2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Trailblazer years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1,466 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. That is the most of any Trailblazer model year in the database (18 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (617 complaints, 42%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 59 crashes, 25 fires, 59 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 1,466owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 59complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 617 | 42% | 70,000 | “gas gauge” (11%) | $760 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 435 | 30% | 69,982 | “fuel gauge” (48%) | $920 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 140 | 10% | 60,000 | “low beam” (12%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 95 | 6% | 94,000 | “fuel gauge” (42%) | $710 |
| Fuel System, Other problems | 95 | 6% | 65,075 | “fuel gauge” (43%) | $840 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 76 | 5% | 75,000 | “cruise control” (12%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 70 | 5% | 95,675 | “air bag” (26%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 51 | 3% | 77,349 | — | $4,150 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 44 | 3% | 54,550 | — | — |
| Visibility | 35 | 2% | 79,438 | — | — |
| Engine | 30 | 2% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 29 | 2% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 27 | 2% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 20 | 1% | 60,173 | — | — |
| Steering | 20 | 1% | 68,864 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 14 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 14 | 1% | 20,289 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 12 | 1% | 109,937 | — | — |
| Tires | 11 | 1% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 10 | 1% | 47,650 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 10 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 0% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 0% | 67,728 | — | — |
| Seats | 6 | 0% | 20,512 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 0% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 0% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 59,800 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Visibility:windshield
Problem: 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.
Risk: If a crash occurs, the windshield may not be retained, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of Headlights (RQ17002) — opened Apr 24, 2017, closed Mar 29, 2021.
- Fuel Level Gauge System Failure (DP10001) — opened Jan 7, 2010, closed May 23, 2011.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owned a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle crashed into the rear passenger side of a second vehicle. During the crash, no air bags in the vehicle deployed. The contact sustained neck, shoulders, and back injuries and was…
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes failed to operate as needed and the vehicle nearly crashed. Additionally, the contact reported that the rear of the vehicle lifted significantly and made a popping sound while…
Fuel gauge intermittently reports empty when vehicle was just fully filled with fuel
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wipers activated unintendedly, and the washer fluid was continuously sprayed on the windshield. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular…
My airbags didnât go off in crash
Other Chevrolet Trailblazer years
← 2004 Trailblazer · 2006 Trailblazer →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Trailblazer | 11 | 1 |
| 2025 Trailblazer | 25 | 1 |
| 2024 Trailblazer | 33 | 1 |
| 2023 Trailblazer | 71 | 0 |
| 2022 Trailblazer | 111 | 1 |
| 2021 Trailblazer | 195 | 4 |
| 2014 Trailblazer | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 Trailblazer | 27 | 0 |
| 2008 Trailblazer | 193 | 0 |
| 2007 Trailblazer | 732 | 5 |
| 2006 Trailblazer | 1,108 | 8 |
| 2005 | 1,466 | 2 |
| 2004 Trailblazer | 1,081 | 2 |
| 2003 Trailblazer | 901 | 8 |
| 2002 Trailblazer | 1,149 | 12 |
| 2001 Trailblazer | 20 | 0 |
| 2000 Trailblazer | 26 | 0 |
| 1999 Trailblazer | 4 | 0 |
See all Chevrolet Trailblazer problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
Owners most often report electrical system, fuel system, gasoline, exterior lighting problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 617 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Trailblazer model years, the 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.