Illustration2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER. HEAT/AC STOPS WORKING ON 5..THEN EVENTUALLY 4 STOPS AND SO ON UNTIL NONE OF IT WORKS. THE WIRES GET TO HOT AND MELT TOGETHER. I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM YET CHEVY STILL DOESN'T RECALL IT!? *TR
2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Trailblazer years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 87.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Trailblazer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
950–25K
18325–50K
37350–75K
28875–100K
224100–150K
57150K+
1,220 reports with mileage · 246 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 617 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 435 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 140 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
59 crash reports25 fire reports41 injury reports
What owners actually said
1,466 reportsMY GAS GAUGE SUDDENLY BEGAN MALFUNCTIONING AFTER FILLING THE TANK. THE GAUGE WENT DOWN TO EMPTY, SETTING OFF THE VISUAL AND AUDIBLE INDICATORS FOR AN EMPTY TANK. AFTER DRIVING FOR AWHILE, THE GAUGE BEGAN TO SLOWLY RISE. THIS NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME I FILL THE TANK, BUT NOW THE GAUGE NEVER GOES UP TO THE FULL POINT, USUALLY STAYIN…
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MY GAS GAUGE SUDDENLY BEGAN MALFUNCTIONING AFTER FILLING THE TANK. THE GAUGE WENT DOWN TO EMPTY, SETTING OFF THE VISUAL AND AUDIBLE INDICATORS FOR AN EMPTY TANK. AFTER DRIVING FOR AWHILE, THE GAUGE BEGAN TO SLOWLY RISE. THIS NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME I FILL THE TANK, BUT NOW THE GAUGE NEVER GOES UP TO THE FULL POINT, USUALLY STAYING AROUND HALF OF A TANK UNTIL IT STARTS TO DECLINE AGAIN. I CAN NO LONGER TRUST THE GAUGE. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM ON SOME OF THE CHEVY MODELS, PARTICULARLY THE TRAILBLAZER.
I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER THAT ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE FUEL LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED TO DING. I HAD JUST FILLED IT ABOUT JUST AN HOUR BRFORE THAT. I CHANGED THE GAS CAP AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. THE GAS GAUGE STILL DOESN'T WORK RIGHT AND IT'S STILL DINGING. I HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING GAS IN IT JUST ABOUT EVERYDAY SO I DON'T RUN O…
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I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER THAT ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE FUEL LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED TO DING. I HAD JUST FILLED IT ABOUT JUST AN HOUR BRFORE THAT. I CHANGED THE GAS CAP AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. THE GAS GAUGE STILL DOESN'T WORK RIGHT AND IT'S STILL DINGING. I HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING GAS IN IT JUST ABOUT EVERYDAY SO I DON'T RUN OUT OF GAS. *TT
LIGHTS DIM WHILE DRIVING CAUSING OTHERS TO EITHER THINK YOU ARE FLASHING THEM OR ALLOWING THEM TO MERGE IN FRONT OF YOU. NEITHER WHICH IS THE CASE. *KB
REPLACE FAULTY FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. *KB
FUEL SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACE AGAIN (2ND TIME). *KB
MY 2005 TRAILBLAZER'S FUEL GAUGE SHOWED A READING OF ALMOST 1/2 FULL, BUT WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. AS A RESULT, MY TRAILBLAZER'S ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND I NARROWLY MISSED BEING REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. BEFORE I COULD GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. I RESEARCHED THE SITUATION AND FOUND THAT WILDLY FLUCTUA…
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MY 2005 TRAILBLAZER'S FUEL GAUGE SHOWED A READING OF ALMOST 1/2 FULL, BUT WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. AS A RESULT, MY TRAILBLAZER'S ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND I NARROWLY MISSED BEING REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. BEFORE I COULD GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. I RESEARCHED THE SITUATION AND FOUND THAT WILDLY FLUCTUATING FUEL GAUGES ARE COMMON IN THIS GM MODEL. IN MY OPINION THIS DEFECT COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
WHEN MY MILEAGE ON MY 2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000, THE FUEL GAUGE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND READS THAT THERE IS AN EMPTY TANK DESPITE BEING FILLED TO CAPACITY. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS A SYSTEMIC FAULT WITH THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IN THE 2005-06 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER MODELS THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF PUTTI…
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WHEN MY MILEAGE ON MY 2005 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000, THE FUEL GAUGE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND READS THAT THERE IS AN EMPTY TANK DESPITE BEING FILLED TO CAPACITY. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS A SYSTEMIC FAULT WITH THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IN THE 2005-06 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER MODELS THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF PUTTING CONSUMERS AT GREAT RISK DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS ON EXPRESSWAYS, HIGHWAYS, ETC. AND, AS A RESULT OF AN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF MOBILITY, BEING UNNECESSARILY SUBJECT TO IMMINENT PERSONAL HARM FROM OTHER VEHICLES. I HAVE LODGED A PERSONAL COMPLAINT WITH GM AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT IN THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AS BEING A SYSTEM PROBLEM, BUT HAVE FAILED TO ISSUE ANY VOLUNTARY RECALL OF THE PART. DUE TO THE INDIVIDUAL COST OF APPROXIMATELY $800 FOR A CONSUMER TO PROCURE THIS REPAIR (WHICH ALMOST ALWAYS SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THESE VEHICLES HAVE SURPASSED 40,000 MILES AND ARE THEREFORE OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD), I BELIEVE IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF THOSE CONSUMERS AFFECTED BY THIS PART FAILURE, ESPECIALLY IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE, WILL BE FINANCIALLY UNABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF REPAIRING THIS DEFECTIVE PART ON THEIR OWN AND WILL, ACCORDINGLY, BE SUBJECT TO UNNECESSARY AND SUBSTANTIAL RISK GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR THEM TO FIND THEIR VEHICLES OUT OF GAS WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER. MOREOVER, THE POTENTIAL FOR COLLISIONS DUE TO THE SUDDEN DECELERATION OR STRANDED VEHICLES ON THE ROADWAYS ALSO POSES A SUBSTANTIAL THREAT TO OTHER DRIVERS THAT IS ENTIRELY UNNECESSARY AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WHICH DETECTED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARING AND OUTER TIE ROD WERE EXCESSIVELY LOOSE.