Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||||
| 030866008 | 08/01/2003 | 10012578 | Perimeter seal/gasket pulls away from license plate housing and/or excessive adhesive around gasket. *tt | 03/07/2005 | |
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE | |||||
| 060866011 | 08/01/2006 | 10020523 | Rear liftgate binds, improper fit. may be caused by broken welds or cracks formed around the two inner welds. *kb | 11/09/2006 | |
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS | |||||
| PIT-3749D | 11/01/2010 | 10037570 | Ready | 05/25/2011 | |
| PIT-3749D | 11/01/2010 | 10037570 | Gm: on some truck models there is some frame corrosion. *rm | 05/25/2011 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 08/28/2008 | 27000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 08/05/2006 | 15800 | 1 | 06/03/2003 |
| The roof rack to my 2003 chevrolet trailblazer blew off while driving home from the shore on the atlantic city expressway. there was no prior damage or accident to the vehicle to cause such a problem. we were informed that our car was not the first case. the dealer did fix the roof rack but i'm concerned that it will happen again if no adjustments are made to the design. there is a glue strip that holds the bottom portion in place. this is an accident waiting to happen. *jb | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 10/23/2011 | 140000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 10/23/2011 | 140000 | ||
| 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 travelling 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. | |||
| 09/04/2012 | 139000 | 1 | |
| Driving approx 70mph on the highway, suddenly heard a whap whap whap noise coming from the back of the vehicle. i slowed down, and the sound diminished. arriving home, i found that the center brake light assembly had come loose at both ends. the two center connections luckily held, or else the piece would have come off the car and possibly caused an accident. i have read that other trailblazers have had the same issue. *tr | |||
| 09/04/2012 | 139000 | ||
| Driving approx 70mph on the highway, suddenly heard a whap whap whap noise coming from the back of the vehicle. i slowed down, and the sound diminished. arriving home, i found that the center brake light assembly had come loose at both ends. the two center connections luckily held, or else the piece would have come off the car and possibly caused an accident. i have read that other trailblazers have had the same issue. | |||
| 09/05/2009 | 1 | ||
| The rear windshield came unhinged from the rear door. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2009 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 05/11/2009 | 52000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 05/30/2008 | 112000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - BUMPERS | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 17 | 1 | 10/31/2002 |
| The rear bumper of my 2003 chevy trailblazer cracked duing an impact of less than 5mph. gm told me that this isn't a problem, and this might happen. i thought they named this a bumper because it was there to withstand some kind of impact.*ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR | |||
| 06/29/2006 | 76000 | 2 | 04/01/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated, while driving or parked, the vehicle leaks water from rain and puddles on the road into the interior of the vehicle. the first leak entered through the left rear door. while the second leak entered from the left rear wheel fender shielding. the water from the leaks caused mold in the carpeting of the vehicle. the manufacturer determined the vehicle was beyond the warranty limitations. the dealer offered to repair and replace the carpeting at the owner's expense. | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | |||
| 09/12/2007 | 71700 | 1 | 08/22/2005 |
| My 2003 chevy trailblazer has a third brake light across the top hatch .while driving down a busy highway it was flying like a wing on the back of my vehicle luckily dot falling completely off but when i stopped it came crashing down onto my window of hatch luckily not breaking all i could do is break it completely off so it would not fly into someone's windshield behind me i work with a lady with the same make and model and hers flew right off her latch causing it to smash luckily no one was behind her. i also have it in the shop due to rusty corroded hoses that went to transmission causing all fluid to drain almost burning up my transmission no indication lights ever came on other than it skipping a little luckily a service engine light came on a week later i took it to garage and just in time. unfortunately even with power train warranty this problem is costing me 500.00 out of my pocket no fault of mine wheel wells and brake drums have been beaten due to lots of rust build up and doors that were recalled and fixed three times still not working right also front headlight replaced twice in two years causing me to be pulled over twice as i did not realize the problem of my lights going out frequently. *tr | |||
| 06/14/2004 | 6000 | 10 | 10/20/2003 |
| Front end loose, ball joints needed replacement. driver side seatbelt defective/twisted. rotors warped needed repalcement. outside door handle does not open door. dirver side mirror moves around (programed) without notice. transmission engages rough, feels like it slipping. tailgate out of allignment, rear seatbelt defective needed replacement, 4wd locked up in parking lot, front end has scraping noises when turning, heated seats not working, irratic, tailgate panel falls off, driver seat frame broken needed replacement,electrical system irratic. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE | |||
| 03/08/2006 | 1 | ||
