Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DRIVING DOWN ROAD ON THE WAY TO HOSPITAL AND TRAILBLAZER MADE A LOUD CLUNK. THEN STARTED MAKING A WHIRRING NOISE. FINISHED DRIVING SLOWLY TO HOSPITAL AS NOT TO MESS ANYTHING ELSE UP. PULLED IN AND PARKED. GOT READY TO LEAVE HOSPITAL AND HAD NO REVERSE ONLY FOWARD.
MY KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION I HAD TO UNSCREW AND REMOVE THE BOTTOM OF MY STEERING TO PUSH THE BUTTON ALSO ALL OF MY INSTRUMENT GAUGE DO NOT WORK INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER AND ALL GAUGES SO I NEVER KNOW MY TEMPERATURE OR FUEL LEVEL, OIL PRESSURE THEY ALL ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY MY SPEEDOMETER ONLY WORKS SOMETIMES. ALSO MY ENGINE IS RUNNY ROUGH AND I HEAR A VIBRATION AND TICKING. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS AND I'M GETTING CODE SAYING THERES A LEAK IN THE FUEL EVAP SYSTEM. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND EVERYONE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR 2003 TRAILBLAZERS. WHY ISN'T CHEVROLET RECALLING THESE PROBLEMS ITS FUSTRATING THEY WANT SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS I CANNOT AFFORD
I HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL TWICE IN 10 MONTHS. I BOUGHT NEW PARTS FOR IT NOT USED THAT WERE REDONE TO GET RID OF THE PROBLEMS IT HAD NOW IT HAS GONE AGAIN. THIS TIME I HAVEN'T EVEN USED THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE YET SINCE THE LAST REPAIR. I HAVE RESEARCH IT AND I NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
I PURCHASED A 2003 TRAILBLAZER FROM AN INDIVIDUAL. THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL HAD A HOLE IN IT. SO I PURCHASED A DIFFERENTIAL FROM A SCRAP YARD. 90 DAY WARRANTY. STILL HAD A NOISE . I STILL HAD A NOISE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WAS OUT AGAIN. I PURCHASED THE THIRD DIFFERENTIAL FROM A DIFFERENT YARD TOOK IT APART . FOUND THE DRIVER SIDE BEARING BAD. IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DRIVER SIDE DRIVERS CONSTANT. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS A RECALL. I SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE. THANK YOU THERE WAS A FIRE THE DIFFERENTIAL GREASE BURNT BEARING WENT OUT AND CHARD MOTOR AND SURROUNDING AREA NO REAL DAMAGE. *TR
THERE IS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE VAPORS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, A CRACK CAN BE SEEN IN THE NECK OF THE FUEL TANK. WHEN FILLING THE VEHICLE, FUEL SPILLS OUT OF THE TANK FROM THE CRACK. THE FUEL GAUGE CLUSTER IN THE DASH DOESN'T WORK. THE BLOWER ON THE A/C UNIT DOESN'T WORK ON THE HIGHEST (5) LEVEL. ALSO, THE FAN CLUTCH WENT OUT CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERHEAT SEVERELY. THE FAN DOES NOT ENGAGE, CAUSING THE WATER PUMP SHAFT TO BECOME DAMAGED. ALSO, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW QUIT FUNCTIONING, DESPITE BUYING AN EXPENSIVE NEW REGULATOR AND REPLACING IT. HAVING RESEARCHED THE ISSUES, I FIND THAT I AM AMONG HUNDREDS, POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF UNSATISFIED PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR
STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD WOULD GO BACKWARDS HAD JUST HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED 1 YEAR BEFORE ONLY HAD 79K MILES BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW BOTH DRIVER WINDOW MOTORS HAVE GONE OUT SEAL TO FRONT DRIVER DOOR TRANSMISSION REPLACE PWR STEERING--RACK AND PINIONS AND USUALLY HAVE REGULAR CHECK UP WORST CAR I HAVE EVER BOUGHT. *TR
