Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 150 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 150, in the owner's own words
I HAVE A 1996 CHEVY BLAZER 4WD 4.3L CENTRAL PORT FUEL INJECTION. THE #4 FUSE WHICH IS MY GAUGE FUSE KEEPS BLOWING AND WHEN IT BLOWS MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ZEROS OUT AND I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT MY SPEED IS WHAT MY RPMS ARE WHAT MY FUEL LEVEL ITS, ETC. MY ALTERNATOR STOPS CHARGING AND MY VEHICAL EVENTUALLY STALLS OUT DUE TO THE BATTERY DRAINING. *TR
I PURCHASE MY VEHICLE USED ON 12/4/01 , I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE IT INDICATES IT IS OVERHEATING. 3 WEEKS AGO IT STARTED SAYING IT WAS OVERHEATING AND SMOKE FILLED THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE WITH FUMES. IT WAS REPAIRED. AT 3:15 P.M. TODAY, MY CAR INDICATES IT IS OVERHEATING AND NOW THE SERVICE CAR LIGHT IS ON. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM. AS SOON AS I TURN THE CAR ON IT INDICATES IT IS OVERHEATHING. HAPPENING TOO MANY TIMES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE RADIATOR HOSE WAS LEAKING AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE BLOCK (HEATER CORE) OF THE RADIATOR. THE RADIATOR HOSE WAS LEAKING AT THE CONNECTION OF THE HOSE. THE VEHICLE ALSO OVERHEATED AT TIMES, IN WHICH THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS FAILURE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06E043000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR BECAUSE OTHER WORK NEEDED TO BE DONE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 169,123 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000. UPDATED 09/15/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED BROWN SLUDGE WAS FOUND IN THE RADIATOR. UPDATED 09/18/08. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FLAMES WERE NOTICED DROPPING TO THE GROUND UNDER THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. GREY SMOKE WAS ALSO OBSERVED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE BURNED COMPLETELY, AND WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT AND A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT PROCESSED AT THE SCENE. THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE MELTED THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN FRONT OF IT, AND DID MODERATE DAMAGE TO A THIRD VEHICLE PARKED ALONGSIDE THE SECOND VEHICLE. *AK UPDATED 12/01/06. *JB
PURCHASED VEHICLE 12/03 SINCE THEN HAVE REPLACED: WATER PUMP 3 TIMES, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT, LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT, UPPER MANIFOLD GASKET, MAIN REAL SEAL. OVER THE PAST 6-8 MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED THE BRAKING ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES (MORE THAN 10.) LUCKILY NONE WERE EMERGENCY STOPS, HOWEVER WHEN BRAKING DUE TO TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGE OR STOPPING WHILE GOING DOWNHILL, THE BRAKES "CHATTER," AN AUDIBLE WHINE IS PRODUCED, AND IT IS NECESSARY TO PUMP THE BRAKES BEFORE IT WILL REGAIN PRESSURE AND STOP. *JB
PURCHASED 1996 CHEVY BLAZER 1/15/04 FROM CARMAX. EXPERIENCED FREQUENT ISSUES WITH HEATING AND COOLING. 3/22/05 1ST MECHANIC FOUND NO TROUBLE FOR 2 DAYS, THEN DETERMINED THERMOSTAT WAS BAD. 2ND MECHANIC REPLACED THERMOSTAT. BROKE DOWN TWICE DUE TO PRESSURE IN COOLING SYSTEM FORCING RADIATOR HOSES OFF. 6/4/05 MECHANIC RESEATED HOSES & CLAMPS, REPLACED RADIATOR CAP, AND FLUSHED SYSTEM. 25 MILES AWAY FROM SHOP TEMP SHOT UP TO 260 DEGREES AND BLEW ALL FLUID OUT. TRIED REFILLING AND WATER IS RUSHING OUT OF THE RADIATOR END CAPS AS FAST AS WE'RE FILLING IT. THERE'S AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL OF SLUDGE THAT APPEARS TO BE DEX-COOL RELATED IN THE OVERFLOW TANK AND HAS ALSO BEEN SEEN IN THE FLUIDS THAT HAVE BEEN DRAINING DURING BREAKDOWNS.
THE RADIATOR AND COOLING SYSTEM ON MY 1996 CHEVROLET BALZER GETS RUSTY AND CLOGGED EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS. IN 1998 THE WHOLE RADIATOR WAS TAKEN OUT AND BOILED. IN 2001 THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED AGAIN DUE TO RUST AND CLOGGING. AND NOW, APRIL 2004, THE SYSTEM HAS CLOGGED AGAIN AND CAUSES ENGINE OVERHEAT. GM USES DEX COOL WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO LAST FIVE YEARS, BUT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS THIS COOLANT SEEMS TO CLOG THE SYSTEM AND REQUIRES AN OVERHAUL COSTING AROUND $400. *LA
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE BLAZER SUFFERS FROM SUDDEN ACCELERATION AS I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN I COME TO A FULL STOP AT A STOPLIGHT.
