There are 33 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE ABS LIGHT HAS COME ON AND THEN IT WOULD WORK SOMETIMES AND NOT OTHER TIMES. NOW IT NEVER WORKS. NOW THAT ITS WINTER I'M SLIDING AT STOP SIGNS THAT AREN'T EVEN THAT SLIPPERY. THE ACTUATORS IN THE HEATING AND COOLING ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ALL SUMMER I HAD HEAT BLOWING ALL THE TIME AND SUDDENLY THERE WOULD BE NOTHING. NOW IT'S COLD AIR ALL THE TIME. MAKES MY WINDOWS FOG UP AND NOT DEFROST. I HAVE DONE THE RESET PROCEDURE AND HEAR THINGS MOVING BUT IT DOESN'T FIX IT. THE BLOWER IN THE BALL SEAT AND THIRD ROW IS HIT OR MISS FOR EVEN WORKING AT ALL.
WHEN YOU PRESS THE BREAKS YOU HEAR A LOUD CLICKING NOISE, THEN IT CONTINUES TO CLICK THE WHOLE TIME YOU ARE DRIVING. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A DEFECT? JUST WORRISOME.
MY WIFE AND FIVE CHILDREN TRAVELING ON I-94 E AND EXITED THE FREEWAY AT THE 12 MILE EXIT IN ROSEVILLE MI. MY WIFE ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE AS THEY APPROACHED THE RED TRAFFIC SIGNAL ON THE 12 MILE EXIT RAMP AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT WARNING. SHE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED THROUGH THE RED LIGHT NARROWLY MISSING A HIGH SPEED COLLISION WITH BOTH EAST AND WEST BOUND TRAFFIC ON 12-MILE ROAD. SHE CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION ON THE RED LIGHT AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE SUV SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS DOWN THE SERVICE DRIVE. SHE SLOWLY DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND I CHECKED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKE WARNING OR ANY OTHER INDICATORS ON THE DASH. I PUMPED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES AND COULDN'T EVEN HOLD THE VEHICLE WHILE IDLING IN THE DRIVE POSITION. I ALSO NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I'M GOING TO LIMP THE VEHICLE TO MORAN CHEVROLET IN CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI AND LEAVE IT WITH THOSE THAT SOLD ME THIS DEATHTRAP. ANOTHER AND PERHAPS EVEN GREATER SAFETY CONCERN I HAVE IS THE SUV'S TENDENCY TO MISBEHAVE WHILE IN AWD MODE. THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES GOES IN REVERSE WHILE DRIVE IS SELECTED AND VICE VERSA. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES PUT ITSELF IN NEUTRAL WHILE ENGAGED IN DRIVE MODE OR WHILE STOPPED AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS. OH AND LAST WEEK I REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY AFTER IT FAILED AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT GM HAD COMPLETED THE RELATED RECALL WORK THAT SIGNED OFF AS BEING COMPLETE FOR THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR AND LINKAGE ASSEMBLY. I SEE I'M NOT ALONE IN HAVING SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC SAFETY RELATED FAILURES WITH THIS PARTICULAR SUV. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE AND FORCE GM TO RECALL TO FIX THIS CORROSION ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I ALMOST LOST MY FAMILY LAST EVENING AND WILL ASSUME IT WOULD HAVE MADE NATIONAL NEWS HAD THEY DIED IN AN ACCIDENT.
