There are 48 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING STRAIGHT NO TURNS IN MY 05 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER GOING ABOUT 60MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOW CLICK SOUND AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE OR KEEP MY CURRENT SPEED IT WAS BEYOND UNSAFE SO I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY ENGINE RUNNING STILL I PUT IT IN EVERY GEAR TO SEE IF IT WOULD MOVE IT DID NOT I TRIED R,D,3,2&1 GEARS AND THE TRUCK ONLY REV'D UP AND DID NOT MOVE .IT WAS NO SIGNS OF THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT OR GOING BAD IT STILL SHIFTED SMOOTH IT JUST WENT OUT ALL OF A SUDDEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS I FEEL LIKE THE TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE CHEAPLY MADE .
OUR VEHICLE DIED AT A TURN SIGNAL LIGHT IN A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. NO WARNING FROM THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS RUNNING NORMAL. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT NO START. POLICE FORCE A TOW OUT OF THE BUSY INTERSECTION RIGHT AWAY. IT STARTS UP AT THE MECHANICS. THEY TESTED FUEL FILTER AND OTHER STUFF. WE GET ON THE HIGHWAY IN TRAFFIC AND GET 6 MILES OUT AND NO WARNING WE DIE AND HAD TO PUSH THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER ON IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. SIT FOR 2 HOURS AND IT FIRES UP. SO WE FOUND SHADE AND WAITED FOR COOL DOWN. 2 HOURS AWAY FROM HOME AND IT TOOK US 9 HOURS TO GET HOME. WE DROVE IT TO THE STORE AND WHEN WE WERE DONE SHOPPING IT FIRED UP. WENT AROUND THE CORNER TO OTHER STORE AND SHOPPED 2 HOURS AND CAME OUT AND IT WOULD TURN AND NO START. TRIED STARTING EVERY 30 MINUTES TO HOUR FROM 9:30PM TO 1:40AM AND THEN IT FIRED RIGHT UP THEN DROVE 30 MINUTES TO HOME. AFTER RESEARCHING AND FINDING QUITE A FEW WITH SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WE FOUND THAT IT IS THE PWR/TRN RELAY PLUG IN AREA IN THE FUSE RELAY CENTER. WHEN WE BROKE THE PLASTIC OFF THE RELAY AND WRAPPED A RUBBER BAND AROUND IT SO IT'S CONSTANT CONTACT AND PLUG IT IN, IT WILL FIRE UP EVERY TIME. I CAN DRIVE IT ALL DAY LIKE THAT WITH NO ISSUES. I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY FROM RUNNING TO ACCESSORY MODE THEN REMOVE THE RUBBER BAND AND THEN POWER OFF THE CAR. DON'T WANT TO FRY COM. THE RELAYS ARE GOOD AND PROBLEM IS THE FUSE RELAY CENTER. CHEVROLET SAID THEMSELVES THAT THIS MODEL IS NOTORIOUS FOR FUSE RELAY CENTER PROBLEMS AND USUALLY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT. IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT. THERE ARE TWO PICTURES ATTACHED FROM ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WITH SAME VEHICLE SAME PROBLEM AND IN ORDER TO MAKE HIS FUSE RELAY CENTER WORK PROPERLY HE HAD TO WIRE/REROUTE HIS PWR/TRN RELAY AS SEEN IN THE PICTURE. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH CHEVROLET AND THE TRAILBLAZER.
WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM 45 TO 60 MILES PER HOUR MY WHOLE TRUCK VIBRATES AND IT FEELS LIKE THE ENGINE IS SEIZING BUT IF I ACCELERATE MORE OR REDUCE MY SPEED IT GOES AWAY. I WAS RESEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OUT I WASNT THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. I WAS JUST THINKING OF EVERYONE'S SAFETY INCLUDING MY OWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHEN THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEARSHIFT IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DRIVE. IN ADDITION, WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY INCREASE ONE GRAM RPM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FORWARD GEAR WAS LOCKED IN WITH THE LOSS OF PARK AND REVERSE AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,672.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAILED GM/AC DELCO TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINE FITTING, WHICH CAUSED TRANSMISSION COOLANT TO LEAK OUT ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
ON JULY 29, 2015 I EXITED THE FREEWAY, AND SUDDENLY MY 2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER EXT 4.2L BEGAN TO STALL AND WOULD NOT PROCEED UPON ACCELERATION. AFTER CALLING THE GM CORPORATE OFFICE, I ASKED IF THERE WAS A POSSIBLE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION, THEY STATED "NO"... HOWEVER, THE REPRESENTATIVE DID TELL ME THAT MY USED 2005 TRAILBLAZER EXT DID HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN 2007. THIS IS 2 YEARS AFTER THE VEHICLE HIT THE ROAD SPANKING BRAND NEW. THERE HAS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY TRAILBLAZERS TRANSMISSION. I ENDED UP SPENDING A TOTAL OF $1,600.00 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. I AM NOW LOOKING TO POSSIBLY TRADE MY TRAILBLAZER IN SOON. LOOKING AT THE COMPLAINTS HERE IN THIS FORUM REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE CHEVY TRAILBLAZER TRANSMISSION IS RIDICULOUS. GM REFUSES TO OWN UP TO THEIR MISTAKE. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE NHTSA GET STRICT WITH AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURERS. WHAT WILL IT TAKE BEFORE SOMEONE LISTENS TO THE CONSUMER, A DEATH? THAT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN MY FATE; LUCKILY, IT HAPPENED WHEN EXITING THE FREEWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED ABRUPTLY INTO SECOND GEAR, AND FROM SECOND GEAR INTO THIRD GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FIRST AND SECOND SHIFT SENSOR IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED, AND THE SECOND AND THIRD SHIFT SENSOR WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.
TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES ARE CORRODED THRU.... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SHIFT CONTROL SOLENOID SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON I-94 NEAR MILE MARKER 12 IN MICHIGAN, THE REAR AXLE BROKE, MAKING THE CAR INOPERABLE. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE. *TR
WHILE PUTTING THE TRUCK INTO 4X4 HI, LO, OR ALL WHEEL DRIVE, THE TRANSFER CASE NEVER DOES FULLY PUT IT INTO 4X4. WHILE DRIVING, THE DIM LIGHTS TURN COMPLETELY OFF. THE BRIGHTS WORK, BUT THE DIMS DO NOT. THESE WILL NOT TURN BACK ON UNTIL THE TRUCK IS SHUT OFF OR A PROPER BUMP IS HIT. THE HEATER BLOWER IN THE FRONT SOMETIMES WILL NIT COME ON. THE BACK WILL BE BLOWING, NOT THE FRONT. ALSO IF A BUMP IS HIT IMPROPERLY, THE BACK SPEAKERS WILL START BUZZING. *TR
STEERING WHEEL MALFUNCTIONS, CAR TURNS OFF WHEN WHEEL IS EXTENDED TOO FAR TO THE LEFT. SEATBELTS FOR LAST ROW OF SEATS DON'T LOCK, RADIO IS STUCK, BUTTONS DON'T CONTROL RADIO PROPERLY. *TR
CRASHED STRAIGHT INTO THE BACK END OF A VEHICLE DOING 60 WHILE I WAS DOING ATLEAST 80, OR 85, MAYBE MORE, I DON'T REMEMBER. THE FIRST THING I REMEMBER SEEING IS REALIZING I'M ALRIGHT DESPITE THE BLOOD IN THE COCKPIT AND ON MY FACE DESPITE SNEEZING WHICH WAS SPREADING BLOOD. IS THIS A VEHICLE DEFECT OR WHAT? MY MATH SAYS THAT CRASHING AT 85MPH INTO A VEHICLE DOING 60 IS LIKE CRASHING INTO A BRICK WALL AT 25MPH. I'VE HAD A LOCAL MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT AND HE SAYS ACCORDING TO HIS OBD-II COMPUTER EVERYTHING IS WORKING FINE (OR WAS ATLEAST) :) ANYWAYS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AGAIN WITH ANY MORE QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
SIR/ MA'AM, I NOTICED RECENTLY IN THE NEWS THAT SEVERAL GM PRODUCT LINES HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER AND/OR CUT OUT. I IMPLORE YOU TO LOOK INTO THE TRAILBLAZERS. I EMAILED GM WHILE I WAS DEPLOYED (2012) AND THEY GAVE ME THE RUNAROUND SAYING THAT IT IS NOT A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM, AS EXPECTED. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH WOULD SHOW THAT A LOT OF OTHER TRAILBLAZER OWNERS HAVE BAD IGNITION SWITCHES/ ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER AT ALL SPEEDS. MY WIFE LOST POWER GOING ABOUT 35 MPH AND I HAD MY TWO CHILDREN ALONG WITH HER. THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE, ON ONE OCCASION. GRANTED, I DO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, IT STILL OCCURS AT RANDOM AND AT ALL SPEEDS. GM TELLS ME TO GO TO A DEALER AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. I REFUSE TO PAY GM ANY MONEY TO HAVE A DEALERSHIP RIP ME OFF FOR AN IGNITION SWITCH THAT IS FLAWED AND REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME FAULTY OEM STYLE/MODEL NUMBER. I HAVE RAN A SCAN TOOL LOOKING FOR CODES AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY. LIKE STATED PREVIOUSLY, THIS IS ANOTHER LINE OF GM THAT IS PLAGUED WITH IGNITION AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT GM REFUSES TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF. THE MILEAGE I HAVE ENTERED IS APPROXIMATE. I CANNOT REMEMBER EXACT NUMBERS, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED FOR YEARS, INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS COASTED TO IT'S FINAL DESTINATION AFTER LOSING POWER, IT STARTS UP AND DRIVES NORMAL AGAIN AFTER IT IS PUT BACK INTO PARK. ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT IT DOESN'T SHOW ANY CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, INDICATING A PROBLEM OR NEED OF SERVICING. AGAIN, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PRODUCT LINE AS I KNOW THE RESULT(S) WILL SHOW THAT GM IS LIABLE AND I DON'T WANT ANY FATALITIES BECAUSE NOBODY SPOKE UP ABOUT IT. *TR
