Chevrolet Trailblazer 2002–2009
1st generation (GMT360 midsize SUV)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20268,645 complaints, 6,784 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 6,784
- Median of reported failures
- 70,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Electrical system (26.4%)
- Recalls
- 5
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 46,000 and 100,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Chevrolet Trailblazer 2002–2009 · 6,784 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 392 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 105 complaints (1.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 21,200
- 25%
- 46,000
- Median
- 70,000
- 75%
- 100,000
- 90%
- 140,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 236 | 3.5% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 146 | 2.2% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 119 | 1.8% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 123 | 1.8% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 126 | 1.9% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 131 | 1.9% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 177 | 2.6% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 247 | 3.6% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 291 | 4.3% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 293 | 4.3% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 392 | 5.8% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 318 | 4.7% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 385 | 5.7% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 333 | 4.9% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 345 | 5.1% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 305 | 4.5% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 308 | 4.5% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 251 | 3.7% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 237 | 3.5% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 217 | 3.2% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 248 | 3.7% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 130 | 1.9% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 154 | 2.3% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 134 | 2.0% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 160 | 2.4% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 106 | 1.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 99 | 1.5% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 69 | 1.0% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 94 | 1.4% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 63 | 0.9% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 94 | 1.4% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 57 | 0.8% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 66 | 1.0% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 32 | 0.5% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 43 | 0.6% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 32 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 31 | 0.5% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 38 | 0.6% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 29 | 0.4% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 20 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 105 | 1.5% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 8,645 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002–2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 6,784 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 46,000 and 100,000 miles. The median is 70,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (26.4% of complaints, typically around 71,000 miles), the fuel system (16.4% of complaints, typically around 61,000 miles), the exterior lighting (9.0% of complaints, typically around 87,000 miles).
5 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2002–2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2002–2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer were filed by 70,000 miles and 90% by 140,000 miles — figures drawn from 6,784 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
105 reports (1.5%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Trailblazer reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2002–2009 Trailblazer: the 3-minute check
Generated from 6,784 mileage-tagged complaints, 5 recall campaigns, 6 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 5 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check hvac (blower motor resistor) on 2002–2009 cars. Blower motor resistor overheats and fails because of an inadequate cooling design, leaving the fan operating only on the highest speed setting. One of the highest-frequency complaints on the platform across all years.
- Check instrument cluster on 2003–2007 cars. Stepper motors behind the gauges fail, causing the speedometer, tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges to read inaccurately or stop entirely. GM issued special coverage for affected clusters and a repair/reman industry…
- Check fuel system (level sender) on 2002–2008 (cost–share on 2005–2007) cars. Fuel level sender inside the fuel pump module fails, producing an erratic gauge that sticks on empty or reads wildly wrong; remedy requires replacing the complete fuel pump module assembly. GM agreed to cover 50 percent…
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 46,000 and 100,000 miles, with a median of 70,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and the fuel system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The fuel system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 61,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Chevrolet Trailblazer 2002–2009
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Fuel system1,414 reports61,00047,000–83,000Fuel system: 1,414 reports, median 61,000 miles, middle half 47,000 to 83,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline624 reports66,00040,000–99,000Transmission and driveline: 624 reports, median 66,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 99,000 miles.
- Visibility equipment364 reports69,00038,000–105,000Visibility equipment: 364 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 38,000 to 105,000 miles.
- Electrical system2,279 reports71,00050,000–100,000Electrical system: 2,279 reports, median 71,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Airbag system373 reports81,00043,000–123,000Airbag system: 373 reports, median 81,000 miles, middle half 43,000 to 123,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting781 reports87,00050,000–125,000Exterior lighting: 781 reports, median 87,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 125,000 miles.
- Fuel and propulsion system356 reports97,00071,000–131,000Fuel and propulsion system: 356 reports, median 97,000 miles, middle half 71,000 to 131,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2,279 | 26.4% | 71,000 | 50,000–100,000 |
| Fuel system | 1,414 | 16.4% | 61,000 | 47,000–83,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 781 | 9.0% | 87,000 | 50,000–125,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 624 | 7.2% | 66,000 | 40,000–99,000 |
| Airbag system | 373 | 4.3% | 81,000 | 43,000–123,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 364 | 4.2% | 69,000 | 38,000–105,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 356 | 4.1% | 97,000 | 71,000–131,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 343 | 4.0% | 52,000 | 25,000–75,000 |
| Fuel system, other | 288 | 3.3% | 57,000 | 43,000–75,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 193 | 2.2% | 67,000 | 43,000–104,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Chevrolet Trailblazer 2002–2009 · 6,784 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 38% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 67% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 83% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 98%: the remaining 1.5% of reports (105) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
38% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 50,000–100,000 mi
- Fuel system — middle half 47,000–83,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 50,000–125,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 40,000–99,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 43,000–123,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 38,000–105,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Fuel and propulsion system — middle half 71,000–131,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
67% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Fuel system — median 61,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Electrical system — middle half 50,000–100,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 50,000–125,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 40,000–99,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 43,000–123,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 38,000–105,000 mi
- Fuel and propulsion system — middle half 71,000–131,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
83% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Electrical system — median 71,000 mi
- Fuel system — median 61,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 66,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 69,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Exterior lighting — middle half 50,000–125,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 43,000–123,000 mi
- Fuel and propulsion system — middle half 71,000–131,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 70,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 26.4% of complaints (2,279 reports, 1,862 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 100,000 miles.