| The rear tail gate has separated from the top there is a huge gap now between the roof and the upper plastic piece - big enough that when the door is closed i can fit my entire hand between what is supposed to be the seal. i was looking into it and found out that this has happened to a lot of trail blazers and envoys. i have no idea of how it even happened. when i contacted gm about the problem they advise that the problem is not covered. *nm | |||
| 03/03/2006 | 44306 | 2 | 12/16/2002 |
| Awful, awful safety hazard on my 2003 trailblazer!!!!!the hatch back/lift gate won't open - tailgate window explodes in the mechanics face knocking him to the ground. representatives from gm and from the dealership deny that this has happened in any other 2003 trailblazers. that is a lie!!!! see other complaints on this very website. complaint #10121982, also complaint #10150063, and complaint #10075392. then check out complaint #10038988, #10075392 and #10061979 regarding the hatchback tailgate breakdowns. complaint #10121982 tells of a child that is injured by the exploding glass in the tailgate. remember the double sided tape that the dealership tells me that gm uses to hold on the high mount stop light and trim??? in complaint #10038988 the complainant was also told about the double sided tape. are you investigating this problem????? i am driving a very unsafe car and i will fight until i get some action. i have been without a car now for 10 days. the dealership insisted that we turn this claim into my insurance. $2,650 claim for what the dealership said would cost $25. the dealers body shop also explained that the high mount stop light and trim are attached with double face tape and if they come loose they bind inside the hatchback. i don't feel it is my insurance company's responsibility to pay for something the dealer caused. this is a very dangerous problem created by cheverolet's poor design. why haven't they done a recall on this. there are numerous other complaints about the same hatchback failure. the glass could explode on me on my grandkids or another mechanic. i will be nervous everytime i open that hatchback and i will never, never buy a general motors car again. the dealership treated my husband and i terribly. they knew they had the upper hand in the situation and they knew there was nothing we could do. *jb | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | |||
| 09/12/2007 | 71700 | 1 | 08/22/2005 |
| My 2003 chevy trailblazer has a third brake light across the top hatch .while driving down a busy highway it was flying like a wing on the back of my vehicle luckily dot falling completely off but when i stopped it came crashing down onto my window of hatch luckily not breaking all i could do is break it completely off so it would not fly into someone's windshield behind me i work with a lady with the same make and model and hers flew right off her latch causing it to smash luckily no one was behind her. i also have it in the shop due to rusty corroded hoses that went to transmission causing all fluid to drain almost burning up my transmission no indication lights ever came on other than it skipping a little luckily a service engine light came on a week later i took it to garage and just in time. unfortunately even with power train warranty this problem is costing me 500.00 out of my pocket no fault of mine wheel wells and brake drums have been beaten due to lots of rust build up and doors that were recalled and fixed three times still not working right also front headlight replaced twice in two years causing me to be pulled over twice as i did not realize the problem of my lights going out frequently. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2007 | 40000 | 2 | 12/27/2002 |
| About two years ago while i was trying to close the glass rear hatch on my 2003 chevrolet trailblazer it exploded in my face. i was cut on my hands, face, and got glass in my eyes. i went directly to the dealer (arrow chevrolet, now called sunrise chevrolet, in midlothian il.) the service dept. looked at the damage and said they never saw anything like that, (i found out later that it is common) they sent the vehicle out to a window repair shop to have the glass replaced. when i got the car back, i noticed that the window was not aligned properly; the service dept. looked at it quickly and told me that it was fine. three weeks ago while driving down the interstate at 70 mph a loud vibration came from the glass window hatch, as i slowed down the high mount rear stop tail lamp assembly, which is a large fiberglass body piece as wide as the car and 3 feet across flew off my car striking a car in back of me. i pulled over and so did the other driver, the other driver was very shaken as so was i. slight damage to the hood and the bumper of the other car and he said that it was ok since the car was old. my car now is missing a large piece of the body and the third brake light. it was run over by a truck... the window company that replaced the rear hatch window did not affix the panel properly to the window; i have seen may complaints on other web site that the factory install and the double face tape that is used malfunctions all the time, please help me, we are dealing with two issues here, the rear window exploding and injuring me and the faulty double faced tape that is used to secure outside parts to the car. in addition, the illinois state police stopped and told me that they could have given me a ticket for driving an unsafe vehicle but they gave me a pass and told me to write to you and send them a copy of my letter. *tr | |||
