CHEVROLET BLAZER · model year

1986 CHEVROLET BLAZER

21 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986CHEVROLETBLAZER carries 21 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 6 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1986 BLAZER is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 4 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1986 BLAZER, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

21
Complaints
0
Crashes
6
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

21 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE4
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
TIRES:TREAD/BELT2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE1
TIRES1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION1
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL1
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
STEERING1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1

Recent Complaints

20030204TIRES:TREAD/BELT

THE CORD SEPARATED HALF WAY AROUND THE TIRE. THE TIRE HAS 9/32 TREAD. SCC PH

20020828SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHILE PULLING INTO THE ENTRANCE LANE OF A TOLL BOOTH AT 25 MPH, UNIT 1 APPLIED THE BRAKES, HOWEVER, THE BRAKES FAILED. UNIT 1 THEN TURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING UNIT 2 WHICH WAS STOPPED AT THE TOLL BOOTH. UNIT 1 WENT ONTO THE CURB AND CONCRETE BARRIER. IT THEN HIT UNIT 2 IN THE LEFT REAR AND THEN HIT THE TOLL BOOTH, WHERE IT CAME TO FINAL REST. THE OFFICER AT THE SCENE FOUND THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE. THE FRONT CHAMBER WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY AND THE REAR CHAMBER HAD BARELY ENOUGH FLUID TO COVER THE BOTTOM. NO BROKEN HOSES, LINES COULD BE SEEN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *TT

20001127FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

BAD MANUFACTURER PAINT, 7004R TRANSMISSION UNSAFE, ENGINE FIRE. *AK

20001127FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

BAD MANUFACTURER PAINT, 7004R TRANSMISSION UNSAFE, ENGINE FIRE. *AK

20000830TIRES:TREAD/BELT

TIRE LOST ALL TREAD TEARING UP THE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE AT THE SAME TIME. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/70/R15 )

20000130ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WATER IN ENGINE OIL, THE CAUSE I HAVE HEARD IS A FAILED HEAD GASKET. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF CHEVROLET HAS HAD A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM.. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE ENGINE OVERHEATS, CRACKING THE HEAD GASKET. *AK

19990723STEERING

SOMETHING BROKE IN THE STEERING WHILE SON WAS DRIVING. AS A RESULT, CAR WAS TOTALLED. *AK

19990126FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).

19990113VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAME STUCK AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF, THE ENGINE RACED BETWEEN 70-85 MPH. IF THE DRIVER WOULD TURN THE TRUCK OFF, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME STUCK, SO DRIVER PUT TRUCK IN NEUTRAL, HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE BRAKES WERE BURNED OUT. *AK

19990113SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK THE CRUISE CONTROL BECAME STUCK AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF, THE ENGINE RACED BETWEEN 70-85 MPH. IF THE DRIVER WOULD TURN THE TRUCK OFF, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME STUCK, SO DRIVER PUT TRUCK IN NEUTRAL, HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE BRAKES WERE BURNED OUT. *AK

19981208STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 20MPH UP THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE. HAD NO CONTROL OVER VEHICLE. TURNED VEHICLE OFF. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

19971204SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

SEAT BELT CAN'T BE SECURED ON DRIVER'S SIDE.

19971107SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHGILE DRIVING AT APPROX 30-40 MPH WENT TO APPLY BRAKES, FELT THEY WERE SPONGY DID NOT REACT. THIS IS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER DID BRAKE SERVICE TWICE, CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

19970918FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FIRE.

19970325FireEQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

CIGARETTE LIGHTER MELTED AN ELECTRICAL PLUG, CAUSING FIRE.

19970113ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHEN MAKING A TURN OR COMING TO A STOP, THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

19961231TIRES

RIGHT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. .(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)

19960425FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)*SD

19950606VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKED,HEATER HOSE, THREADS CORRODED AND FELL WITHIN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. TT

19950404SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH IS BROKEN, WILL NOT FASTEN. TT

Compare 1986CHEVROLETBLAZER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 CHEVROLET BLAZER have?
The 1986 CHEVROLET BLAZER has 21 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 6 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 CHEVROLET BLAZER?
The most-complained component for the 1986 CHEVROLET BLAZER is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1986 CHEVROLET BLAZER safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1986 CHEVROLET BLAZER; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.