2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext Exterior lighting Problems

LOW BEAMS INTERMENTLY GO OFF AND ON ! EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CRACKED CAUSING A LEAK ! ALL DASH GAUGES BUT FUEL GAUGE DONT WORK !

NHTSA ID

10956914

Incident

May 7, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY STARTED TO HEAR A BANGING NOISE TURNS OUT IT WAS MY PLASTIC THAT'S ABOVE MY HATCH WHERE MY 3 RED BRAKE LIGHT IS IT HASN'T FALLEN OFF YET JUST LOOSE AND FLOPPING AROUND I HAVE READ THIS HAPPENS TO A LOT OF TRAILBLAZER THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS AND EVEN YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THE MOLDING WHICH IS DOUBLE SIDED TAPE IS NOT A PROPER USE FOR THIS THE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE TO FIX IT IS IT GONNA TAKE ONE FLYING OFF AND CAUSING A DEATH AND MAJOR ACCIDENT BEFORE ANYONE DOES SOMETHING? *TR

NHTSA ID

10558291

Incident

Jan 2, 2014

Mileage

156,000 mi

I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN I BROUGHT THIS CAR NEW. AFTER ONE YEAR I HAD TO REPLACE LINC PLATE. OVER THE YEARS EVERYTHING HAS GONE WRONG WITH THIS CAR. SPEEDOMETER HAS NOT WORKED SINCE AUG. '08, GAS GAUGE STOPPED OCT. '11. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SINCE 2010 AND GM KNOWS THIS IS A DEFECTED PART. YET GM PAID FOR THIS SAME DEFECTED PART AT THEIR COST FOR THE TAHOE, BUT HAS NOT PAID FOR THE TRAILBLAZER. WHY? WINDOWS AND DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK ON COMMAND. WINDOW WIPER(REAR) STOPPED WORKING-I REPLACED THAT PART. A/C COMES ON MY ITSELF. THERMOSTAT FAILURE. I THINK GM SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THE ONLY REASON THEY WOULD NOT IS THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW THAT THEY ARE PRODUCING SUBSTANDARD PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT FIT TO BE DRIVEN ON THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10439261

Incident

Aug 29, 2008

CONTINUING FAILURE OF REAR LIGHTING (BACK-UP, BRAKE, DRIVING, AND TURN). TYPICALLY, I HAVE TO REPLACE A BULB ABOUT EVERY 6 WEEKS, AND THE ENTIRE LEFT ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. BULBS AND SOCKETS MELT UNTIL THEY ARE INOPERABLE. SIMILAR ISSUE WITH FRONT HEADLIGHTS, ALTHOUGH ONLY ABOUT ONCE A YEAR. OLD BULBS AND ASSEMBLY DISPOSED OF, BUT I'M SURE MORE MELTED ONES WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10383402

Incident

Jan 15, 2011

Mileage

5,000 mi

MY 2003 TRAILBLAZER EXT LOST ITS THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, WHICH FELL OFF (FOR THE THIRD TIME). THE ENTIRE HOUSING FLEW OFF, AND IT WAS LOST. ALSO, THE PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHT WILL NOT WORK, EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE CONTROL BOARD AND BULB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10366437

Incident

Aug 16, 2010

Mileage

110,000 mi

HEADLAMPS KEEP GOING OUT AND THE CONNECTORS KEEP MELTING AND BURNING THE REAR RADIO SPEAKERS GO OUT THE REAR HEAT/AIR GOES OUT THE LEVEL 5 SETTING ON THE FAN DOES NOT WORK THESE ARE NOT UNUSUAL COMPLAINTS FOR THIS VEHICLE, THERE SEEMS TO BE A STANDARD BEING SET WITH THESE ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10317533