| 02/25/2007 | 42229 | 2 | 12/26/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer ext. the contact opened the rear hatch and heard a cracking noise coming from the top. approximately three to four days later the contact noticed that the center high mounted stop lamp bracket failed. the vehicle was brought to the dealer simmons-rockwell chevrolet. the dealer took the vehicle to another mechanic, and informed the contact that the failure was typical for that type of vehicle and was indeed a safety issue. the mechanic stated that the entire center high mounted stop lamp could become detached while driving and strike another vehicle. the contact found another complaint online with odi # 10061979. the contact filed a complaint with the manufacturer, and was given case # 71-500170558. also, the contact stated the fuel system failed. in january of 2007, the contact detected an aroma of gas while driving the vehicle. the odor became increasingly potent, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated that the fuel pump module was corroded and leaked. and the dealer quoted a repair price of $800. the fuel pump filter was repaired, and after serious negotiations, the contact was only required to pay $196.00. the contact searched online ,and found an open investigation , pe07013 from nhtsa dated march 12, 2007 for the fuel system. the failure mileage was 42,229. *ak | |||
| 03/12/2004 | 21000 | 9 | 05/10/2003 |
| 2003 chevrolet trailblazer - purchased in may of 2003 off of the sales floor - around 5 miles on it - truck began squeaking - took it in, they said bad break pads, changed them out and gave it back (2 days without truck) - squeaking still there - took it back in - service tech said the front spindle was bent - told me i couldn't drive it it was unsafe (5 more days without truck) - at the same time they take truck to body shop because rear hatch won't shut it too is bent - same with the hood (hmmmmmmmm!!!!) - rear wiper motor then busts (now i'm erked) - driving down the highway at 55 and truck shuts off - no power steering almost wreck it seems the gas gauge is not accurate!!!!!!! - then blower motor won't shut off without taking fuse out ... no heat in rear heaters, climate control doesn't work (yet a few more days without truck)- the last straw - my 9 month old truck has a broken transfer case and the 4-wheel drive went out - of course the 4-wheel drive went out on a steep hill in the middle of winter - not acceptable in alaska not acceptable in a new truck!!!!!! - had to get out of a defective truck so now we are stuck with a brand new tahoe that is $10,000+ upside down! you decide who is wrong in this case! *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | |||
| 03/12/2004 | 21000 | 9 | 05/10/2003 |
| 2003 chevrolet trailblazer - purchased in may of 2003 off of the sales floor - around 5 miles on it - truck began squeaking - took it in, they said bad break pads, changed them out and gave it back (2 days without truck) - squeaking still there - took it back in - service tech said the front spindle was bent - told me i couldn't drive it it was unsafe (5 more days without truck) - at the same time they take truck to body shop because rear hatch won't shut it too is bent - same with the hood (hmmmmmmmm!!!!) - rear wiper motor then busts (now i'm erked) - driving down the highway at 55 and truck shuts off - no power steering almost wreck it seems the gas gauge is not accurate!!!!!!! - then blower motor won't shut off without taking fuse out ... no heat in rear heaters, climate control doesn't work (yet a few more days without truck)- the last straw - my 9 month old truck has a broken transfer case and the 4-wheel drive went out - of course the 4-wheel drive went out on a steep hill in the middle of winter - not acceptable in alaska not acceptable in a new truck!!!!!! - had to get out of a defective truck so now we are stuck with a brand new tahoe that is $10,000+ upside down! you decide who is wrong in this case! *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - TAILGATE - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | |||
| 05/10/2005 | 24500 | 1 | 07/03/2003 |
| Dt: the owner went to open the glass on the tailgate ,and when the owner had her hand on the handle to lift the glass it exploded from the tailgate. the were no prior problems with the tailgate. dealer replaced the glass which was covered under warranty. the owner's child sustained injuries in this incident, she had a small cut on her hand, on her cheek, and a large cut on her face above her eyebrow.*ak | |||
| 06/14/2004 | 6000 | 10 | 10/20/2003 |
| Front end loose, ball joints needed replacement. driver side seatbelt defective/twisted. rotors warped needed repalcement. outside door handle does not open door. dirver side mirror moves around (programed) without notice. transmission engages rough, feels like it slipping. tailgate out of allignment, rear seatbelt defective needed replacement, 4wd locked up in parking lot, front end has scraping noises when turning, heated seats not working, irratic, tailgate panel falls off, driver seat frame broken needed replacement,electrical system irratic. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS | |||
| 06/14/2004 | 6000 | 10 | 10/20/2003 |
| Front end loose, ball joints needed replacement. driver side seatbelt defective/twisted. rotors warped needed repalcement. outside door handle does not open door. dirver side mirror moves around (programed) without notice. transmission engages rough, feels like it slipping. tailgate out of allignment, rear seatbelt defective needed replacement, 4wd locked up in parking lot, front end has scraping noises when turning, heated seats not working, irratic, tailgate panel falls off, driver seat frame broken needed replacement,electrical system irratic. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS | |||
| 06/29/2006 | 76000 | 2 | 04/01/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated, while driving or parked, the vehicle leaks water from rain and puddles on the road into the interior of the vehicle. the first leak entered through the left rear door. while the second leak entered from the left rear wheel fender shielding. the water from the leaks caused mold in the carpeting of the vehicle. the manufacturer determined the vehicle was beyond the warranty limitations. the dealer offered to repair and replace the carpeting at the owner's expense. | |||