HTTP://WWW.WASHINGTONPOST.COM/NEWS/MORNING-MIX/WP/2015/07/22/CAR-HACKING-JUST-GOT-REAL-HACKERS-DISABLE-SUV-ON-BUSY-HIGHWAY/ HAVE YOU SEEN THIS? THESE FOOLS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PERFORMING TESTS LIKE THIS IN PUBLIC HIGHWAYS. TESTS LIKE THIS, SHOULD BE DONE ON CLOSED COURSES. THEY DID THIS FOR SHOW AND TO GET ATTENTION AND COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. THEY SHOULD BE LOCKED UP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN GEARS OTHER THAN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE ABS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 12/9/14* CN UPDATED 8/31/2017*CN
DRIVING APPROX 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, SUDDENLY HEARD A "WHAP WHAP WHAP" NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. I SLOWED DOWN, AND THE SOUND DIMINISHED. ARRIVING HOME, I FOUND THAT THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD COME LOOSE AT BOTH ENDS. THE TWO CENTER CONNECTIONS LUCKILY HELD, OR ELSE THE PIECE WOULD HAVE COME OFF THE CAR AND POSSIBLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ THAT OTHER TRAILBLAZERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
PANEL CLUSTER FAILED WITH RED BLARING EMERGENCY LIGHT STAYS ON AND CAUSES VEHICLE LIGHTS TO STAY ON. ALSO CAUSES VEHICLE NOT TO SHIFT PROPERLY. ALL DASHBOARD COMPONENT INDICATOR FAILS WHICH HAZARDOUS TO SAFETY OF INDIVIDUAL. *TR
INNER CALIPERS OF FRONT BRAKES LOCKED CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR OUT OF INNER PAD AND IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO FRONT ROTORS. *TR
HEARD FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. AFTER THAT THE CARS BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD. COULD RECHARGE BATTERY BUT IT WOULD BE DEAD THE NEXT DAY. TOOK IT IN TO A PRIVATE SHOP WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ABS MODULE UNDER THE FRAME WAS CORRODED AND DRAWING DOWN THE BATTERY BY GROUNDING ON THE FRAME. IT ALSO DESTROYED A COMPUTER AND TWO PLUGS ON THE TRANSMISSION NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. TOTAL REPAIRS TO VEHICLE TOTALED OVER $2,300.00. *TR
THE CARS COMPUTER CODE ON DASH READ OUT THAT SERVICE BRAKES WAS REQUIRED WITH A RINGING TONE. THE ABS LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WERE ALSO ON. THIS LED ONE TO BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE AN ISSUE WITH SAFETY. WE DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE GARAGE. A CODE C0265 WAS FOUND ON THE COMPUTER BY THE TECHNICIAN. $91.00 WAS CHARGED FOR A POOR GROUND BEING REDONE ON THE EBCM. NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10022470 IS APPLICABLE. WE WERE LUCKY TO BE WITHIN A BLOCK OF A DEALER. THIS IS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER, WITH ONLY 37616 MILES. FROM FEBRUARY 2003 UNTIL NOVEMBER 2006 THE CAR WAS GARAGED IN MONTANA. NOVEMBER 2006 TILL PRESENT THE CAR IS GARAGED IN WI. WHY SHOULD THE OWNER HAVE TO PAY FOR AN APPARENT GROUND ISSUE DEFECT PROBLEM? THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM IS DISABLED ON THE CAR. *TR
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE GRINDING NOISE RECURRED AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ABS UNIT WAS NOT SHUTTING OFF. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,089. *UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
FOR APPROX. 4 MONTHS I WOULD GO TO GET INTO MY TRAILBLAZER AND THE VEHICLE WOULD BE DEAD. WOULD NOT START UNLESS I HAD IT JUMPED. IT WOULD GO 2 WEEKS WITH NO PROBLEM THEN OUT OF THE BLUE, NOT WORK. I HAD THE BATTERY CHANGED 2 TIMES, ALTERNATOR, STARTER CHECKED WITH NO PROBLEM. FINALLY AFTER THE LAST TIME, I HAD THE ALTERNATOR PEOPLE COME AND GET IT AND THEY CHECKED IT OUT FOR 2 DAYS. THE ABS SYSTEM IS WHAT CAME UP. I HAD TO HAVE IT TAKEN TO THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM (I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE PURCHASED USED FOR A YEAR AND COUPLE OF MONTHS-VEHICLE IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD NOW) AND IT IS THE ABS MODULE COSTING ME $1150.00 TO BE FIXED. DEALER STATES THAT IT STAYS ON AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND RUNNING MY BATTERY. *TR
