2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer Body & Structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS EXPERIENCING DECAY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF ROTTEN AREAS ON THE FRAME. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. PRIOR TO THE DIAGNOSIS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LYNCH CHEVROLET OF MUKWONAGO (280 EAST WOLF RUN, MUKWONAGO, WI 53149 (262) 363-4061), BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT INFORMED OF CORROSION ON THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

ON AUGUST 26, 2015 WE PURCHASED A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER FROM WALI'S AUTO SALES IN ENOLA, PA. IT HAD 93,907 MILES ON IT AND APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION WITH A CLEAN CAR FAX. WE TRADED IN OUR 1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN AND RECEIVED $1700 IN TRADE IN VALUE PURCHASING THE TRAILBLAZER FOR $5722.70 INCLUDING TAX AND TRANSFER FEES. BRAKES AND BALL JOINTS HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO OUR PURCHASE ALONG WITH A TRANSMISSION LINE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR AN ALIGNMENT AS SOON AS WE PURCHASED IT. WE DROVE THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 17TH LEFT HOME WITH INTENTIONS OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO STOWE VERMONT. AT 11:30 AM ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 17TH (APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS INTO OUR TRIP) THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND BRAKES CLOSE TO SCRANTON, PA. THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND WITHIN 7 MINUTES THE VEHICLE BURNED UP. THE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT READABLE. THE SCRANTON FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED ALONG WITH PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE AND THE FORTY FORT POLICE. WE HAVE A COPY OF THE FIRE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY A LOCAL TOW COMPANY. MY WIFE AND I ESCAPED INJURY. WE HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE THROUGH STATE FARM WHICH COVERED TOWING AND FIRE COMPANY EXPENSES. WALI'S GAVE US A 30 DAY WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE AND HAS ACKNOWLEDGED SINCE THE INCIDENT THAT THERE IS A WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE BUT IS NOT FORTHCOMING IN ALLOWING US TO SUBMIT A CLAIM TO THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE HATCH BACK FAILED TO LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 270,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT 370. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HATCH DOOR AJAR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND FAILED TO LATCH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT A CLIP INSIDE THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM FRACTURED. THE CLIP WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

WHEN GETTING INTO VEHICLE ALL MY DASHBOARD GAUGES JUST STOPPED WORK, NO SPEED, GAS, OIL PRESSURE ETC. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 TRAILBLAZER LAST YEAR WE NOTICED PAINT WAS FADING OFF HOOD ,THIS YEAR IT IS SO BAD I NEED TO HAVE THE WHOLE HOOD REPAINTED, I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A FACTORY DEFECT IN THE PAINT , I HAVE SEEN MANY TRAILBLAZERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM,HOPING THERE IS A RECALL SOMEWHERE SO I CAN GET MY HOOD PAINTED. *TR

MY TRUCK HOOD LATCH AND AREA SURROUNDING IS SO RUSTED GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE HOOD JUST BOUNCES LIKE ITS GOING TO COME LOOSE. I CALLED AN ASSORTMENT OF MECHANICS AND THEY SAY ITS A COMMON AND BIG PROBLEM WITH THE TRAILBLAZER! THEY DO NOT COME WITH A HOOD SEAL TO STOP THE ELEMENTS FROM ENTERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THUS THE RUSTED HOOD FRONT AND LATCH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I DON'T THINK THE CONSUMER SHOULD PAY FOR NEW HOODS WHEN THE TRUCKS DONOT COME WITH THE PROPER PROTECTION! *TR

BACK PASSENGER DOOR LATCH IS BROKEN.. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPENED BY ITSELF AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE IT. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE WI INTERSTATE SYSTEM WHEN THE REAR SPOILER DETACHED AND FLEW ONTO THE ROADWAY LEAVING THE BRAKE LIGHT DANGLING AND BANGING INTO THE HATCHED WINDOW. DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS AND SNOW ON THE CONCRETE DIVIDED MEDIAN I WASN'T ABLE TO STOP AND PICK UP THE DEBRIS. THE BACK GATE HADN'T BEEN OPENED FOR AT LEAST 2 DAYS SO THERE WAS NO WAY TO KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. *TR

CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT WAS TOWED FROM HIGHWAY DUE TO A RUPTURED TRANSMISSION LINE. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOWED VEHICLE FROM THE REAR WHEELS. UPON DELIVERING VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP, THE ENTIRE UPPER HATCH TRIM MOLDING (HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT COVER) PIECE AND THE HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS MISSING WITH ONLY THE TWO WIRES DANGLING. UPON INSPECTION, THE PIECE IS ONLY HELD ON THE VEHICLE BY 2 BOLTS AND DOUBLE SIDED TAPE. THE DOUBLE SIDED TAPE ON THE REAR GLASS WAS DRY AND CRUMBLING (COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE). SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING BACKWARDS BEHIND THE TOW TRUCK, THE PIECE WAS NOT ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE FORCE OF WIND WHICH PUSHED THE PIECE UPWARD UNTIL IT ULTIMATELY CRACKED AND BROKE OFF THE VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY REPORTS OF THIS PIECE FALLING OFF FROM TRAILBLAZER MODELS GOING FORWARD AND GM HAS DONE NOTHING TO REDESIGN OR FIX THE PROBLEM. A LARGE PLASTIC PIECE SUCH AS THAT SHOULD NOT USE 2 BOLTS AND DOUBLE SIDED TAPE AS A PRIMARY MEANS OF ATTACHMENT. AT A MINIMUM, A SAFETY NOTICE SHOULD BE SENT THAT TOWING A TRAILBLAZER FROM THE REAR AT HIGH SPEEDS MAY RESULT IN THIS PIECE BREAKING OFF, POSING A REAL SAFETY CONCERN (FLYING HIGHWAY DEBRIS) TO THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE(S). PARTS ARE FALLING OFF VEHICLES AND NO ONE BUT THE DISGRUNTLED OWNERS SEEM TO CARE. *TR

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPARE TIRE HOIST HAD MALFUNCTIONED BY NOT RELEASING THE SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO REPAIR FOR THE FAILURE, BUT THEY COULD REMOVE THE SPARE TIRE FOR HIM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 65,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

HIGH MOUNT REAR STOP TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY IS LOOSE. OPENED THE TAILGATE ON 5/11/09 HEARD METAL CRUNCHING. EVER SINCE MY BACK GLASS VIBRATES VIOLENTLY WHEN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF IT BLOWING OUT. ON 5/17/09 AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION NOTICED THAT THE TOP ASSEMBLY HAS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE TRUCK ON BOTH SIDES (STILL BEING HELD ON BY THE CENTER) SHOULD THIS COME OFF IT PUTS ME AND DRIVERS BEHIND ME AT RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM PUTS MY CHILDREN AT RISK OF GLASS SHATTERING ON THEM OR BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT GOES TO THE SHOP THIS WEEK. I HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ONLINE. *TR

RAISED REAR LIGHTGATE HEARD A CRUNCHING SOUND. ON INSPECTION THE PLASTIC PIECE ON THE TOP OF THE LIGHTGATE WAS CRACKED & LIFTED UP. IT WAS A FAIRLY WARM DAY & I HAD WASHED THE TRUCK EARLY IN THE DAY & IT SAT IN THE SUN ALL DAY. ICE BUILD UP WAS NOT A POSSIBILITY. TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR REPAIR OF THIS PIECE, BODYSHOP STATES THAT THERE ARE 2 BUSHINGS MISSING FROM THE HINGES WHERE THE REAR GLASS PIVOTS ON THE HINGES. DEALER PARTS DEPT. CONFIRMS THAT BUSHINGS SHOULD BE THERE. PARTS DEPT. HAD CONVERSATION WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE THESE HINGES & REPLACEMENT BUSHING ARE ONLY SERVICES ABLE WHEN THE REAR LIFTGATE GLASS GETS REPLACED. *TR

DESIGN FLAW OF THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP APPLIQUE (AKA - REAR UPPER LIFTGATE MOLDING) DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, ICE AND SNOW BUILDS UP BEHIND THE MOLDING, AND WHEN THE USER ATTEMPTS TO OPEN THE LIFTGATE, THE MOLDING IS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, SOMETIMES RESULTS IN PERMANENT BREAKAGE OF THE MOLDING, OR EVEN SHATTERING OF THE REAR WINDOW. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE COMPANY IS ALREADY AWARE OF, AS EVIDENCED BY A RELEASED TSB. AS EVIDENCED BY NUMEROUS REPORTS ON "TRAILVOY.COM", MANY GROUP MEMBERS HAVE REPORTED HAVING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVE READ REPORTS OF THIS PIECE MYSTERIOUSLY COMING OFF, TO THE SURPRISE OF THE DRIVER, WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THIS VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED, TOO MUCH OF THE LIFTGATE'S STRUCTURE WAS LEFT TO RELY ON THE STABILITY OF PLASTIC AND GLASS. FOR INSTANCE, ON MY VEHICLE, AFTER BREAKAGE OF THE MOLDING, THE FORCE EXERTED BY THE GLASS LIFT ARMS CAUSED THE ADHESIVE TO SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOWS HINGE, LEAVING IT "DANGLING BY A THREAD". I FEEL THAT THIS A PROBLEM THAT HAS OCCURRED IN TOO MANY CASES; A PROBLEM THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE SAFETY ISSUES WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PART TO REPLACE ($700-$1000, WITH LABOR). CHEVROLET HAS SINCE REDESIGNED THE TRAILBLAZER VEHICLES TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO CORRECT THEIR DESIGN ERROR ON THE OLDER VEHICLES, INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT UP TO THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET.*TR

THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE DOOR WAS NOT AIR TIGHT AND WOULD LET IN AIR & RAIN IN. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIME AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY A COUPLE WEEKS THE PROBLEM WILL START AGAIN. THE WHOLE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM HAS FAILED, THE BLOWER GOES ON AND OFF BY ITS SELF; BUT WHEN YOU TRY AND TURN IT ON IT WILL NOT TURN ON. THIS INCLUDES THE DEFROSTER AND HEATER IT MAKES DRIVING VERY HAZARDOUS WHEN THE WINDOWS FOGS UP. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRAILBLAZERS; HE HAS SEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF TRAILBLAZERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ALONG WITH PROBLEMS WITH THE BACK HATCH GLASS SEPARATING FROM THE HINGE. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO MY TRAILBLAZER AND MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE GLASS OR THE ENTIRE HATCH. I LOVE MY TRAILBLAZER BUT DISAPPOINTED WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR

THE REAR WINDOW HATCHES ARE RUSTING THROUGH AND I FEAR THIS WILL CAUSE THE GLUE TO SEPARATE FROM THE GLASS. ONCE THE GLUE SEPARATES THE WINDOW WILL FALL OUT. OTHER THEN THE HINGES RUSTING I SEE NO OTHER OBVIOUS SIGNS OF RUST. *TR

I WAS GOING OUT TO MY SUV WHICH IS A 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER EXT TO OPEN THE BACK IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE BUT NO ICE WAS VISIBLE ON MY TRUCK OR ANYTHING I HEARD A CRACK I THOUGH IT WAS ICE EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING BUT NOTICED MY TAIL LIGHT COVER ON TOP LOOKED BROKE SO TOOK IT TO LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED THEY SAID YES IT IS CRACKED IT WILL COST YOU 1800 DOLLARS TO FIX I DID NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY FOR A LITTLE PIECE BUT GUY SAID YOU WILL BE FINE AS LONG AS THE LIFTGATE LIFTS WHICH IT DID IT SEEMED FINE THEN ON THE WAY TO OUR DESTINATION ONE DAY ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY THE PIECE FLEW HALF WAY OFF FLAPPING BEHIND US FREAKING OUT WE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE WE HAD TO RIP IT OFF NO CHOICE OR WE WERE STUCK THEIR AND THE PIECE WOULD OF FLEW OFF AND CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. WELL IT IS STILL OFF UNTIL IT GETS REPAIRED BUT THIS JUST IN THE LAST WEEK I SEEN 2 MORE TRAILBLAZER EXT WITH THE SAME PIECE MISSING JUST IN MY SMALL TOWN OF POTTSVILLE WHICH HAD ME THINKING THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. BUT WHAT CONCERNED ME THE MOST WAS THE THIRD TRAILBLAZER EXT IN A WAL-MART PARKING LOT WITH THE PIECE BROKE BUT STILL ATTACHED.THAT PERSON PROBABLY HAS NO IDEA THAT THE PIECE WILL PROBABLY FALL OFF WILL ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I DID TALK TO THE LADY DOWN THE STREET FROM ME WHICH WAS ONE OF THE TRAILBLAZERS I SEEN AND ASK SHE SAID THE SAME THING THAT IT CRACKED WHEN OPENING THEN TOOK IT TO SHOP THEY SAID YOUR LUCKY THIS PIECE COULD HAVE FLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING. SO PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE 2003-2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. *TR

THE REAR WINDOW IN THE GATE ON MY 2003 TRAILBLAZER HAS BECOME DISCONNECTED ON ONE SIDE AT THE HINGE. IT APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THE WAY IT IS ADHERED (VIA SOME SORT OF GLUE) AS THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE AREA ITSELF. AS MY VEHICLE IS AN EXT MODEL, IT HAS A SECTION ACROSS THE VERY TOP THAT IS ALSO SIMPLY GLUED TO THE BODY WHICH HOLDS THE CENTRALLY MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT. I'VE NOTICED SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE LAST YEAR THAT THIS SECTION WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES IN CONTACT WITH THE ROOF WHEN YOU OPEN THE MAIN GATE & SEEMS REALLY LOOSE HOT WEATHER. TODAY, WHEN I OPENED THE REAR LATCH/GATE I HEARD AN UNUSUAL SOUND AND WHEN I CLOSED THE GATE & INSPECTED IT I NOTED THAT THE WINDOW PORTION APPEARED SKEWED. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE WINDOW AREA I DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE WINDOW HINGE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE GATE & WAS NO LONGER FORMING A SEAL. AS THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE AREA (THE HINGE SIMPLY LIFTED RIGHT AWAY FROM THE AREA IT WAS GLUED TO), ONE WOULD ASSUME THAT THIS MUST A DEFECT IN ASSEMBLY & MAY AFFECT SIMILAR VEHICLES. IF THE OTHER HINGE WERE TO ALSO SEPARATE THE ENTIRE GLASS ASSEMBLY WOULD NO LONGER BE ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN CAUSING A COLLISION OR OTHER INCIDENT TO VEHICLES FOLLOWING THE AFFECTED VEHICLE. OBVIOUSLY, OTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY RAIN/ELEMENTS WOULD ALSO BE A CONCERN WITH THE LACK OF PROPER SEAL BETWEEN THE WINDOW & THE REAR GATE. *TR