Incident

Aug 10, 2009

Mileage

90,000 mi

PURCHASED A 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER-EXT LT IN DEC 2002 FROM THE DEALER, TEAM CHEVROLET IN PASADENA. SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS, ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT KEEPS RECURRING ARE THE BRAKE LIGHTS KEEP BURNING, THE DEALER CHANGED BOTH UNITS BUT IT KEEPS BURNING OUT. I GOT TIRED OF TAKING IT TO THE DEALER, SO I PURCHASED NEW BULBS AND LOOKED INTO REPLACING THEM MYSELF. HOWEVER WHEN I UNSCREWED THE BULB, I NOTICED THE BULB JUST DIDN'T BURN NORMALLY (LIKE A HOME LAMP) IT LOOKED MORE OF AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE, THE LINING OF WHERE THE BULB IS SCREWED IN LOOKED LIKE IT HAD WHITE RESIDUE AND IT SMELLED SMOKY. ALSO, DON'T KNOW IF ITS THE SHOCKS OR SUSPENSION,MAKES ODD NOISES. DEALER SAID ITS FINE, BUT THE NOISE IS STILL THERE.SHORLY AFTER MY ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON...THE DEALER COULD NOT FIGURE WHAT WAS WRONG AFTER A 2 TO 3 WEEK AND COSTLY EXPENSE AND TIME...THEY SWITCHED OUT THE GAS TANK...COME TO FIND OUT, THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AGAIN, THEY SAID ONE OF THE PISTONS NEEDED REPLACING...$$$ THAT WAS A BIG EXPENSE AND TIME CONSUMING... EVERYTIME I TOOK IT TO THEM IT, SOMETHING WAS FIXED, THEY CHARGE, I PAY, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD TURN ON, IT GOT FRUSTRATING. TILL, THEY FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT. NOW MY CAR SOUNDS HORRIBLE (SHOCKS/SUSPENSION NOISE GOT WORSE) WHEN I GO OVER CITY BUMPS OR DRIVING EVEN SMALL LIKE HILLS, AND MIND YOU,WHICH IS DRIVEN BY MYSELF (FEMALE 124LBS) IT SHOULDN'T SQUEAK OR MAKE NOISES, THE BRAKES PEDAL MAKES A NOISE WHEN I PLACE MY FOOT ON IT....YES IT HAS 90K MILES AND IT'S AN 8 YEAR OLD CAR, BUT I KEPT UP WITH THE MAINTENANCES, I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE SAME DEALER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, ONLY DRIVE IT TO AND FROM WORK....THE CAR IS IN GOOD CONDITION, NO HIT/SCRATCHES/NO TEARS.... I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY.... ARE THERE ANY OTHER RECALLS, THE DEALER ISN'T AWARE OF??? FOR INSTANCE THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE GAS TANK RECALL..WHICH THEY WERE CHARGING ME OVER $1200 TO REPAIR, HOW CAN I TRUST THEY ARE DOING THEIR JOB? *TR

NHTSA ID

10315703

Incident

Aug 11, 2009

Mileage

89,500 mi

I HAVE TWO PROBLEMS: WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, HEADLIGHTS GO OFF, NOT WAY TO SEE, OTHER THAN PUT ON BRIGHTS. RIM, BROKE TO SMALL PIECES, HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF I 95, WAS ON OFF RAMP WHEN THE CAR STARTED MAKING A VERY LOUD AND SCARY NOISE, WE HAD TWO SMALL CHILDREN ONBOARD . HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE ON I 95 WE COULD HAVE ALL BEEN DEAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10288627

Incident

Sep 27, 2009

HEAD LAMPS AND SOCKETS KEEP BURNING OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10269566

Incident

Nov 14, 2008

EVERY FEW DAYS WHEN I USE THE TURN SIGNAL ALL LIGHTS WILL FLASH AS IF THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED. THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE THE GM RECALL FOR THE 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER HOWEVER MY VIN IS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235924

Incident

Nov 16, 2007

Mileage

98,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS BECOME INOPERATIVE WHEN DRIVING: WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS STOP WORKING I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PULL OVER AND WAIT UNTIL THE LIGHTS BECOME OPERATIVE. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH MY LOCAL DEALER AND HE STATED THAT THERE WAS KNOW VISUAL REASON THAT HE COULD FIND ON WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING HE ADVISED THAT I SHOULD BRING THE CAR IN THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED, THIS PRESENTS A PROBLEM BECAUSE IF THE LIGHTS FAIL IN THE DAY LIGHT HOURS I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEE THE FAILURE ONLY AT NIGHT CAN I VISUALLY SEE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE FAILED. THE HEADLIGHT FAILURE CAN LAST FOR MINUTES TO HOURS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND MY HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY FAIL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222039