AFTER THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ANTI FREEZE HAD A THICK MUDDY TEXTURE IN THE RADIATOR. THIS CONDITION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. CONSUMER HAS FLUSHED THE RADIATOR THREE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK...PAID OVER $700 FOR REPLACEMENT. THREE DAYS LATER, THE WATER PUMP BROKE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A COMMON OCCURENCE WHEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IS REPLACED, AND NOW WANTS TO CHARGE ME OVER $350 TO FIX THE WATER PUMP.*AK
COOLENT LEAK AT INTAKE MANIFOLD . *AK
MOST OF THE PROBLEMS THAT SURFACED HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED AT LEAST ONCE. *PH MOST OF THE PROBLEMS HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED AT LEAST ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND HAVE RECURRED. THE A/C SEAL LEAKED AND NEEDED A PUMP. THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE IDLER PULLEY, OIL FILTER LINES, CRANK SHAFT,DOOR HINGES, POWER STEERING, THROTTLE POSITIONER SENSOR 2, LEFT FRONT AXLE SEAL, AND THE DIFFERENTIAL SIDE COVERS. *SC *MR *JB
ENGINE COOLANT AT 50,000 MILES TURNED TO A MUDDY SUBSTANCE. 1 YR LATER AND 30,000 MILES IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. THE DEALER DID A POWER FLUSH AT THE 50,000 AND GM COVERED 2/3RDS OF BILL NOW I AM TOLD I MUST CHANGE HEATER CORE AND POWER FLUSH AGAIN AT A COST OF OVER $800. . GM WILL NOT COVER ANY EXPENSE. IT IS SAID THAT MY ANTI FREEZE SHOULD LAST 100,000 MILES ,AS YOU CAN SEE IT DID NOT LAST 50,000 MILES. *CB
OUR BLAZER STARTED OVER HEATING, WE HAD IT FLUSHED DUE TO A MUD LOOKING SLUGE IN THE COOLING SYSTEM AND A NEW THERMOSTAT PUT IN. ABOUT A MONTH LATER IT STARTED OVER HEATING AGAIN. WE AGAIN HAD IT FLUSHED AND ANOTHER NEW THERMOSTAT PUT IN. A FEW WEEKS LATER IT AGAIN OVER HEATED WE HAD IT TOWED IN AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS TIME IT HAD CAUSED THE MOTOR TO BLOW. WE CONTACTED GM THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROUBLEM IT WAS DEXCOOL, WE CONTACTED DEXCOOL AND THEY SAID IT WAS GM'S PROUBLEM. WE GOT THE RUN AROUND SO WE CONTACTED THE ATTY GENERALS OFFICE AND FILLED A COMPLAINT WITH THEM.
I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE OIL COOLANT LINES ON MY 1996 S-10 BLAZER 5 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE AUTO. I PURCHEASED IT IN 1998. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THEN, AND THE FIRST TIME THEY DID THE WORK FREE OF CHARGE. SINCE THEN, EVERY 12-18 MONTHS I FIND OIL DRIPPING IN MY GARAGE, AND I AM TOLD IT IS THESE LINES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS PROBLEM. CAN'T ANYTHING BE DONE!!
MY 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER WITH LESS THAN 53,000 MILES HAS NO HEAT AND STARTED OVERHEATING. I TOOK IT FOR SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEXCOOL THAT WAS GUARANTEED FOR 100,000 MILES HAD FAILED. THE RADIATOR WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED AND THE HEATER CORE WAS BLOCKED. BOTH THE RADIATOR AND THE HEATER CORE NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE SLUDGE AND RUST THAT WAS IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. *LA
VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE CONSUMER STOPPED AT MIDDLE RIDGE SERVICE PLAZA AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE CONSISTED OF HOSES, WIRES AND INSULATION UNDER HOOD. CONSUMER HAD NO RECENT ENGINE PROBLEMS. *PH *JB
REPLACED HEAD GASKETS AT 48K AND AGAIN AT 80K. EITHER DEXCOOL EATS THE GASKETS, OR THE GASKETS GO BAD AND LET AIR INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM WHICH CAUSES THE DEXCOOL TO GO BAD. I READ A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT DEXCOOL, HEAD GASKETS, AND 1996 BLAZERS. THERE MUST BE A CONNECTION.