DOOR LOCKS REPEATEDLY LOCKED AND UNLOCKED, THEN CASCADING FAILURES, ANTI-LOCK LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT, OTHER WARNING LIGHTS. ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND WOULD NOT MAKE POWER, ENGINE QUIT. NOTE TRANSMISSION GEAR INDICATOR READ INCORRECTLY. DISCONNECTED BATTERY, AND RECONNECTED, ENGINE STARTED GOT ME HOME. THREE OCCURRENCES THAT THE ENGINE JUST QUITS. IT WILL RESTART AFTER A FEW MINUTES. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAD ANOTHER OCCURRENCE, MECHANIC FOUND A CODE INDICATING THE ECM MAY BE BAD. HE TELLS ME THIS SHOULD HAVE NOTING TO DO WITH THE DOOR LOCKS. THE DOOR LOCKS LATCH AND UNLATCH, UNCOMMANDED. ENGINE STOPS WHEN UNDER POWER. MECHANIC HAS NO COURSE OF ACTION AT THIS TIME. *TR
I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR! I HAVE HAD IT AT THE MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES. HE HAS REPLACED SOME SENSORS BUT THE CAR STILL...PUTTERS..PUTTERS.. AND PUTTERS......HELP!!! THE CAR JERKS, PUTTERS AND SOMETIMES DIES WHILE DRIVING! *TR
AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM JUST AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN AN INCLINED HOME DRIVEWAY AND AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF FOR 2-3 MINUTES AND WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION, THE VEHICLE ON ITS OWN STARTED TO ROLL DOWN THE CONCRETE DRIVEWAY AND INTO THE RESIDENTIAL STREET. NO ONE WAS INJURED OR RUN OVER, THOUGH THE POTENTIAL WAS GREAT SINCE MY WIFE AND I WERE BOTH UNLOADING THE CAR FROM THE REAR SIDE DOORS AND THE TAILGATE, BUT WE WERE NEITHER IN THE DOORWAYS OR BEHIND THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY THE PARK TRANSMISSION LOCK FAILED OR BECAME DISENGAGED - A SERIOUS DEFECT. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND HAVE DRIVEN IT OVER 100 MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT SINCE YESTERDAY. I HAVE USED THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT INCIDENT SINCE THAT TIME, THOUGH I HAVE NOT PARKED THE VEHICLE ON AN INCLINED SURFACE.
TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES ARE CORRODED AND LEAKING FLUID ALL AROUND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL. THESE LINES WILL NEED REPLACED BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FAILS. THE FRAME IS SOAKED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD IF THE FLUID LEAKS ONTO THE EXHAUST OR CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *TR
ACCELERATION SLUGGISH AT FIRST. THEN THE RPM'S WOULD INCREASE WITHOUT ANY ACCELERATION. FINALLY, WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND IF WENT ABOVE 30 THE RPM'S WOULD INCREASE WITHOUT ANYMORE POWER TO THE WHEELS. FOUND A TRANSMISSION HOSE BLOWN ALSO. *TR
2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER. BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED IN 2008 WITH ONLY 33,868 MILES ON IT. HAVE 78,158 ON VEHICLE NOW AND LAST MONTH HAD TO HAVE THE RADIATOR REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION REBUILT. THE PLACE THAT DID THE REPAIRS TOLD ME HE GETS ABOUT 3-5 TRAILBLAZERS A YEAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HE HAD 2 FOLKS CALL ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE WHILE MINE WAS ON THE RACK. SEEMS THE RADIATOR DEVELOPS A SMALL LEAK IN THE SYSTEM THAT COOLS THE TRANS AND CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. HAD NO REAL ISSUES UNTIL LAST MONTH WHEN VEHICLE WOULD NOT COME OUT OF 3RD GEAR. COULD PUT AUTO TRANSMISSION IN TO 1 OR 2 AND THEN BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF FROM DEAD STOP AND SHIFT INTO DRIVE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME AND THEN TO SHOP. HAVE LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AND THERE HAS NOT, BUT APPEARS THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. TOTAL COST FOR VEHICLE REPAIR WAS $2,814.17. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 48 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026