2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer Body & Structure Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes failed to operate as needed and the vehicle nearly crashed. Additionally, the contact reported that the rear of the vehicle lifted significantly and made a popping sound while driving. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with brake line failures, ABS malfunction, and severe structural deterioration of the undercarriage and the sub frame. The contact had recently purchased the vehicle and was informed that the vehicle was in good condition. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,124.

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH with a fully loaded pull behind 6X12 U-Haul trailer hitched to the vehicle on the highway, a tractor trailer drove by at 70 MPH, and the wake turbulence from the tractor trailer caused the U-Haul trailer to fishtail, the vehicle and trailer did a 180-degree skid, spun around, and then jackknifed; causing damages to the U-Haul trailer and the vehicle. There were no injuries sustained. The contact was concerned about the safety of the design of the U-Haul trailer. The contact stated that the U-Hauler trailer was not designed with the proper wheel and axle configuration which caused the trailer to be unsafe while driving over bumps or depressions on the roadway. The contact stated that he was advised by the South Carolina State Patrol to file a Collision Report. The contact had not yet contacted U-Haul to report the failure. The vehicle was still drivable and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The vehicle manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 208,000.

FRAME HAS RUSTED THOUGH, JUST DISCOVERED DURING REPLACEMENT OF RACK AND PINION BY GARAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. DURING COLD WEATHER TEMPERATURES, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND BEING WARMED UP. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR MIRROR AND DOOR CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V248000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

PLEASE CONSIDER A NEW REQUIREMENT FOR ALL NEW VEHICLES PRODUCED THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A REAR LIFTGATE/TAILGATE, SUCH AS CROSSOVERS, SUV'S AND MINI-VANS. THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE GATE FROM THE INSIDE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A LATCH TO OPEN ALL GATES FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE IN CASE IT BECOMES THE ONLY WAY OUT IN CASE OF FIRE OR IF SINKING IN WATER. *TR

TODAY DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH IN MY 2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER LT. WE HEARD A LOUD CLACKING NOISE. AS I TURN AROUND I SEE THE LARGE PLASTIC PIECE OF THE TAILGATE FLY OFF AND THE 3RD TAILLIGHT JUST DANGLING. IN MY SEARCH TONIGHT I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION I AM NOT THE ONLY TRAILBLAZER OWNER WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON WAY TO WORK, THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ABOVE THE REAR HATCH FLEW OFF INTO THE HIGHWAY. I STOPPED AND PICKED THE PART UP AND HAVE IT HOWEVER I'M LEFT WITH A BROKEN TRUCK. THE BRACKETS ON THE TRUCK THAT THE ASSEMBLY PLACE SNAPS INTO IS BROKEN AND WHEN THE ASSEMBLY PIECE FLEW OFF THE TRUCK THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WIRE WAS SNAPPED INTO BY THE FORCE OF THE WIND. *TR

MY MECHANIC IS TELLING ME THE LEFT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACED.....WHAT ELSE CAN GO WRONG THIS CAR! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH STOP LIGHT ABOVE THE LIFT GATE FRACTURED DUE TO ICE IN THE WINTER. THE PART SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND SOMEONE RAN OVER THE PIECE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE HIGH STOP LIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2005 TRAILBLAZER IN AUGUST 2008. IN OCTOBER 2008, THE REAR WINDOW HINGE ADHESIVE WAS SEPARATING CAUSING THE HATCH TO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THIS WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP. NOW IN SEPTEMBER 2010 THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. THE REAR WINDOW ADHESIVE HAS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE HINGE AND THE WINDOW DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY AND HAS A POSSIBILITY OF COMPLETELY FALLING OFF. WHEN THE ENTIRE REAR DOOR IS OPENED NOW THE HINGE 'POPS' UP AND HITS THE GLASS. THE DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE ADHESIVE TO MEND THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAY CHEVY WILL NOT PAY FOR ANOTHER GLASS REPLACEMENT. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITH THE HINGE CONNECTED TO THE GLASS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A FACTORY DEFECT. I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER CHEVY VEHICLES OF DIFFERENT YEARS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AND WORSE WHEN THE DOORS DID FALL OFF OR THE GLASS SCATTERED DUE TO THE POOR ADHESIVE ON THE HINGE. THIS WILL COST OVER $800 TO REPLACE IF THIS CANNOT BE RESOLVED AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THE ADHESIVE ON THE NEW GLASS WILL HOLD AND I WILL HAVE NO RECOURSE. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2005 TRAILBLAZER NEW IN 2006. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR QUIT WORKING AND I HAD TO USE A BUNGEE CORD TO KEEP IT SHUT UNTIL I GOT IT IN TO A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT. I WAS TOLD THAT SOMEHOW WATER GOT INSIDE THE DOOR AND DAMAGED THE COMPONENTS MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO SHUT BUT WARNED ME IF IT WAS OPENED AGAIN IT MAY NOT SHUT SO IT HAS BEEN DUCT-TAPED UP SO MY CHILDREN WON'T INADVERTENTLY USE IT. I NOTICED RUST ON THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE MOON ROOF VERY EARLY ON. THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HAS TO BE OPENED GENTLY FROM THE BACK PORTION OF THE HANDLE AS IT APPEARS IT IS GOING TO BREAK OFF IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE REAR HATCH AND ALSO THE GLASS PORTION OF THE HATCH BACK HAS NOW STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS BROUGHT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND I ASKED THE MECHANIC TO CHECK IT OUT HE WAS ABLE TO GET IT UNLOCKED A COUPLE TIMES BY PRESSING THE AUTO UNLOCK ON THE KEY REPEATEDLY (MORE THAN 3 TIMES HE SAID) I HAVE NOT BEEN AS FORTUNATE AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO USE THE REAR QUARTERS NOW BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR

MY 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT LTS TAILGATE GLASS DOOR HINGE CAP POPPED OFF AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED/REPLACED (HINGES, FIBERGLASS CAP, GLASS, ETC). I WAS INFORMED BY MR. KENNETH LAMOTT OF THE 1ST AVENUE BODY SHOP, INC. IN GREAT FALLS MT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND APPARENT DESIGN DEFECT THAT CHEVROLET KNOWS ABOUT. HOWEVER THEY WILL NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS A RECALL ITEM. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM MR. LAMOTT WAS TO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE ON HIGHWAYS SHOULD IT COME LOOSE AGAIN AS IT WILL DISLODGE AND PRESENT ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH A HAZARD THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGES, INJURY AND POSSIBLY DEATH IF IT IMPACTED AND PASSED THRU A WINDSHIELD HITTING THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER. *TR

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO MY CONCERN. I OWN A 2005 TRAILBLAZER. SINCE DAY 1 I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE SEALS ON THE DOORS - ESP BACK DOORS. FOR THE MOST PART THIS HAS BEEN AN INCONVENIENCE UNTIL THE OTHER DAY. THROUGHOUT THE OWNERSHIP OF MY VEHICLE, AT ABOUT EVERY 10 - 15,000 MILES I WAS HAVING MY VEHICLE SERVICED FOR THE DOOR SEALS. WITHOUT FAIL, THEY CONTINUE TO COME OFF. THE OTHER DAY I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK AND WAS WONDERING WHAT THAT RUBBING NOISE WAS. THE DOOR SEAL FROM MY DRIVER'S REAR DOOR WAS HANGING DOWN INTO MY WHEEL AXLE. THE SEAL GOT WORN DOWN TO THE METAL CORD THAT IS ON THE INSIDE. THIS IS A POTENTIAL HUGE DANGER SHOULD THIS HAVE FALLEN DOWN ANY FURTHER AND GOT TWISTED INTO MY WHEEL AXLE. ONE THING IT DID DO FOR SURE IS IT DESTROYED MY NEWER TIRE! THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE DOOR SEALS ON TRAILBLAZERS ARE A POOR DESIGN BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THAT THEY ENCOUNTER A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR SEALS. *TR

THE NUMBERS ON THE SELECTION FOR THE RADIO AND CD PAINT HAS PEELED OFF AND I HAD THE RADIO REPLACED ONCE. *TR

THE REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW OF MY 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL. MY WIFE WAS CLOSING THE LIFTGATE (THE GLASS WAS NOT OPEN), PULLED THE LIFTGATE DOWN A FEW INCHES, AND THE ENTIRE REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW EXPLODED SENDING GLASS ALL OVER MY WIFE AND OUR 4 YEAR OLD SON, NOT TO MENTION MY DRIVEWAY, SIDEWALK, ETC. ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT SITES THAT I HAVE VISITED ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS QUITE A COMMON OCCURRENCE. MIGHT I ADD THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN OR MOVED FROM ITS' PARKING SPOT SINCE SUNDAY 8/24/2008 AND WAS NOT DRIVEN TODAY. WE OPENED THE REAR LIFTGATE TO PUT AN ITEM INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, WENT TO SHUT THE LIFTGATE, AND THE ABOVE OCCURRED. *TR

WHILE OPENING THE REAR HATCH OF OUR 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER LT THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED IN TO A MILLION PIECES. THE LOUD EXPLOSION SCARED MY WIFE AS IF SOMEONE HAD SHOT THE GLASS OUT. THERE WAS NO EXCESSIVE FORCE USED, THE WEATHER WAS COLD ~34 F, THERE WAS NO SNOW OR ICE ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

THE PART ABOVE THE BACK HATCH (RIGHT ABOVE WINDOW) BLEW OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE BODY SHOP FOR AN ESTIMATE-HE STATED THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL TRAILBLAZERS. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE LOADING LUGGAGE INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, BOTH STRUTS ON THE TAILGATE FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND THE DOOR SLAMMED SHUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE ORDERED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.

MY HEAD LINER HAS FALLEN DOWN 4 TIMES AND NEVER BEEN REPLACE, JUST REGLUED OR RE VELCROED, AND THE NOISES THAT COME FROM MY WINDOWS ARE QUITE LOUD AND IF WINDY THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW GIVES A WHISTLE, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BUT HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND I AM TOLD IT IS NORMAL WIND NOISE(INCLUDING THE WHISTLE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE) AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE, MY CARPET UNDER THE MAT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT RIPPED (AFTER 6 MOS OLD) AND THE NUMBERS ON MY RADIO 1-6,EXCEPT 4, AND THE BAND BUTTON HAS STARTED TO RUB OFF AFTER ABOUT 6 MOS OLD WHICH I WAS AGAIN TOLD WAS NORMAL AND IT'S BECAUSE I CHANGE STATIONS OFTEN. INCIDENT DATE TO FOLLOW WAS LAST DATE REPAIRED. *NM

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN DRIVER'S SIDE COLLISION. BOTH DOORS ON LEFT SIDE DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. REPLACEMENTS PARTS ARE NOT BEING MANUFACTURED. *JB