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 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 67 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 67, in the owner's own words
Driving vehicle turn it off turn back on drive somewhere and turn it off and go swimming for an hour came back go to go start it and would not start I believe it's the anti-theft system as we replaced the ignition switch and the ignition cylinder but my illumination selector for my gear selector nor my tachometer works nor do my front two windows or locks
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact replaced the camshaft and crankshaft sensors; however, the failure recurred with an error code for the Variable Valve Timing (VVT). Additionally, the odometer mileage would not appear upon starting the vehicle until the vehicle was driven. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing chain and actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
STABILITRAK LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAVE HAD BRAKE FLUID, BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, SENSORS AND TIRES REPLACED. TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS CHECKED; ALL IS GOOD. NO CEL CODE RELATING TO THIS ISSUE. TRACTION CONTROL OFF BUTTON DOESN?T WORK ONCE LIGHT APPEARS. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN DRIVING WHEN LIGHT IS ON. STILL HAVEN?T FIGURED OUT WHAT CAUSES IT. BATTERY, POWER CORDS, AND ALTERNATOR HAVE BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED DO TO ISSUES WITH THE VOLTAGE OUTPUTS. NOW TO REPLACE FUSE BOX AND ECM DUE TO MORE VOLTAGE OUTPUT ISSUES. CEL HAS HAD NO INDICATIONS OF AN ECM, FUSE BOX, ALTERNATOR, OR BATTERY PROBLEM UNTIL THEY WERE BEYOND REPAIR (THIS ALSO HAPPENED WITH OTHER TRANSFER CASE LEAK, LOSS OF REVERSE GEAR, AND FRONT DIFFERENTIAL LEAK) . CEL COMES AND GOES BY ITSELF AT ANYTIME WITH NO DIFFERENCE IN DRIVABILITY OR CONDITIONS. EACH TIME IT REAPPEARED IT?S THROWN DIFFERENT SENSORS AND/OR CIRCUITS FAILING OR HIGH/LOW VOLTAGES INCLUDING O2, MAF, TPS, EVAP SYSTEM, WHEEL SPEED, FUEL PRESSURE, OIL PRESSURE, STEERING WHEEL, GAS AND BRAKE PEDAL POSITION, AIR BAG IMPACT, JUST TO NAME A FEW. MY CAR HAS RECENTLY STARTED GOING INTO LIMP MODE AT RANDOM DUE TO THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE. ONLY REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM IS DISCONNECTING THE WIRING HARNESS AND ALLOWING THE FUSE BOX AND ECM TO COOL DOWN. AND FINALLY, MY OIL FILLER TUBE SEAL BROKE AND OIL WAS SPITTING OUT INTO ENGINE BAY. COINCIDENTALLY, MY PCV VALVE TUBE HAD ALSO BROKEN, AND THE TUBE WAS HANGING LOOSE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE OIL FILLER TUBE. AS A RESULT, PCV TUBING SUCKED UP A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL INTO THE AIR INTAKE; WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATION INDICATING ANY PROBLEMS DURING THE TIME OF FAILURE. MY AIR INTAKE SYSTEM IS NEARLY RUINED (NOT TO MENTION THE $$$ I SHELLED OUT IN OIL) AND THE WEAR DOWN ON PARTS HAS BEEN DETRIMENTAL TO THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE. THIS CAR IS NOTHING BUT A CASH COW FOR GM. *TR
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM USADOS AUTO SALES AND THE OWNER TOLD ME THE CAR HAD 185,000 ON IT. WELL AFTER PAYING CASH AND WAITING 27 DAYS I FINALLY RECEIVE THE TITLE AND IT SAYS IT HAS 260,000. THE BILL OF SALE HE SIGNED WHEN HE BOUGHT IT ALSO STATED THAT THE ACTUAL MILEAGE WASN'T CORRECT. HE FILED MY BILL OF SALE OUT AND DIDN'T INFORM ME OR EVEN RIGHT BACK THERE FORM HE LIED TO ME AND SAID IT WAS 185,000 SO I CONTACTED HIM AND HE SAID IT WAS SOMETHING HE OVERLOOKED TO JUST WRITE ON MY BILL OF SALE THE ACTUAL MILEAGE AND I TOLD HIM NO I WOULD YOU HAVE SPENT $2500 ON A VEHICLE WITH 260,000 MILES AND HE REFUSES TO HELP ME. NOW THE VEHICLES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. IT LEAKING OIL AND THE RADIO DOESN'T WORK AND IT KEEPS BLOWING FUSES.