ABS SYSTEM SHORTED OUT AND WOULD REMAIN ON EVEN AFTER ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. THE ABS PUMP AND CONTROL UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. (NOT UNDER WARRANTY)WAS TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. *JB
MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 40,000 MILES ON IT! POWER WINDOW ASSEMBLY BROKE AND REPAIRED TWICE ON THE SAME DOOR, INOPERABLE CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT, FRONT DASHBOARD GETS EXTREMELY HOT AT ALL TIMES, BRAKES SQUEAL ALL THE TIME (DEALER COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT AND WAS REMEDIED WITH CERAMIC BRAKE PADS AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS), TRANSMISSION HAS POOR SHIFTING PATTERN (BULLETIN PROVIDED A NEW SHIFT PROGRAM FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DEALER INSTALLED BUT IS RIGHT BACK TO IT'S ORIGINAL PROBLEM AFTER 3 MONTHS). *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 AT 25612 MILES WHO DETERMINED THE ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JUNE 5, 2006 FOR A 30000 MILE CHECK UP AND AGAIN THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADMITTED THE FRONT AND REAR ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. BASED ON THE CONTACT'S UNDERSTANDING THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ALLOW THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT ALERTED THE MANUFACTURER AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED CASE # 1-414411237. THE LEFT FRONT AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 06/19/06. *JB
BRAKES FRONT & REAR, CLIMATE CONTROL, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, REAR TAIL LIGHTS. *JB
DT: THE CONSUMER OWNED 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER AND WAS HAVING ROTOR PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE HAS 33,000 MILES ON IT. THE ROTORS WERE PITTED AND WARPED ON THE INSIDE . THE TOTAL COST WAS $838.00 TO REPLACE THEMT. BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ROTORS. THE BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING AND VIBRATING WHEN TO TRYING TO COME TO A STOP. TALSO, HE BRAKES SQUEAKED IN REVERSE. T OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE HAS NOW BEEN REPAIRED BY THE MECHANIC.THE OWNER HA NOT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE OWNER KNEW THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK
2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. *MR THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD FADE INTERMITTENTLY WHEN STOPPING. THE CONSUMER WOULD BE AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE PEDAL WOULD RELEASE AND WOULD GO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD NO RESISTANCE UNTIL THE PEDAL WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DEPRESSED. *SC
WITHOUT ANY SQUEALING IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS BEFORE THE BRAKE FAILURE, AS I WOULD EXPECT FROM DETERIORATING BRAKES, THE BRAKES ON MY 2003 TRAILBLAZER EXT FAILED. FORTUNATELY, THE METAL TO METAL SOUND HEARD ON FEB. 4, 2005, ALERTED MY WIFE TO CALL OUR LOCAL CHEVY SERVICE CENTER. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, THIS CAR HAD 29,000 MILES ON IT. NOT ONLY DID THE DEALER FIND THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE DIGGING INTO THE ROTOR SURFACE, BUT THEY FOUND THE REAR BRAKES WORN LOW AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PORTION OF THE ROTOR ROTTED. AT 29,000 MILES, TOTAL BRAKE OVERHAUL SHOULD NOT OCCUR. WHY HAD THE EMRGENCY BRAKE PORTION OF THE ROTOR ROTTED? WHEN MY WIFE CALLED THE 800 NUMBER TO REPORT THIS TO CHEVROLET, LISA KOINE, CHEVY'S REPRESENTATIVE, CALLED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT BRADY-STANNARD IN BREWSETE, NY, SHE RETURNED OUR CALL AND TOLD US THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. GIVE ME A BREAK.SINCE WHEN DO CONSUMERS HAVE TO PAY #1276.79 FOR A COMPLETE BRAKE OVERHAUL AT 29,000 MILES? SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, I NOTICED THE LEFT SIDE ROTORS HAD RUSTED. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOOK THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL. I QUESTION THIS. I OWNED AN ISUZU TROOPER PRIOR TO THIS CAR, AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT REPLACED UNTIL 92,000 MILES. WHAT KIND OF INFERIOR PARTS IS CHEVROLET USING?
Showing 1–20 of 33 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026