Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 277 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT across 4 model years. The 2004 model year has the most (145). The words owners use most often: “instrument cluster” (9% of reports).
- 277electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $890typical repair cost reported by owners
- 48%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Instrument cluster: mentioned in 24 of 277 complaints (9%)
- Fuel gauge: mentioned in 24 of 277 complaints (9%)
- Oil pressure: mentioned in 22 of 277 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT at $890, and half of them between $760 and $1,100.
Based on 21 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 238 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 277 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 10 a fire, 1 an injury.
Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Trailblazer EXT | 41 | 22% | 70,858 |
| 2004 Trailblazer EXT | 145 | 56% | 63,000 |
| 2003 Trailblazer EXT | 77 | 25% | 84,225 |
| 2002 Trailblazer EXT | 14 | 14% | 64,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Visibility:power window devices and controls; electrical system
Model years: 2006
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.
Risk: A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
Fix: Owners will be contacted and dealers will test the driver's door module. If the module is functioning properly, a protective coating will be applied. If the module is not functioning properly, it will be replaced. These repairs will be done free of charge. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners, Isuzu and Saab will contact their respective owners. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463, Isuzu owners at 1-800-255-6727, and Saab owners at 1-800-955-9007. GM's campaign number is 12180. This recall is an expansion of recall 12V-406.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
One by one things have been going out and not working. First the car would not start all the time with the key, then the a/c stoped working, next was the fuel pump, then the injectors. I checked everything it could be. I was driving with my kids down the highway when my car just died lost power…
When driving for 30 to 45 mins all the instruments on dash start sticking and reading wrong information. In the picture my car is parked .
Instrumental panel/ gage cluster. All gages continue to fail spiking all over the place prior to failing. Air bag light continues to blink on then off randomly
Speedometer is erratic often showing false speed or goes to zero.all moving speeds highway or streets.
Fuel gauge not working alone with all the other gauges and turning signal not working
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Trailblazer EXTs have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 277 owner complaints about electrical system for the Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT?
Owners report a typical cost of $890 (half paid between $760 and $1,100), from 21 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT?
The most frequent phrase is “instrument cluster”, in 24 of 277 complaints, followed by “fuel gauge” (24).
Other Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT problems
See all Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT problems.