CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT · model year

2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT

306 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004CHEVROLETTRAILBLAZER EXT carries 306 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 6 fires, 25 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 TRAILBLAZER EXT is electrical system with 97 filings, followed by electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (50) and fuel system, gasoline (24). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2004 TRAILBLAZER EXT, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

306
Complaints
10
Crashes
6
Fires
25
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

306 filings

Crashes Reported

10 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM97
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL50
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE24
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION11
EXTERIOR LIGHTING10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM6
EQUIPMENT5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING5
STEERING5
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER5
AIR BAGS5
ENGINE5
POWER TRAIN4

Recalls (1)

04V52700001/11/2004

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, VIBRATION AND HEAT MAY CAUSE THE TAIL LAMP/STOP LAMP BULB TO LOOSEN IN ITS SOCKET. IF THIS OCCURS, THE BULB MAY FLICKER AND EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Recent Complaints

20190417CrashAIR BAGS

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS RECENTLY IN A CAR ACCIDENT THAT WAS LISTED IN THE POLICE REPORT AS A HEAD ON COLLISION AND NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE IMPACT AS I WAS TOLD WAS HARD ENOUGH THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.

Mileage: 197,000

20190211FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

RUSTED FUEL LINES- GARAGE CHECKED STRONG FUEL SMELL AND DISCOVERED RUSTED FUEL FILLER AND LINES

Mileage: 171,000

20190106STRUCTURE:BODY

PART # 19120564 RUBS ON TAILGATE WHEN OPENING . DOES SECURE PROPERLY. EVENTUALLY, FLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING.

20180222EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST SHUT OFF. IT IS EXTREMELY SCARY AT NIGHT. I FOUND THAT I CAN HOWEVER USE THE BRIGHTS. THEY EVENTUALLY COME BACK ON. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS. I KEPT HOPING FOR A RECALL AND JUST FOUND THIS SITE TO REPORT IT. THIS HAS HAPPEN ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. IT HAS HAPPENED WHEN THERE ARE STREET LIGHTS AND VEHICLE LIGHTS AND WHEN IT IS PITCH BLACK. THE 1ST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS DRIVING WITH MY CHILD IN THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY.

Mileage: 40,000

20180118STRUCTURE:BODY

MY FAMILY WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE COMPLETE THIRD TAILLIGHT COVER BLEW OFF. IT APPEARS THAT THE ADHESIVE THAT ATTACHES THE REAR SPOILER TO THE GLASS OF LIFT GATE HAS LOOSENED DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

Mileage: 105,000

20171223AIR BAGS

INSTRUMENTAL PANEL/ GAGE CLUSTER. ALL GAGES CONTINUE TO FAIL SPIKING ALL OVER THE PLACE PRIOR TO FAILING. AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO BLINK ON THEN OFF RANDOMLY

Mileage: 157,000

20171223ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

INSTRUMENTAL PANEL/ GAGE CLUSTER. ALL GAGES CONTINUE TO FAIL SPIKING ALL OVER THE PLACE PRIOR TO FAILING. AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO BLINK ON THEN OFF RANDOMLY

Mileage: 157,000

20171103ENGINE

CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD

Mileage: 143,000

20171103UNKNOWN OR OTHER

STALLS - I HAVE TAKEN THIS TRAILBLAZER INTO THE DEALER FOR THIS STALLING PROBLEM AND I AM TOLD NO PROBLEM FOUND. VEHICLE STALLS AFTER COMING TO A STOP OR WHEN MOVING SLOWLY. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT.

Mileage: 12,000

20170730ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING ALONE WITH ALL THE OTHER GAUGES AND TURNING SIGNAL NOT WORKING

20170624ENGINE

VEHICLE'S REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT COMES ON, AND VEHICLE LOSES POWER IN DANGEROUS PLACES. LOST OF PROBLEMS CONSIST OF SEVERAL PARTS HAVING TO DO WITH ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED SUDDENLY, ANDNIS A DANGER TO HIMAN SAFETY BECAUSE OF IT HAPPENING SEVERAL TIMES INCLUDING O N THE HIGHWAY.

Mileage: 162,525

20170217POWER TRAIN

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN IT TRIES TO SHIFT INTO 3RD OR 4TH GEAR, I READ THAT THERE WAS A REPORT ON THIS HAPPENING BUT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL AS FAR AS I KNOW, I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WHO SAYS THEY NEVER RECEIVED ANY PAPER WORK FROM GM ABOUT DOING REPAIRS. MY QUESTION IS WILL GM REPAIR THIS CONDITION AT NO COST TO ME?

