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2004 Chevrolet TrailblazerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1,081 owner complaints about the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer
32
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.1× the Trailblazer median · #3 of 12 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints1,081134 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage65kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 9, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer has problems

1,081 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system62721
Exterior lighting1015
Fuel system, gasoline932
Power train624
Fuel/propulsion system430
Air bags4239
Engine and engine cooling395
Vehicle speed control385
Visibility283
21 other systems18130

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Exterior lighting: turn signal

Recall 05V-198 · May 5, 2005 · 286,478 vehicles

Risk. THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CLEARLY SIGNAL THEIR INTENTIONS TO TURN, CHANGE TRAVEL LANES, OR POTENTIALLY WARN OTHERS OF AN IMPAIRED VEHICLE OPERATING…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Exterior lighting: brake lights

Recall 04V-527 · Nov 1, 2004 · 871,473 vehicles

Risk. AN INOPERATIVE BRAKE LAMP WILL NOT CONVEY THE DRIVER'S INTENTION OF STOPPING TO DRIVERS IN FOLLOWING VEHICLES, AND AN INOPERATIVE REAR TURN SIGNAL LAMP WILL…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

65kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 532 electrical system complaints. 84% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
41under 30k miles445under 100k miles87100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Electrical system

77 owners mentioned a cost

$580median

Middle half: $500 – $750

Fuel system, gasoline

14 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $763 – $1,300

Fuel/propulsion system

8 owners mentioned a cost

$1,195median

Middle half: $877 – $1,550

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other Trailblazer year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Trailblazer median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'14'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer safety ratings

2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 4 stars (19.1% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and the recalls they led to.

  1. BRAKE LAMP FAILUREEA04021 · closed Nov 4, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-527
  2. FUEL PUMP MODULE LEAKS GASOLINEEA07009 · closed Aug 28, 2008
    No recall
  3. BRAKE LAMP FAILUREPE04032 · closed Aug 3, 2004
    No recall
  4. Loss of HeadlightsRQ17002 · closed Mar 29, 2021
    No recall
In owners' words

What Trailblazer owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

Electronic throttle body? No throttle control, motor will only idle, turn ignition switch off, then restart it will run. Reduced Engine Power light comes on. Happens for no apparent reason. Very unsafe situation.
Complaint 11446505 · Jan 6, 2022
AS YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP OR GO UNDER 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S OIL GAUGE WILL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN. ONCE YOU ACCELERATE, THE OIL GAUGE GOES BACK TO NORMAL. WHEN PUMPING GAS INTO THE VEHICLE, THE GAS PUMP WILL RESET AS IF THE GAS TANK IS FULL BUT THE GAUGE SHOWS IT'S HALF EMPTY. *TR
Complaint 11327578 · Jun 6, 2020 · 176,000 miles
MOST OF THE GAUGES ARE VERY ERRATIC WHEN IN MOTION OR STOPPED. TACHOMETER JUMPS AROUND, OIL PRESSURE READS ALL OVER, SPEEDOMETER GOES TO ZERO OR FULL SCALE, AMP METER DROPS BELOW 14 AND LIGHTS DIM WHEN THIS HAPPENS, (HAVE HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES, THIS IS QUITE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AS…
Complaint 11308287 · Feb 10, 2020 · 80,000 miles

Own a 2004 Trailblazer?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.