I HAVE A 96 CHEVY BLAZER WITH COOLING PROBLEMS. I HAVE REPLACED THE WATER PUMP 2 TIMES IN THE LAST YR. THE RADIATOR NEEDS TO BE FLUSHED AND CLEAN ABOUT EVERY 2 MONTHS DUE TO SLUGGED AND RUST BUILD UP. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE UPPER BALL JOINTS BREAK ON ME. *JB
1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM DUE TO BAD ANTI-FREEZE GENERAL MOTORS USED IN THE VEHICLE OF THIS VINTAGE. THEY CHARGED ME TO HAVE THE SYSTEM FLUSHED OUT BECAUSE THE ANTI-FREEZE WOULD CLOG THE HEATER COILS. NO HEATER IN WINTER. PREVIOUSLY THE VEHICLE WAS OVER HEATED AND DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP PLUS SEALS AND HEAD GASKET DUE TO THE ENGINE RUNNING TOO HOT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME I'M RETURNING IT AND NOW THEY WANT ME REPAIR OR REPLACE THE RADIATOR. IT IS STILL RUNNING HOT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM TALKING TO THE MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR VEHICLE OF THIS VINTAGE AND IT TOOK A COUPLE OF YEARS FOR GM TO CHANGE ANTI-FREEZE MANUFACTURERS. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? *NLM
DEALER REPLACED HEATER CORE DUE TO LEAK AND FOUND SLUDGE IN COOLING SYSTEM (DEX COOL). HEATER CORE REPLACED AND SYSTEM FLUSHED 4 TIMES. HEATER CORE REPLACED AGAIN ON 1/19/03, WATER PUMP REPLACED IN 2/03. RADIATOR HAS LARGE LEAK 5/22/03. SLUDGE VISIBLE IN RADIATOR AND OVERFLOW BOTTLE. DEALER/GM INDICATES PROBLEM WITH SLUDGE BUILD UP CAUSED BY OWNER NOT MAINTAINING SYSTEM. HEAD GASKET REPLACED IN 2001 AND WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD IN 2001 (BAD SOLDER JOINT) - GM INDICATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH VIN NUMBER. ALL COSTS OUT OF POCKET. *NLM
I OWN A 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN 1996. IT NOW HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT. WE HAVE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE ON THE CAR, ALONG WITH SCHEDULED OIL CHANGES, CHECKING BELTS, HOSES, ETC. WE ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING OUR BRAKES REPAIRED/REPLACED. LAST YEAR WE NEEDED TO HAVE A BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACED WHICH COST US OVER $700 AND TODAY WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR "ENTIRE" COOLING SYSTEM IS CORRODED...$1,900. AT 59,000 MILES I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. *NLM
ALL OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. 13 SENSORS FAIL. *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FRONT & REAR FAILED, WATER PUMP QUIT, DRIVE SHAFT BROKE, BALL JOINTS RIGHT FRONT BROKE, HEATER QUIT, AIR CONDITIONER QUIT. DRIVERS SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF, STEERING PROBLEMS, BRAKE PROBLEMS, UNIVERSAL JOINTS WORN OUT, CRACKED FRONT ROTORS,ETC. *JB
JUST BROUGHT 96 BLAZERLS WITH 82,000 IN DEC.02. WAS TOLD THAT THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THEY HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 20,000. WELL,83,000 MILES THE HEATER WAS ON HOT BLOWING WHEN I NOTICED THAT IT TURN COLD AND THE GAGE WENT TO THE RED ZONE. I IMMEDIATELY TURN SWICHES OFF ON THE BLOWER IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL. TWO DAYS LATER IT HAPPEN AGAIN BUT I TURN OFF THE HEATER AND BLOWER COMPLETELY IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL. WE THOUGHT THE TERMOSTACT GOT STUCK AND REPLACED IT . AT THAT TIME WE NOTICE THAT IT WAS GEL UP OVER THE TERMOSTACT, AFTER REPLACING IT , WE TESTED DROVE IT AND IT STILL DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. WE LOOKED AT THE RADIATOR AND FOUND THAT IT WAS GEL UP AND LOOK LIKE RUBBER. WE THEN DECIDED TO CHECK THE FLUID IN THE TRANSMISSION WE NOTICED THAT THE DIPPED STICK WAS RUSTED ON THE OUTSIDE AND WAS RUSTED THE LENGTH OF THE STICK THE FLUID WAS RUSTED. WE WILL NOW HAVE TO FLUSHED THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION. I HAD CHECKED YOUR SITE AND FOUND NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE GELING AND TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE BUYING. TELL TODAY WHEN I DECIDED TO CHECKED OUT COMPLAINTS AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS 54 AND COUPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS OF GELING AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SO I DECIDED TO CHECK OUT 98 BECAUSE MY SISTERINLAW HAD JUST BROUGHT ONE AND NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS BUT THEY ARE COMPALINTS OF COOL HEATING (PROBABLY FROM GELING ANITIFREEZE) AND TRANSMISSIONS BEING REPLACED ONCE ,TWICE AND I GUY 3 TIMES. SO I CHECK 2001 AND THEY WAS SOMEONE ELSE REPLACING A TRANSMISSION. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WHEN THERE IS GELING OF ANTIFREEZE FROM 96 TO 98 AND REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS LEFT AND RIGHT SINCE 96. TO ME CHEVROLET HAS A BAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND GELING PROBLEMS IN THESE BLAZERS GETTING AWAY WITH IT. FROM NOW ON I'LL CHECK OUT COMPLAINTS BEFORE RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS THERE'S THE CONSUMERS EYES AND EARS.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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