…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WHICH DETECTED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BEARING AND OUTER TIE ROD WERE EXCESSIVELY LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,728.
DURING ROUTINE DRIVING AROUND KEENE NH THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET. *TR
Official recalls
206V417000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 31, 2006
CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH CLOTH SEATS THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC AIR BAG PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM AND LATER REUPHOLSTERED WITH AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVER KITS ARE INVOLVED. TESTING HAS INDICATED THAT THE AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVERS CAN CAUSE THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, THE FRONT AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MAY BE DISABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE ENABLED, OR ENABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE DISABLED. IN EITHER CASE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THAT REQUIRES AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, A FRONT PASSENGER'S LEVEL OF INJURY MAY BE INCREASED.
Remedy: BECAUSE A REPLACEMENT LEATHER SEAT COVER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM IS NOT AVAILABLE, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) WILL REPURCHASE THESE VEHICLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS STATED IN GM'S LETTER TO OWNERS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2006. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT GM AT 1-877-477-1022 TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REPURCHASING THEIR VEHICLE.
05V035000 · Visibility:windshield
Feb 3, 2005
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, 'WINDSHIELD MOUNTING.' THE WINDSHIELD URETHANE BEAD MAY NOT HAVE ADHERED TO THE BODY IN CERTAIN AREAS DURING THE CURE PROCESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A CRASH OCCURS, THE WINDSHIELD MAY NOT BE RETAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 10, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2RQ17002 · Loss Of Headlights
Opened Apr 24, 2017 · Closed Mar 29, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause the module to fail and result in a simultaneous loss of both low beam headlights and both daytime running lights (DRLs), often with no warning or prior detectability to the driver. This failure can be intermittent or permanent. No other exterior lights are affected. High beams, turn signals, brake lights, and reverse lights are still operational.General Motors addressed this issue with 2 recalls (14V755 & 15V519) and a special coverage program (N172091910). In view of the recalls and special coverage program implemented by GM and the vehicle high beams continuing to operate, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by GM mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by HDM failure in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.
DP10001 · Fuel Level Gauge System Failure
Opened Jan 7, 2010 · Closed May 23, 2011
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Other; Fuel System, Other:storage:fuel Gauge System
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 668 complaints alleging inaccurate fuel gauge reading while driving in model year 2005-07 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.Of the 668 complaints, 58 incidents were alleged to result in a vehicle stall.Of the 58 stalling incidents, 43 complaints reported stalling because the fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than what is actually in the fuel tank. One complaint alleged a vehicle crash after the vehicle stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.Summarily, the complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with most complaints received within the past year.A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Fuel System, Other
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 668 complaints alleging inaccurate fuel gauge reading while driving in model year 2005-07 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.Of the 668 complaints, 58 incidents were alleged to result in a vehicle stall.Of the 58 stalling incidents, 43 complaints reported stalling because the fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than what is actually in the fuel tank. One complaint alleged a vehicle crash after the vehicle stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.Summarily, the complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with most complaints received within the past year.A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.
Fuel System, Other:storage:fuel Gauge System
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 668 complaints alleging inaccurate fuel gauge reading while driving in model year 2005-07 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.Of the 668 complaints, 58 incidents were alleged to result in a vehicle stall.Of the 58 stalling incidents, 43 complaints reported stalling because the fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than what is actually in the fuel tank. One complaint alleged a vehicle crash after the vehicle stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.Summarily, the complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with most complaints received within the past year.A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.