1985 Chevrolet Blazer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1985 Chevrolet Blazer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

29Owner complaints

Model-year median: 32

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1985 Chevrolet Blazer

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 29 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 2 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Engine And Engine Cooling: 5 reports
Steering: 5 reports
Power Train: 4 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 4 reports
Seat Belts: 3 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Blazer years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

5 Steering

5 Power Train

4 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

4 Seat Belts

All reported categories

1 Latches/locks/linkages

1 Parking Brake

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 29 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports

Power Train complaints

4 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 2000

Power Train

Read full complaint

TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING IN VEHICLE - TOOK TO JOY TRANSMISSION SERVICE BECAUSE OF AD SEEN IN LOCAL PAPER STATING $200 COMPLETE TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL - TOOK IN 1/6/1998 PROMISED TO COMPLETE BY 1/8/98 KEPT VEHICLE 6 DAYS - THEY CALLED ON 6TH DAY AND STATED THE TRANSMISSION TORN DOWN AND WOULD COST ANOTHER $350 TO "REASSEMBLE" EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T DO THE REPAIR TO IT OR THEY COULD RETURN THE VEHICLE IN PIECES AND WE COULD REASSEMBLE OURSELVES - WE GAVE THEM AND ADDITIONAL $350- THEY PROMISED VEHICLE WOULD BE COMPLETELY REPAIRED ON NEXT DAY 2 DAYS LATER CALLED AND SAID THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED - WENT TO PICK UP VEHICLE - VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE AND THE STEREO FACEPLATED WAS MISSING BUT OWNER SUDDENLY PULLED OUT OF BOTTOM DESK DRAWER WHEN OUR TEMPERS BEGAN TO SHOW. 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE RETURNED IT BEGAN TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID RAPIDLY - RETURNED VEHICLE THEY KEPT 3 DAYS AND SAID IT WAS "FIXED FOR GOOD THIS TIME" 2 WEEKS AFTER VEHICLE RETURNED BEGAN TO POUR TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM THE BOTTOM OF VEHICLE- TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT HOLD FLUID. RETURNED AND KEPT ANOTHER 5 DAYS - AFTER 2 MONTHS SAME PROBLEM ALONG WITH SMOKING FROM TRANSMISSION AND OVERHEATING OF TRANS. RETURNED TO SAME SHOP - NOW WITH A DIFFERENT NAME ON SHOP WOULD NOT HONOR WARRANTY OR REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE SAME MECHANICS WORKING IN SHOP - FILED PAPERS FOR SMALL CLAIMS - SHOP WILL NOT ACCEPT PAPERWORK FOR COURT UNDER JOY TRANSMISSION NAME. MECHANICS NAME : PETER PHONE NUMBER (310) 676-5061 *AK

NHTSA ODI #724429

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 1997

Power Train

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AFTER SLIDING ON ICY PAVEMENT, THE REAR AXLE BROKE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #808547

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 1997

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE, DRIVER PULLED OVER, CAR WAS THEN TOWED, DRIVER WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SPLIT IN THE REAR AXLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #808426

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 1996

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED. *SD

NHTSA ODI #506285

Recall campaigns

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

EA89003 · Rear Axle Shaft

Opened Nov 7, 1988 · Closed Aug 24, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

There is no summary currently available

PE88047 · Rear Axle Failure

Opened Apr 19, 1988 · Closed Nov 7, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension

There is no summary currently available

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.