Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems

Owners filed 1,368 complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer with NHTSA between Jan 2004 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is electrical system (780).

Complaints
1,368
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
63
Reported by owners
Fires
34
Reported by owners
Injuries
88
People reported injured
Deaths
4
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system780
  2. Fuel system, gasoline125
  3. Exterior lighting116
  4. Power train80
  5. Fuel/propulsion system59
  6. Engine and engine cooling56
  7. Air bags50
  8. Vehicle speed control47
  9. Visibility36
  10. Structure30
  11. Equipment28
  12. Fuel system, other24
  13. Service brakes, hydraulic22
  14. Engine21

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
200442
200556
200655
2007100
2008152
2009248
2010235
2011142
201267
201353
201465
201557
201633
201719
201813
201920
20204
20213
20223
20230
20240
20251

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

Electrical system

780 reports5 crashes16 fires
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2022Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11446505

Fuel system, gasoline

125 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THE HE NOTICED A FUEL ODOR EMITTING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL MILEAGE HAD ALSO DECREASED WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE AN EVAP SMOKE TEST PERFORMED ON HIS VEHICLE. THE RESULT OF THE TEST DISCOVERED THAT A CRACK HAD FORMED ON THE FUEL NECK THAT CONNECTS TO THE FUEL TANK, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT THEN SPOKE WITH J.B.A. CHEVROLET (7327 RITCHIE HWY, GLEN BURNIE, MD 21061) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,432.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 18, 2020Fuel system, gasolineODI 11350043

Exterior lighting

116 reports1 crash4 fires2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the headlights became inoperable. After a while, the headlights became operational. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 189,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2022Exterior lightingODI 11483548

Power train

80 reports2 crashes3 fires
“CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4 -WHEEL DRIVE FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 101, NO. 110, NO. 114, NO. 225, NO. 209, & NO. 208. VECHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A LEFT -FRONT BRAKE PIPE WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIAL SCORE AT A RANDOM LOCATION ALONG THE LENGHT OF THE PIPE AS THE RESULT OF THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. IF THE BRAKE PIPE PARTIALLY OR FULLY FRACTURED,BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL WOULD IMMEDIATELY INCREASE AND FRONT BRAKE PERFORMANCE WOULD BE REDUCED UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKETS MAY FRACTURE. MISSING WELDS ON THE REAR FLOW PLAN THE CALIBRATION OF THE TRANSFER CASE CONTROL MODULE COULD CAUSE INSUFFICIENT HIGH SPEED GEAR ENGAGEMENT. THIS FRACTURE COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A RANGE SHIFT COLLAR IN THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE THAT CONTAINS CRACKS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2017Suspension, Power trainODI 11034190

Fuel/propulsion system

59 reports
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2020Electrical system, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11327578

Engine and engine cooling

56 reports7 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE...UPDATED 05/14/15 *BF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2015Engine and engine coolingODI 10679493
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.