2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER Complaints

I BEGAN SMELLING GAS FROM THE VEHICLE AND NOTED THAT THERE IS GAS DRIPPING FROM AROUND THE GAS TANK. I CONTACTED MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS THE THIRD TRAILBLAZER HE HAS SEEN IN 2 WEEKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. CHEVROLET ADVISES THAT THERE WAS A FIX WHICH WAS GOOD ONLY UNTIL 120,000 MILES. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW TO TAKE IT AND HAVE IT FIXED BEFORE 120,000 MILES IF I AM NOT NOTIFIED BY GM? THIS OBVIOUSLY IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVING THE TRAILBLAZER WHICH GM IS AWARE OF BUT HAS THUS FAR RESISTED RECALLING. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SPEEDOMETER GETS STUCK AT RANDOM PLACES. IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. GM RECALLED FOR THIS BUT NOT ON TRAILBLAZERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

**INSTRUMENT CLUSTER** MY SPEEDOMETER STARTED STICKING WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE OR DROPPING BELOW 0 WHEN I WOULD STOP. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. NONE OF THE OTHER GAUGES APPEARED TO BE AFFECTED. I ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED. THE REPAIR FACILITY HAD TO ORDER IT DIRECTLY FROM CHEVROLET WHICH MEANT I WAS WITHOUT THE VEHICLE FOR 2-3 DAYS AS THE DASH WAS COMPLETELY PULLED APART. THE REPAIRS WERE AROUND $800. I HAVE SEEN QUITE A FEW OTHER INSTANCES OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE IN THOSE AND OTHER MODELS OF CHEVY. MY BROTHER IN LAW SAID HE HAD HIS REPLACED IN HIS SILVERADO AND THAT IT WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION. *TR

HAD ERRATIC SPEED READINGS ON MY 2004 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER (E.G., READING 140 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, OR STUCK ON 20 MPG WHILE STOPPED!). AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THERE ARE BLOGS ALL OVER THE INTERNET COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND STATING THAT THE ORIGINAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STEPPER MOTORS ARE DEFECTIVE. BASED ON THIS RESEARCH, I PURCHASED REPLACEMENT STEPPER MOTORS ON EBAY, PERSONALLY SOLDERED IN REPLACEMENT STEPPER MOTORS INTO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AND IT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. WHY WERE THE STEPPER MOTORS NEVER RECALLED? *TR

BACK HATCH AND WINDOW WILL ONLY OPEN OCCASIONALLY IF I'M LUCKY. TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT ONCE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE HATCH OPEN TO FIX IT. THEY ARE OUT AGAIN AND I CAN'T GET THE HATCH TO OPEN NOW. I HAVE BEEN REPLACING HEAD LAMPS ABOUT EVERY 8 TO 10 MONTHS. HEAD LIGHTS ARE NOW GOING OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE I'M DRIVING AT NIGHT. I CAN FLIP ON THE BRIGHTS AND THEN WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND FLIP BACK TO LOW BEAMS, SOMETIMES THIS WORKS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. THE DOME LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON AND STAY ON AFTER I TURN IT OFF. HALF OF THE DASH LIGHTS FOR THE RADIO ARE OUT, SOMETIMES THEY WILL COME ON IF I TAP THEM. THE FEATURE THAT LETS YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND THE RADIO WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AND THE WINDOWS WILL STILL ROLL DOWN AS LONG AS YOU DON'T OPEN THE DOOR, IS NOT WORKING. BOTH O2 SENSORS ARE OUT AND HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME. I PURCHASED THIS SUV BRAND NEW FROM A CHEVY DEALER. I HAVE PAID IT OFF AND KEPT UP ALL OF THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE ON IT. WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO GET THESE ISSUES FIXED I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE OVER $2500.00 TO FIX AND THAT DID NOT INCLUDE LABOR. THIS SUV IS A LEMON, IF I WAS IN A POSITION TO TRADE IT IN OR BUY A NEW ONE I WOULD, AND I WOULD NOT BE GETTING ANOTHER CHEVY. I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS. I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL RECALLS ON THE TURN SIGNALS AND TAIL LIGHTS BECAUSE A FRIEND HAD HEARD ABOUT THEM AND SUGGESTED A WEBSITE TO CHECK. I'M CALLING THE DEALER TODAY TO SEE IF I CAN GET THESE ISSUES TAKEN CARE OF. ANOTHER REASON I WILL NOT BE BUYING CHEVY AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30-40 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE LANDING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE AND THE RIGHT LEG. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 8/5/13 *CN

FUEL TANK IS LEAKING FUEL FROM TOP OF TANK. STRONG SMELL OF GAS OUTSIDE AND INSIDE VEHICLE. DRIPS DOWN SIDE OF TANK WHEN DRIVING. REPAIR IS OVER $1000 DOLLARS. INTERNET IS FULL OF SAME COMPLAINTS. WHY IS THERE NO ACTION RECALLING THIS PUBLIC HAZARD? VEHICLE IS EXT EXTENDED VERSION. CALLED GM AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEM. DESPITE AN EARLIER NOTICE.. THIS AGENCY NEEDS TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OWNS THE BUSINESS THEY ARE TO REGULATE. SHAME. READ YOUR COMPLAINTS AND TAKE ACTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW SWITCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SWITCH WIRING CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TR

WE WERE DOING OUR NORMAL FILL-UP (TRUCK WAS OFF) AND AFTER WE FILLED IT UP & TURNED IT OVER, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOT WAY OVER THE 'FULL' MARK. EVERY TIME WE TURNED THE VEHICLE ON, THE FUEL GAUGE WAS READING DIFFERENTLY, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY TIMES IT WAS RIGHT. THE OIL PRESSURE AND BATTERY CHARGE GAUGE HAVE ALSO BEEN GIVING FALSE/SPORADIC READINGS AS WELL. AFTER MUCH SEARCHING, I FOUND THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM NOT ONLY IN THE TRAILBLAZERS BUT THE TAHOES AND SEVERAL OTHER OF THEIR VEHICLES (THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS ARE FAULTY). GIVEN THE EXPANSIVE NATURE OF THIS ISSUE, AND THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF NOT KNOWING YOUR SPEED, FUEL LEVEL, OIL PRESSURE OR RPMS, I'M HAVING PROBLEMS SEEING WHY THIS ISN'T A RECALL ALREADY. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE IN THE 2003-2006 MODELS MORE THAN OTHERS FROM WHAT I'VE FOUND AS WELL. *TR