IF GM KNOWS ABOUT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLDS ON THESE TRAILBLAZERS THAT WARP AND LEAK EXHAUST WHY ARE THEY NOT FIXING THEM.IT'S A ON GOING PROBLEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SPRAYED UNCONTROLLABLY AT MAXIMUM PRESSURE. EVEN THOUGH THE SPRAYER ACTIVATED UNCONTROLLABLY, THE WIPERS DID NOT WORK. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED PROGRESSIVE CHEVROLET AT 330-879-3697 (LOCATED AT 8000 HILLS AND DALES RD NW, MASSILLON, OH 44646) AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IN ORDER TO RESTART, THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE SHIFTED INTO PARK OR NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE THAT THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO CORRECT, BUT THE STALLING PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR A FAULTY FUEL LEVEL FLOAT SENSOR, WHICH WAS REGISTERING THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE GAS TANK WHEN THE TANK WAS FULL. 7 DAYS LATER, WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY FREEWAY, ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE GAUGE CLUSTER STARTED SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. I HAD TO MEREGE ACROSS 4 LANES ON THE FREEWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND NEARLY GOT RUN OVER. NO POWER TO THE ENGINE AT ALL - IT JUST DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. OF COURSE, ONSTAR AND THE CHEVROLET DEALER THAT PERFORMED ALL OF THE SERVICE ON THE VEHICLE WERE NO HELP. WHILE WAITING FOR ONSTAR, MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED OFF THE FREEWAY.
WHILST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND LOST POWER STEERING. HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. AT HIGH SPEEDS THIS IS TROUBLING. THE POWERTRAIN AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WAITED SEVERAL MINUTES AND CAR WOULD RESTART AND BE OPERABLE BUT WOULD REPEAT. MECHANIC DETERMINED A FAULTY COMPUTER KNOWN AS THE POWETRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) OR ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). THIS PART WAS REPLACED AND HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM.
I SPENT OVER $1000 TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIX, YEARS AGO, TODAY 5/27/20016 I HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THIS TRUCK IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY KID. TURN THE KEY AND IT WANT START, WAIT TEN MINIUTES AND TRY IT AGAIN IT STARTS, BUT WHILE DRIVING IT THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN IN TRAFFIC. PULL OVER TO THE SIDE TRY TO START IT AGAIN SOMETIMES IT WILL START WRIGHT AWAY NO PROBLEM BUT OTHER TIME IT WILL TAKE LONGER PROLIKE THE NEXT DAY. THE MAJOR CONCERN IS WHILE I AM DRIVING WITH MY SON, THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOCAL STREETS. EVERYTIME THIS HAPPEN I AM CONCERN SOMEONE WILL REAR END MY TRUCK AND SOMEONE WILL BE HURT. I TRY DIFFERENT MECHANIC THE SAME PROBLEMS. I NEEDED HELP?
VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY LOST POWER ALMOST GOT INTO ACCIDENT AND WAS BLOCKING TRAFFICC. OTHER VEHICLES LIKE MINE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
WHEN DRIVING THE ENGINE RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF, LOOSES POWER STEERING HAVE TO SWITCH TO NEUTRAL AND RESTART VEHICLE. SUSPECT IGNITION SWITCH POSSIBLE
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED ON THE ROAD TRUCK SHUT OFF COULD NOT BE PUSHED WOULD NOT GO OUT OF PARK ONCE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART. HAD TO BE TOWED OFF ROAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 1/12/16 *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE PASS LOCK WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 149,000. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND RELAY WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. UPDATED 12/10/15. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE IGNITION CIRCUIT WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A GRINDING SOUND AS THE IGNITION WAS BEING STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STARTER DRIVE GEAR WAS WORN AND THE STARTER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8.
ON TWO OCCASIONS NOW WITHIN A TWO WEEK TIME FRAME, VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. BOTH TIMES I WAS IN MOTION AT APPROX. 25 TO 35 MPH. GET IT OVER TO PUT IN PARK AND IT DOES START UP SO FAR. I HAVE CHILDREN AND I COMMUTE ON AN EXTREMELY BUSY FREEWAY. WHAT IF THIS FAILURE OCCURS WHILE I'M MOVING AT 70MPH PLUS? MY MECHANIC HAS REPLACED SOME PARTS IN HOPES IT WAS THE PROBLEM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON/OFF FOR MONTHS BUT NOTHING OF A MAJOR CONCERN IS SHOWING UP ON THE COMPUTER. I UNDERSTAND THIS VEHICLE HAS 150K MILES BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE HELP.