Incident

Mar 1, 2008

MY 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER HAS A THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ACROSS THE TOP HATCH .WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY IT WAS FLYING LIKE A WING ON THE BACK OF MY VEHICLE LUCKILY DOT FALLING COMPLETELY OFF BUT WHEN I STOPPED IT CAME CRASHING DOWN ONTO MY WINDOW OF HATCH LUCKILY NOT BREAKING ALL I COULD DO IS BREAK IT COMPLETELY OFF SO IT WOULD NOT FLY INTO SOMEONE'S WINDSHIELD BEHIND ME I WORK WITH A LADY WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND HERS FLEW RIGHT OFF HER LATCH CAUSING IT TO SMASH LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND HER. I ALSO HAVE IT IN THE SHOP DUE TO RUSTY CORRODED HOSES THAT WENT TO TRANSMISSION CAUSING ALL FLUID TO DRAIN ALMOST BURNING UP MY TRANSMISSION NO INDICATION LIGHTS EVER CAME ON OTHER THAN IT SKIPPING A LITTLE LUCKILY A SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A WEEK LATER I TOOK IT TO GARAGE AND JUST IN TIME. UNFORTUNATELY EVEN WITH POWER TRAIN WARRANTY THIS PROBLEM IS COSTING ME 500.00 OUT OF MY POCKET NO FAULT OF MINE WHEEL WELLS AND BRAKE DRUMS HAVE BEEN BEATEN DUE TO LOTS OF RUST BUILD UP AND DOORS THAT WERE RECALLED AND FIXED THREE TIMES STILL NOT WORKING RIGHT ALSO FRONT HEADLIGHT REPLACED TWICE IN TWO YEARS CAUSING ME TO BE PULLED OVER TWICE AS I DID NOT REALIZE THE PROBLEM OF MY LIGHTS GOING OUT FREQUENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10202853

Incident

Sep 12, 2007

Mileage

71,700 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. THE CONTACT HAS HAD BOTH HEADLIGHTS REPLACED ON HER VEHICLE AND NOW THEY FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. WHEN IT GETS DARK OUTSIDE, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NORMALLY ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY, BUT THEY FAIL TO ACTIVATE ANY LONGER. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10195683

Incident

May 1, 2007

WHEN GETTING THE OIL CHANGED FOR OUR TRAILBLAZER, THEY TOLD US THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REVERSE LIGHT WAS OUT. WHEN THEY WENT TO REPLACE IT, THEY INFORMED US THAT THE ENTIRE AREA FOR THE BULB WAS RUSTED OUT. WE HAVE NOTICED THAT MOISTURE COLLECTS IN BOTH BRAKE LIGHT AREAS WHEN IT RAINS OR AFTER A CAR WASH. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10195078

Incident

Apr 24, 2007

5 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER I WENT OUT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE FIRST TIME FOR THIS PROBLEM AND VARIOUS OTHERS AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE CAR WORKED FOR APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 5 MONTHS AND THE SAME OCCURRED. ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE KEY WAS LOCKED IN THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTS AT JUMP STARTING THE VEHICLE FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. SINCE THE SECOND TIME HAPPENED THIS MORNING I HAVE YET TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THIS CAR ALSO HAS VARIOUS OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SOMETIMES THE RADIO GOES BLANK AND GETS STUCK ON ONE STATION AS WELL AS GETTING EXTREMELY HOT (WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS BUT REPROGRAMMED THE RADIO SO IT WOULD NOT GET AS HOT). THE DVD PLAYER JUST STOPS WORKING (WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM). THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR THE REAR AIR WORKS SOMETIMES AND OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T (THIS WAS APPARENTLY FIXED ONCE ALREADY). THE REVERSE LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE (JUST HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND). SHALL I GO ON? *JB

NHTSA ID

10152667

Incident

Mar 14, 2006

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER. SAFETY DEFECT IN TURN SIGNALS. RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GENERAL MOTORS, THEN CONTACT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE MADE CALL AFTER CALL TO HER LOCAL DEALER, AND THEY HAVE NOT CALLED HER BACK .INCIDENT DATE WAS JUNE OR JULY 2004. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND GOING ON A TRIP THE CONTACT NOTICED BLINKERS COMING ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. NO CRASH . NO POLICE REPORT TAKEN. NO INJURY REPORTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10138056

Incident

Jun 30, 2004

Mileage

150 mi

TOOK TRAILBLAZER INTO CHAMPION CHEVROLET AND THEY REPLACED TURN SIGNAL MODULE DUE TO SHORT CIRCUIT . HAZARD FLASHERS COME ON WHEN DRIVER MOVES TURN SIGNAL LEVER UP OR DOWN. SPOKE TO CHEVROLET REGARDING POSSIBLE RECALL AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL BECAUSE THE RECALL INVOLVES VIN#'S WITH THE LAST FOUR DIGITS ENDING IN 362 AND MINE ENDS IN 361. I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE AND THIS CAUSES A SAFETY PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10135478