LISA WAS TAKING KIDS TO SCHOOL WHEN SHE NOTICED PROBLEMS WHEN STOPPING GOT TO MOMS HOUSE AND CALLED SHOP. ON WAY TO SHOP FRONT DIFFERENTIAL CAME APART AND TOOK STEERING AND AXLE WITH IT. *TR
WHERE SHOULD I START? PURCHASED 03 TRAILBLAZER IN 2/08 W/ONLY 60,000 MILES. HAS BEEN IN SHOP 3 MONTHS..LOST COUNT OF COSTS. A/C AND HEAT NOT WORKING PROPERLY..NO HOT AIR; CLUTCH FAN REPLACED; TRANSMISSION SLIPPING; ENGINE CUTS OFF WHILE AT STOP-LIGHT. SHOULD I GO ON? YOU WOULD THINK W/ONLY 60,000 MILES ON IT--IT WAS JUST GETTING BROKEN IN. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED IN A TRUCK BEFORE..NOW I AM STUCK WITH THE TRUCK AND ITS PAYMENT...NO MORE MONEY TO REPAIR AND CAN'T AFFORD TO TRADE IN. *TR
I OWN A 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER LT @ 35,825 MILES I REPORTED MY VEHICLE BINDS UP ON TURNS & OF COURSE THE GARAGE FOUND NOTHING (DROVE IT 20 MILES FOR COMPARISON @ THE TIME). SO NOW THAT I AM UP TO 82,090 MILES NOW I MENTION SUSPENSION ISSUES STILL & OF COURSE THEY FIND BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACED @ $320.06 & LEFT OUTER TIE ROD END BROKEN @ $170.80. ALSO THEY INFORM ME I NEED TO REPLACE 3 OF MY 4 STABILIZER BAR LINKS ARE LOOSE & RATTLING @ AN ESTIMATE OF $320.00 (HAVEN'T DONE YET) ALSO, I HAVE LOOKED ON A WEBSITE CALLED MYCARSTATS.COM & FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH THESE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE @ MUCH LOWER MILEAGE & WHERE TIE ROD ISSUE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT -- THEY WEREN'T AS LUCKY AS ME. ALSO PEOPLE I WORK WITH WHO HAVE THIS SAME YR & MODEL VEHICLE HAVE HAD TO HAVE BALL JOINTS, SWAY BARS REPLACED, AND OTHER SUSPENSION WORK @ LOWER MILEAGES. I ALSO HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY 4-WHEEL DRIVE BECOMING INOPERATIVE & THIS DID ALMOST CAUSE ME TO WRECK GOING UP HILL DURING WINTER WEATHER. THEY REPLACED FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ENGAGEMENT ACTUATOR. ALL THESE THINGS IN MY MIND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT THESE MILEAGES. THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE QUIT @ 80,000 MILES. ALL THESE ISSUES CAN CREATE SAFE DRIVING ISSUES FOR THE CONSUMER ESPECIALLY SOMEONE WHO PAYS OVER $30,000 FOR A VEHICLE WHEN IT'S NEW. LET ME ADD NOW THAT THE LATEST EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO ADD TO MY LIST IS THE FAN CLUTCH ASSEMBLY ON MY ENGINE COOLING FAN SYSTEM $573.00 -- ALSO FOUND MANY GM OWNERS OF BRAVADA, RAINERS, ENVOYS & TRAILBLAZERS EXPERIENCING THIS ITEMS FAILURE TOO. *JB
2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER BLEW A FEW FUSES SO I COULD NOT START THE VEHICLE (SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY), PER DEALER. TACHOMETER JUMPS AROUND, RADIO GETS HOT, ELECTRICAL LIGHTS TURN OFF ALONG WITH HEATER/COOLER, REAR LIGHTS REPLACED THREE TIMES, HOLE IN GAS TANK, DRIVE LINE REPLACED, CONSTANT CHIRPING/TICKING NOISE (OF COURSE DEALER DOES NOT HEAR). PURCHASED BRAND NEW AND HAVE WAY TOO MANY PROBLEMS FOR A NEW VEHICLE. YOU ASKED FOR INCIDENT DATE....THERE ARE SEVERAL. WILL STICK TO TOYOTA'S FROM NOW ON....*JB
VEHICLE WHEN PLACED IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, DOES NOT ENGAGE FRONT WHEELS AND IN FACT DOES REMAIN IN ONLY TWO-WHEEL DRIVE. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE ON SNOWY ROADS PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE VEHICLE CAN BECOME UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *JB
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
Data on this page last refreshed .