2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER Complaints

2003 TRAILBLAZER TRANSMISSION LINES. COOLANT LINES RUSTED AT THE FACTORY CONNECTION. MAJOR FLUID LOSS, HAD TO REPAIR IMMEDIATELY. *TR

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

2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER LS 4X4 - THE GAUGES ON THE DASH BOARD DO NOT WORK. THIS INCLUDES THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE, BATTERY GAUGE AND OCTAMETER. I'VE READ MANY BULLETIN BOARDS INDICATING THE SAME ISSUE. THE DASHBOARDS FOR THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED.*TR

SPARE TIRE CARRIER NOT OPERATIONAL. INABILITY TO CHANGE FLAT TIRE UNSAFE AND COSTLY (OF COURSE, TO THE OWNER). GENERAL MOTORS POORLY RE-DESIGNED SPARE TIRE WINCH INCLUDES PLASTIC HOUSING FOR CABLE THAT DETERIORATES IN THE SEVERE SERVICE AREA OF A MOTOR VEHICLE. PREVIOUS DESIGNS DID NOT INVOLVE THE USE OF PLASTICS IN THE EXTERNAL MECHANISMS. MINE FAILED LEAVING ME WITH A FLAT TIRE AND A PERFECTLY GOOD SPARE THAT I WAS UNABLE TO LOWER FROM THE REAR UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. MAKES NO SENSE TO REPLACE THE WINCH WITH ANOTHER OF THE SAME DESIGN LEAVING MOST PEOPLE NO OPTION TO EITHER NOT CARRY A SPARE OR CARRY INSIDE THE VEHICLE EITHER UNSAFELY ANCHORED OR NOT ANCHORED AT ALL BECOMING A PROJECTILE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPM DIAL FAILS TO MOVE AND THE SPEEDOMETER IS BEGINNING TO FAIL. INITIALLY, THE SPEEDOMETER MADE A TICKING NOISE AS THE SPEED INCREASED, BUT CURRENTLY THE DIAL IS STUCK AT 40 MPH. WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF, THE SPEEDOMETER DIAL DOES NOT GO BACK TO ZERO. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RESTARTED, THE DIAL WILL DROP TO 35 MPH. WHEN THE DRIVER ACCELERATES, THE DIAL MOVES AND REMAINS AT 40 MPH. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT IS NEVER SURE HOW FAST SHE IS DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND ISSUED AN IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN FOR THOSE WITH VEHICLES THAT HAD LESS THAN 80,000 MILES. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND NUMEROUS VEHICLES WITH THE SAME FAILURES, BUT WITH MORE MILEAGE. SHE BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000. UPDATED 08/31/09 *BF UPDATED 09/04/09.*JB

BEGINNING 2 WEEKS AGO THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER HAS NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY. THE NEEDLE WILL GO PAST 120 MPH AND WHEN YOUR STOPPED IT WILL BE AT 30-40 MPH. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SINCE MY SON HAS HIS LEARNERS PERMIT AND WAS DRIVING THE FIRST TIME THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY. I LOOKED ON-LINE AND FOUND SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ONE SUGGESTED DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY FOR 5 MINUTES. I DID THIS AND IT WORKED FOR 1 WEEK. I DISCONNECTED IT 2 MORE TIMES SO FAR. TODAY I CALLED GM AT 800-630-2438 TO REPORT THE PROBLEM & SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL BUT THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. I ASKED IF I WOULD BE CHARGED AND SHE SAID YES. I TOLD HER THAT I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THEM JUST FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND THAT THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS SINCE IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT SO MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES DOING THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN GM RECALL NUMBER 05044 AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V198000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL). THE DEALER ADVISED HER TO WRITE A LETTER ABOUT THE ISSUES SHE WAS EXPERIENCING WITH THE VEHICLE, IN WHICH SHE DID. THE CONTACT HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS MADE TO HER VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,048.

SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING. IT WOULD FREEZE AT 120+ MPH. EVENTUALLY IT WOULD WORK IT'S WAY BACK DOWN TO 0 MPH AND WORKS WHEN IT WANTS. IT ACCURATE WHEN IT DOES WORK?? AC BLOWER QUIT BLOWING IN THE FRONT - BLOWER MODULE RESISTOR REPLACEMENT NEEDED. SEEMS TO BE POPULAR COMPLAINT ON THIS VEHICLE. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE SENSOR WENT OUT - AFFECTS INSIDE TEMP W/AC AS WELL. THIS WENT OUT 100 MILES AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED AND DEALER WOULDN'T FIX UNDER WARRANTY. ALL OF THIS OF COURSE AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER AND AFTER SOME HEAVY RAIN MY SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. I DID RESEARCH ON THE WEB TO FIND THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WHERE A CHANGE IN WEATHER MAKES THE DEVICE STOP FUNCTIONING. WHEN I CONTACTED GM THEY SAID THAT DESPITE THE LAWSUIT THAT IS EVIDENT ABOUT THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE, MY MODEL WAS NOT LISTED. I HAVE READ ONLINE WHERE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. I FIND IT ODD THAT GM KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT EXPECTS EVERYONE TO PAY $400-600 TO GET IT FIXED. IF IT IS A DEFECT IN THEIR PRODUCT THEY SHOULD HONOR THE FACT THAT WE PAID FOR IT AND NOW IT HAS FAILED PEOPLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER READ 110 MPH. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW MINUTES TO ALLOW THE SPEEDOMETER TO RESET, BUT IT ONLY DECREASED TO 90 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CONSOLE CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MUST USE HER GPS TO DETERMINE HOW FAST SHE IS DRIVING. SHE FEELS THAT GMC SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,734.