A single system taking 26.4% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The fuel system accounts for 16.4% of complaints (1,414 reports, 1,201 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 47,000 and 83,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 9.0% of complaints (781 reports, 581 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 87,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 125,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.2% of complaints (624 reports, 505 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 99,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 4.3% of complaints (373 reports, 273 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 81,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 43,000 and 123,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 4.2% of complaints (364 reports, 263 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 38,000 and 105,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2005 model year drew the most — 1,905 complaints — while 2009 drew the fewest at 37. The median year sits at 1,231.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 5 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around visibility equipment (4), the exterior lighting (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 8,645 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 484 (5.6%)
- Fires
- 329
- Injury reports
- 361
- Fatality reports
- 23
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Hvac (blower Motor Resistor) 2002–2009
Blower motor resistor overheats and fails because of an inadequate cooling design, leaving the fan operating only on the highest speed setting. One of the highest-frequency complaints on the platform across all years.
Instrument Cluster 2003–2007
Stepper motors behind the gauges fail, causing the speedometer, tachometer, fuel and temperature gauges to read inaccurately or stop entirely. GM issued special coverage for affected clusters and a repair/reman industry exists specifically for this failure.
Fuel System (level Sender) 2002–2008 (cost–share on 2005–2007)
Fuel level sender inside the fuel pump module fails, producing an erratic gauge that sticks on empty or reads wildly wrong; remedy requires replacing the complete fuel pump module assembly. GM agreed to cover 50 percent of repair cost on 2005-2007 vehicles even though the failure spans 2002-2008.
Engine (4.2l Atlas Ll8) 2002–2005
Exhaust valve seat recession and valve damage on early Atlas inline-sixes, producing misfire, low compression on affected cylinders and rough running.
Four-Wheel Drive 2002–2009
Transfer case encoder motor and selector switch failure producing a 'Service 4WD' warning and inability to shift between 2WD and 4WD ranges.
Front Suspension 2002–2009
Front wheel bearing hub assembly and ball joint wear producing ABS faults, noise and steering play; a routine high-mileage failure item on GMT360.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1,573 | 1,003 |
| 2003 | 1,160 | 884 |
| 2004 | 1,302 | 1,069 |
| 2005 | 1,905 | 1,577 |
| 2006 | 1,440 | 1,189 |
| 2007 | 965 | 806 |
| 2008 | 263 | 230 |
| 2009 | 37 | 26 |
Recalls (5) — is your car included?
May 2016 · 2006–2007 · Exterior LightingHeadlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.
What can happen. Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.
Nov 2015 · 2006–2007 · VisibilityThe protective coating may not eliminate the risk that the circuit board could short and result in a fire…
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy vehicles, and 2006 GMC Envoy XL and Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT vehicles. Fluid may enter into the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board, causing window switches to become inoperative. Previously, the affected vehicles may have had their master power window switch module treated with a protective coating, instead of having it replaced.
What can happen. The protective coating may not eliminate the risk that the circuit board could short and result in a fire, even while the vehicle is unattended.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new driver's door switch module, free of charge. The recall began on November 2, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15700.
Oct 2014 · 2006–2007 · VisibilityA short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
What can happen. A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
The free fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the part number on the door module, and install a new door module if necessary, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. An interim letter was mailed to owners in August 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-955-9007 (SAAB), and 1-800-255-6727 (Isuzu). GM's number for this recall is 14309. NOTE: This recall provides a new remedy for all vehicles covered by recall 13
Aug 2013 · 2006–2007 · VisibilityA short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The defect. General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
What can happen. A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
The free fix. Owners will be contacted and dealers will test the driver's door module. If the module is functioning properly, a protective coating will be applied. If the module is not functioning properly, it will be replaced. These repairs will be done free of charge. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners, Isuzu and Saab will contact their respective owners. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463, Isuzu owners at 1-800-255-6727, and Saab owners at 1-800-955-9007. GM's
Feb 2013 · 2006–2007 · VisibilityA short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The defect. General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, SAAB 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit boa
What can happen. A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
The free fix. Parts for this recall are expected to available in March 2013. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners when parts are available. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. Isuzu owners will be notified by Isuzu Motors when parts are available. Owners may contact Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727. SAAB owners will be notified by SAAB Cars North America when parts are available and for inquiries, owners may call SAAB customer service at 1-800-955-9007.
What owners reported
I was driving home from work and started hearing the trucks undercarriage start to rattle and grind on the bumps of the road. I had a sudden loss of power on engine and it wouldnt respond to my pressing on the gas. I believed that i had gas in the truck because the gauge read half full and apparently i was out of gas.…
2002 · 40 miles · Fuel system
2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer LTZ; wiper blades chatter against windshield at any wiper speed except when on constantly, and with any amount of water on glass. Wiper arms have been replaced by dealer; i have replaced the blades. Vehicle has a water sensor on it that is supposed to activate wipers as moisture builds on…
2002 · 500 miles · Visibility equipment
Exterior side mirrors with memory option fail to return to set position when key is inserted in ignition. Mirrors have to be reset almost every time key is inserted in ignition. Dealer re-programmed mirrors. But problem still exists. Dangerous because if you don't notice mirrors have moved and you go to make lane…
2002 · 500 miles · Electrical system
Built from 6,784 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page