Mileage: 136,000

20160829VISIBILITY/WIPER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE MOISTURE SENSITIVE WIPER SYSTEM DID NOT DETECT MOISTURE. AS A RESULT, THE WIPERS STARTED TO MALFUNCTION AND OPERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V046000 (VISIBILITY/WPIER). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

20160112ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO OPERATE. IN ADDITION, THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, AND FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 98,000

20151201VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SPEEDODOMETER AND RPM CLUSTERS MALFUNCTIONS,WHY

Mileage: 32

20151123FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

THE INLET CHECK VALVE IS FRACTURED AND CHEVY WILL NOT DO ANY REPAIRS DUE TO THE MILEAGE BEING OVER 150000

Mileage: 190,000

20150728FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

MY FUEL TANK HAS A HOLE IN IT. I HAVE FILED A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA AND ALSO WITH GM. AN NHTSA WORKER HELPED ME A LOT AND WHEN I CALLED GM AND CHEVY BACK I WAS TOLD SEVERAL TIMES SOMEONE WOULD GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH ME. I HAVE TRIED TO GET IT FIXED BUT NO ONE IS ABLE TO HELP. I HAVE TRIED MANY PLACES FOR USED FUEL TANKS BUT EVERYONE SAYS THAT THE ENVOYS AND TRAILBLAZERS THAT THEY HAVE ALL HAVE THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. I CANNOT GET ANY HELP FROM GM OR CHEVY.

20141025POWER TRAIN

THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES CORRODED AND CAUSED A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE GOING DOWN INTERSTATE 86. WHEN THE FLUID LEAKED OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES, IT SPRAYED ALL OVER THE EXHAUST PIPES, WHICH CAUSED A SEVERE FIRE HAZARD. DUE TO THE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID, IT CASED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION INTERNALS. *TR

Mileage: 114,000

20140826ENGINE

STARTING ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO MY 2004 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER EXT HAS REEKED OF UNSPENT GASOLINE, AND THIS SMELL CONSUMES THE ENTIRE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS SMALL LEAK BELOW RESERVOIR WHICH APPEARS TO BE LEAKING UNSPENT FUEL. CHEVY OFFERED A "SPECIAL COVERAGE" TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE (CORROSION ON TOP OF FUEL TANK RESERVOIR), HOWEVER IT ONLY COVERS VEHICLES UNDER 10 YEARS OF AGE AND UNDER 120K MILES. MY VEHICLE IS UNDER THAT MILEAGE, HOWEVER THIS REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED DUE TO AGE OF VEHICLE (MINE WAS ASSEMBLED IN MARCH). THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN, AS ANY SMALL SPARK COULD CAUSE THIS VEHICLE TO IGNITE. I CANNOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE, AND FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED BEFORE IT CAUSES CATASTROPHIC LOSS (EITHER BUILDING OR PERSONAL). *TR

Mileage: 111,000

20140826FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

STARTING ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO MY 2004 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER EXT HAS REEKED OF UNSPENT GASOLINE, AND THIS SMELL CONSUMES THE ENTIRE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS SMALL LEAK BELOW RESERVOIR WHICH APPEARS TO BE LEAKING UNSPENT FUEL. CHEVY OFFERED A "SPECIAL COVERAGE" TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE (CORROSION ON TOP OF FUEL TANK RESERVOIR), HOWEVER IT ONLY COVERS VEHICLES UNDER 10 YEARS OF AGE AND UNDER 120K MILES. MY VEHICLE IS UNDER THAT MILEAGE, HOWEVER THIS REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED DUE TO AGE OF VEHICLE (MINE WAS ASSEMBLED IN MARCH). THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN, AS ANY SMALL SPARK COULD CAUSE THIS VEHICLE TO IGNITE. I CANNOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE, AND FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED BEFORE IT CAUSES CATASTROPHIC LOSS (EITHER BUILDING OR PERSONAL). *TR

Mileage: 111,000

Compare 2004CHEVROLETTRAILBLAZER EXT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT have?
The 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT has 306 NHTSA complaints, 10 crashes, 6 fires, 25 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT?
Yes, the 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT?
The most-complained component for the 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 97 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT 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 as of 2025. 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.