Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems

Owners filed 1,734 complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer with NHTSA between Jan 2005 and Aug 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (733).

Complaints
1,734
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
70
Reported by owners
Fires
27
Reported by owners
Injuries
71
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system733
  2. Fuel system, gasoline511
  3. Exterior lighting157
  4. Fuel system, other112
  5. Fuel/propulsion system109
  6. Vehicle speed control87
  7. Air bags81
  8. Power train58
  9. Engine and engine cooling55
  10. Visibility44
  11. Equipment44
  12. Engine35
  13. Structure34
  14. Steering26

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
200535
200653
200769
2008122
2009184
2010353
2011388
2012114
201387
2014122
201568
201639
201734
201829
201912
20209
20213
20226
20231
20241
20252
20263

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

733 reports7 crashes12 fires
“FOR SEVERAL YEARS THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AND ON INTERMITTENTLY. NOW, THEY ARE MOSTLY OFF WHICH MEANS I CANNOT DRIVE MY VEHICLE AT NIGHT ANYMORE UNLESS I WANT TO BLIND PEOPLE OR GET STOPPED. I HAVE CHANGED HEADLAMPS, RELAYS AND FUSES TO NO AVAIL. NOW, I SEE THAT MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL SUV HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS YEAR MODEL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN WE HAVE TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON AND WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. IF YOU WILL ISSUE A RECALL FOR ONE YEAR MODEL HAVING A PARTICULAR ISSUE, WHY WOULD YOU NOT DO THE SAME WITH ALL YEAR MODELS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE? COME ON CHEVROLET AND NHTSA, LET'S GET THIS PROBLEM SOLVED TO SAVE SOME LIVES. IT IS VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING AND HAVE YOUR HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND A MAJOR PAIN TO HAVE TO BE SURE YOU ARE HOME BY DARK OR NOT BE ABLE TO GO OUT AFTER DARK BECAUSE YOUR HEADLAMPS ARE OR MAY STOP WORKING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2022Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11499496

Fuel system, gasoline

511 reports1 crash3 fires
“2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR FUEL LEVEL SENSOR RECALL REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE SENSOR RECALL AND THE MANIFOLD REPAIRS, *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2018Fuel system, gasolineODI 10948214

Exterior lighting

157 reports2 fires
“MOST RECENT, I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY HEAD LIGHTS GO OUT. NOTHING ELSE, JUST THE MAIN HEAD LIGHTS. ALL.OTJER LIGHTS STAY ON. HIGH BEAMS WORK, PARKING LIGHTS STAY ON. THIS IS NOT SAFE!!!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2020Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 11377582

Fuel system, other

112 reports
“I FILLED MY GAS TANK FULL AND IT THEN THE GAS LIGHT COMES ON. I AM HAVING TO KEEP TRACK OF MY MILES SO THAT I DON'T RUN OUT OF GAS BECAUSE THE FUEL NEEDLE KEEPS GOING UP AND DOWN, NOT READING ACCURATELY. NOW EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT I PUT GAS IN THIS HAPPENS. VERY FRUSTRATING, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WANT TO TRAVEL OUT OF TOWN AND YOU ARE NOT SURE WHEN YOU'LL SEE THE NEXT GAS STATION. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS? *JS *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 20, 2012Fuel system, otherODI 10452470

Fuel/propulsion system

109 reports1 crash1 fire
“MY 15 YR OLD DRIVER IN TRAINING,, was leaving town with myself and her father the engine just stopped running causing us to lose all movement of car had to coast to the side of highway { busy with semis} had to call tow truck to come get it ,, it wouldn't start after trying a few times . and also the seat belts lock tight and will not give when pulled on them leaving you strapped tight in the seat you have to unhook them to release them .. very uncomfortable when you traveling”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2022Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11469864

Vehicle speed control

87 reports3 crashes1 fire
“SPEEDOMETER FIRST SHOWED SPEED OF 60 WHEN SITTING STILL. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, RESTARTING IT 3 TIMES AND THE SPEEDOMETER RESET. BUT A FEW DAYS LATER IT ONCE AGAIN STUCK AND I HAD JUST STARTED IT. THIS TIME AT 48 AT ALL TIMES WHETHER THE ENGINE IS ON OR OFF, IDLING OF TRAVELING. IT CONTINUES TO BE STUCK AT 48 AT ALL TIMES, NEVER DECREASING OR INCREASING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 19, 2019Vehicle speed controlODI 11189864
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.