE FROM MYRTLE BEACH THIS WEEK WE NOTICED A SMELL ABOUT HALF WAY HOME THAT REEKED OF ROTTEN EGGS. THE SMELL WAS SO BAD THAT I BECAUSE NAUSEOUS AND DEVELOOED A SEVERE HEADACHE. AFTER WE REACHED OUR HOUSE AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY I TRIED TO CRANK THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NOT CRANK SO AFTER RESEARCHING THE SMELL AND POSSIBLE CAUSES WE BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY FOR THE VEHICLE AND CHANGED THE BATTERY OURSELVES WHICH CAUSED MY HUSBAND TO DEVELOP A SEVERE COUGH AND UPPER RESPITORY PROBLEMS DUE TO THE BOILING THAT WAS OCCURING INSIDE THE BATTERY. HENCE THE SMELL OF ROTTEN EGGS.”
“WHEN IN MOTION, THE FUEL GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND 100 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. WHEN THE PROBLEM BEGAN, THE GAUGES WOULD SPORADICALLY MOVE UP AND DOWN. NOW THEY DO NOT MOVE UP.”
Showing 6 of 778 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.