Incident

Jul 22, 2005

Mileage

48,557 mi

DT: LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE OUTSIDE MIRROR IS NOT HOLDING THE CORRECT SETTINGS, AND CLICKS CONSTANTLY. THE MIRROR IS HITTING AGAINST SOMETHING, AND TURNS COMPLETELY TO THE GROUND. WHEN USING KEYLESS ENTRY THE MIRRORS ALSO TURN TO THE GROUND. THE MIRROR IS CHANGING BY ITSELF, AND IT IS NOT GOING BACK TO THE CORRECT SETTING. THE MIRROR IS ALWAYS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND IT IS FACING DOWNWARD. THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT SIDE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT SIDE MIRROR, AND FROM THEN ON THE LEFT SIDE HAS NOT WORKED. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 4 OR 5 TIMES TO BE CHECKED. DEALERSHIP INSISTS THE MIRROR IS WORKING FINE. BUT AS SOON AS THE CONSUMER LEAVES THE DEALERSHIP THE MIRROR WILL WORK FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND THEN STOP WORKING PROPERLY. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC DIDN'T WRITE DOWN THE PROBLEM WITH THE MIRROR IN HIS PAPERWORK, AND THIS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. *AK WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE JERKED AT TIMES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE REPROGRAMMING RESULTED IN POOR FUEL ECONOMY. THE CD PLAYER MADE A HISSING NOISE. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THEY WOULD GRIND. THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE SWITCH SHORTED. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED. RIGHT SIDE TAG LIGHT BULB BLEW. *NM

NHTSA ID

10125094

Incident

Nov 4, 2004

Mileage

17,327 mi

DEALER WAS CONTACTED JAN 2005 TO SCHEDULE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR REAR LIGHTS AS PART OF THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT THE RECALL NOTICE NUMBER THAT WAS SENT TO ME. CALLED BACK A DAY LATER AND GAVE THE DEALER THE NUMBER FROM THE RECALL NOTICE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE PARTS WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED AND THEY WOULD CALL ME. I RECEIVED A THIRD RECALL NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET ON 2/26/05 AND CALLED THE DEALER ON 3/2/05 AND SPOKE WITH A MAN IN SERVICE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT ORDERED AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR THEM TO ORDER THE PARTS AND THEN AGAIN WHEN THE PARTS COME IN. I HAVE EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I HAVE REPLACED 6 TAILLIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHTS WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND WHY WASN'T I INFORMED OF THIS WHEN I CALLED BEFORE. APPARENTLY THEY DO NOT HAVE A CALL BACK PROCEDURE FOR WHEN THEY SCREW UP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10112393

Incident

Mar 2, 2005

Mileage

8,000 mi

MY RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT WAS BURNED OUT, AND UPON INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLUG AND BULB SOCKET HAD MELTED ALONG WITH SEVERAL INCHES OF WIRE. IT WAS REPAIRED AFTER SOME BACK AND FORTH DISCUSSION WITH THE CHEVROLET DEALER. I THOUGHT THIS INCIDENT WAS STRANGE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS A RANDOM INCIDENT UNTIL I READ ON A WEB FORUM THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10110139

Incident

Nov 4, 2004

Mileage

21,178 mi

2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER - PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2003 OFF OF THE SALES FLOOR - AROUND 5 MILES ON IT - TRUCK BEGAN SQUEAKING - TOOK IT IN, THEY SAID BAD BREAK PADS, CHANGED THEM OUT AND GAVE IT BACK (2 DAYS WITHOUT TRUCK) - SQUEAKING STILL THERE - TOOK IT BACK IN - SERVICE TECH SAID THE FRONT SPINDLE WAS BENT - TOLD ME I COULDN'T DRIVE IT IT WAS UNSAFE (5 MORE DAYS WITHOUT TRUCK) - AT THE SAME TIME THEY TAKE TRUCK TO BODY SHOP BECAUSE REAR HATCH WON'T SHUT IT TOO IS BENT - SAME WITH THE HOOD (HMMMMMMMM!!!!) - REAR WIPER MOTOR THEN BUSTS (NOW I'M ERKED) - DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 55 AND TRUCK SHUTS OFF - NO POWER STEERING ALMOST WRECK IT SEEMS THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT ACCURATE!!!!!!! - THEN BLOWER MOTOR WON'T SHUT OFF WITHOUT TAKING FUSE OUT ... NO HEAT IN REAR HEATERS, CLIMATE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK (YET A FEW MORE DAYS WITHOUT TRUCK)- THE LAST STRAW - MY 9 MONTH OLD TRUCK HAS A BROKEN TRANSFER CASE AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE WENT OUT - OF COURSE THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE WENT OUT ON A STEEP HILL IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER - NOT ACCEPTABLE IN ALASKA NOT ACCEPTABLE IN A NEW TRUCK!!!!!! - HAD TO GET OUT OF A DEFECTIVE TRUCK SO NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A BRAND NEW TAHOE THAT IS $10,000+ UPSIDE DOWN! YOU DECIDE WHO IS WRONG IN THIS CASE! *AK

NHTSA ID

10061979

Incident

Mar 12, 2004

Mileage

21,000 mi