I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 3 WEEKS AGO FROM A DEALER IN ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. THE ENGINE WILL JUST SHUT OFF WHEN I AM DRIVING, I HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND AM CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY HELP FROM THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE EVEN TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE VEHICLE. HAS THERE BEEN ANY PROBLEMS/ RECALLS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL, EVEN WHEN AT IDLE IT WILL SHUT OFF, WITHOUT TOUCHING ANYTHING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DISCOVERED BURNT WIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000. DJR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICITY AND POWER STEERING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,800.
MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING HOME FROM A WEEKEND OUT OF STATE. WE WERE COMING INTO CHICAGO TRAVELING TOWARDS WISCONSIN WHERE WE LIVE. JUST BEFORE THE FIRST TOLL BOOTH ON I80/I94 TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WE HIT A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD AND LOST ALL POWER TO THE CAR. WE MANAGED TO COAST THE CAR OVER FROM THE FAR LEFT LANE OF A 5 LANE HIGHWAY TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD OUT OF HARMS WAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON; WE WERE TOLD AFTER A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS WAS COMPLETED THAT THE CAR WOULD HAVE TO BE TOWED TO A GM DEALERSHIP. THE CLOSEST WAS IN HOMEWOOD, IL. AFTER GM FIXED THE CAR, I ASKED WHAT WOULD CAUSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP, IT IS SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENS. KNOWING THE GRAVITY OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, THIS IS VERY UPSETTING. I REALLY BELIEVE THE TRAILBLAZER SHOULD BE ALSO NOTED ON THE GM RECALL OF AUTOS BEFORE ANOTHER FAMILY HAS TO EXPERIENCE WHAT MINE DID OR WORSE. THANK YOU *JS
MY WIFE WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK. SHE STARTED HER CAR AND BACKED UP, WENT TO SHIFT TO DRIVE AND SOMETHING BROKE STRANDING HE IN A EMPTY PARKING LOT ON A SATURDAY. SHE WAS IN A TRAFFIC LANE AND BLOCKING THE HANDICAP PARKING SPACE. I HAVE OWNED CARS FOR MANY YEARS AND NEVER HAD SUCH A THING HAPPEN. WHY DID YOU MAKE AN ALL STEEL CABLE AND MOUNTINGS AND THEN PUT A TINY PLASTIC END ON IT THAT BRAKES ALL THE TIME. THE PARTS HOUSE AND THE SERVICE SHOPS ALL SAID IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND YOU MUST BUY A REPLACEMENT FROM THE DEALER. THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM AS THEY MUST STOCK THE CABLE ASSEMBLIES THAT COST A LOT TO CHANGE. PLEASE REDESIGN THEM AND CHANGE THE PLASTIC END TO A STAINLESS STEEL END AND RETROFIT ALL CARS, SUV'S AND TRUCKS THAT USE THIS PART. *TR
MY WIFE, DAUGHTER AND MYSELF WERE DRIVING ON IDAHO STATE HIGHWAY 70, A NARROW, WINDING, TWO-LANE ROAD WITH LITTLE TO NO SHOULDER, WHEN THE MOTOR STOPPED AND ILOST ALL POWER-BRAKES, STEERING ETC. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO STEER THE CAR OVER TO A WIDE SPOT ON THE SHOULDER AND STOP. I WAS UNABLE TO RE-START THE BLAZER AND CALLED AAA TO HAVE IT HAULED TO KNUDTSEN CHEVROLET IN COEUR D'ALENE, IDAHO. IN ANOTHER HALF HOUR WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE AND THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTEROUS IF THE CAR HAD FAILED THEN IN HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC. THE NEXT DAY I WAS ADVISED BY KNUDTSEN THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS THE PROBLEM. I WROTE A FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO THE OWNER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED A FEW DAYS LATER INDICATING THAT SINCE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED NEITHER GM NOR KNUDTSEN COULD HELP ME WITH THE $268 CHARGE FOR REPLACING THE SWITCH. SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN TOLD GM AND KNUDTSEN WOULD SPLIT THE COST THREE WAYS SINCE I WAS A LONG-TIME CUSTOMER (THREE BLAZERS). I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED ANY REIMBURSEMENT AS OF THIS DATE. IS THIS POSSIBLY ANOTHER CAR WHICH SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL LIST? *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE AND LOW POWER LIGHTS CAME ON. I LOST ALL ACCELERATION AND MY RPM'S DROPPED TO NOTHING. CODES THAT CAME UP WERE FOR THE THROTTLE BODY. I READ A COMPLAINT THAT STATES GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WHY HAVEN'T THEY DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? *JS
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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