2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER Complaints

I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 290 (YOUNGMAN HIGHWAY) AT ABOUT 65 M.P.H. WHEN SMOKE BEGAN WAFTING FROM THE AREA WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN MEETS THE DASHBOARD. I TOOK IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION, PULLED ONTO AND OFF THE SHOULDER ONTO THE GRASS, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, RAN TO THE BARRIER FENCE AND WATCHED TO SEE IF VEHICLE WAS GOING TO BURST INTO FLAMES. AFTER CALLING AAA, ABOUT TEN MINUTES HAD ELAPSED WITHOUT FURTHER SMOKE SO I ASSUMED I COULD DRIVE TO THE NEXT EXIT RAMP AT COLVIN BLVD. (ABOUT 1,000 FEET AWAY) AND OFF TO A WENDY'S PARKING LOT WHERE I WAITED FOR A AAA FLATBED TRUCK. MY SUV WAS FLATBED TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP, FUCCILLO CHEVROLET ON GRAND ISLAND, WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH, CODE NUMBER C0379. TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS$222.66. IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS EXPENSE. THOUGH NO VISIBLE FIRE WAS OBSERVED, THE SMOKE WAS A CLEAR SIGN OF PROBLEM THAT WAS SO HOT IT CAUSED OXIDATION OF MATERIAL INTO VISIBLE SMOKE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK IN DRIVE AND WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 10/24/2014*LJ UPDATED 4/16/2015 *JS

I WAS DRIVING TO GO GET PIZZA WITH MY 15 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER. ONCE AT THE PIZZA PLACE I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND PROCEEDED TO PUT MY TRUCK IN PARK AND WENT TO TURN OFF IGNITION SWITCH AND IT WOULDN'T TURN OFF. I BECAME FRIGHTENED BECAUSE THAT WAS THE 4TH TIME THAT MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF. A NICE MAN IN THE PARKING LOT CAME OVER TO TRY TO ASSIST ME AND HE COULD NOT GET IT TO TURN OFF EITHER. I WAS ABOUT TO CALL 911 AND I SAT BACK IN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND THE SWITCH FINALLY TURNED OFF. IT STAYED ON 20 MINUTES BEFORE IT CUT OFF. EACH TIME IT HAS HAPPENED IT HAS STAYED ON AT LEAST 10 MINUTES OR LONGER. I HAVE CALLED THE 1-800 NUMBER FOR CHEVROLET EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME. I AM TO THE POINT WHERE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY TRUCK BUT THIS IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN LISTED IN THE RECALL YET HOWEVER, SOMETHING IS VISIBLY WRONG WITH MY SWITCH AND I AM REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH THIS. I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY DRIVING MY TRUCK. *TR

PLASTIC WELD CONNECTING FUEL FILL PIPE TO FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED.CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS ISSUE & WAS INFORMED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD JUST MISSED THE CAMPAIGN TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BY ONE MONTH. WHY IS THIS CAMPAIGN (07099) A LIMITED TSB & NOT A SAFETY RECALL? VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS STATE EMISSIONS INSPECTION. TECHNICIAN REPAIRED LEAK WITH EPOXY THAT SEALED LONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT VAPOR LEAKAGE TO PASS EMISSION TEST.NOW THAT HAS FAILED AND ONCE AGAIN VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS EMISSIONS. MORE IMPORTANTLY THE FUEL VAPORS EMITTING FROM VEHICLE MAKE IT UNSAFE AND IMPOSSIBLE TO PARK IN AN ENCLOSED AREA.THIS IS NOT DUE TO A WORN PART OR CORROSION,THIS IS DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN THAT EVENTUALLY WILL CAUSE AN EXPLOSION.WORSE YET GM OFFERS NO DISCOUNT ON THIS VERY EXPENSIVE TANK ASSEMBLY TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.I CAN NOT THINK OF A MORE DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT HAS BEEN SO IGNORED.PERHAPS WHEN THE FIRES START THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ABOUT GM'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO SUCH A SERIOUS AND POSSIBLY LOSS OF LIFE HAZARD THAT THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST OWNERS IN CORRECTING. *TR

THE DRIVERS SEAT HEATER GOT VERY HOT AND THEN STOPPED WORKING SHORTLY AFTER. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON. I FOUND THAT ONE OF THE WIRES HAD OVERHEATED AND ACTUALLY BURNED THE FOAM AND COVERING. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS AND PICTURES ON THE INTERNET. I REMOVED MY SEAT AND FOUND THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I AM ASTOUNDED THAT NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO STOP THE USE OF THESE DEFECTIVE HEATERS. THIS IS MOST CERTAINLY A VERY SERIOUS FIRE AND BURN HAZARD. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WAS BROKEN AND REPAIRED BY DEALER AT THE TIME I PURCHASED IT ON 22 DEC 2012. SEAT UNEXPECTEDLY BROKE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON IL TOLL WAY. NEARLY LOST CONTROL. I AM NOT A HEAVY PERSON - 170 LBS., AND WAS NOT ON VERY BUMPY ROAD. *TR

POWER STEERING LINE FAILED/CORRODED AND LEAKED ALL THE FLUID ON GROUND WITHOUT WARNING. UNKNOWN IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE UNIT. *TR

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS SINCE 2011 AT NIGHT AT RANDOM TIMES OUR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS GO OUT ON US AS YOUR DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THEY MAY COME BACK ON BEFORE YOU GET HOME BUT WE HAVE DROVE 1HR 30 MINUTES AND STILL NOT. WE DID TAKE IT IN SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY CAN NOT FINE A PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY CAN CHANGE THIS N THAT SENOR BUT COULDN'T SAY THAT WOULD EVEN FIX IT. BUT COST US $$$$$$ WHY CAN'T SOME ONE FINE OUT DO A RECALL WE HATE DRIVING ON OUR HIGHBEAM AND SO DOES THE PEOPLE WE PASS OR GET BEHIND. WE DO TRY AND TURN THEM OFF WHEN WE PASS OTHER BUT THAT IS DANGERS AS WELL.PLEASE HELP WE WANT TO KEEP OUR TRAILBLAZER AND STAY ALIVE. *TR

DRIVER 55 MILES ON NORTH I-35 FREEWAY ENGINE LOST POWER AND DRIVER HAD NO POWER STEERING NO POWER BRAKES HIT RIGHT SIDE WALL AND HIT LEFT SIDE WALL ON FREEWAY FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT AND SAFETY BELT PULLED OUT OF HOLDER AND DRIVER WAS THROWN ALL OVER AUTO DRIVER HAD CONTACTED GM MOTORS AND THEY SAID THE AUTO WAS NOT ON RECALL LIST AND WAS SAFE AUTO HAD ONE PREVIOUS PROBLEM AS ABOVE LOSS OF POWER BUT ENGINE PICK UP POWER AND RAN THIS ACCIDENT WAS JUST LIKE THE GM RECALL ON THE SWITCH THE DRIVER INJURY SEVERE AND MAY NEVER WALK AGAIN DRIVER HAS HAD TWO SURGERIES AND STILL IN THE HOSPITAL SINCE 6 15 2014 THIS NEEDS TO BE ON THE GM REPORT FOR DEFECT AUTO LIST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG BURNING ODOR EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO POWER OFF. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTING ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO POWER OFF. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FUSE BOX WAS BURNING AND DISCONNECTED ALL THE FUSES TO AVOID A FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000. UPDATED 10/09/14*LJ UPDATED 3/26/2015 *JS