2002 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER Complaints

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD, IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL AND ENGINE RACES. *JB

SUMMARY: -2002 TRAILBLAZER LT 2WD -TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 78,000 MILES -NEAR ACCIDENT WITH TWO CHILDREN IN CAR AGES 2 AND 7 -MAJOR REPAIR COST -SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM -MULTIPLE LISTINGS OF IDENTICAL FAILURES (SUN SHELL/ REACTION GEAR) PLANETARY SYSTEM. -REPORTEDLY KNOWN DEFECTIVE AND (UNDER DESIGNED) PART. THIS WILL BE THE NHTSA'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INVESTIGATE AND SORT OUT. -SOME REPORTS OF A "SILENT RECALL" HOWEVER NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED WITH MY CONVERSATIONS -NO WARNING OF ONCOMING FAILURE -OWNERS MANUAL DOESN'T RECOMMEND ANY TRANSMISSION SERVICE UNTIL 100,000 MILES -NEVER TOWED ANYTHING -WIFE DRIVEN/ GARAGE KEPT -SIGNIFICANT ENGINEERING ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN TRANSMISSIONS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE PAST DECADE WITH MATERIALS AND LUBRICANTS. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON A TRANNY SHOULD FALL APART ON AN AUTOMOBILE TOWING OR NOT UNDER 100,000 MILES ESPECIALLY IF YOUR FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURERS MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS. -GM COVERED 30% AFTER LENGTHY TIME. -TECHNICIAN DESCRIBED FAILURE AS: "WHEN WE SEE THESE PROBLEMS ITS ALMOST ALWAYS WHAT WE CALL THE SUN-SHELL GRENADES" NOW, SINCE YOU LIMIT YOUR DESCRIPTION TO 2000 CHARACTERS WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THE SUMMARY AND GIVE YOU THE LOCATION OF THE FULL REPORT WHICH I HOPE YOU TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY PROBLEM. HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/WEBX?14@@.EF15323/221 THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *NM

2002 TRAILBLAZER LT HAS 69 THOUSAND MILES NOW, AUTO TRANS CAME OUT SUN GEAR WAS TOLD IT COST 3 THOUSAND TO FIX MADE A FUSS COST 1 THOUSAND BUT THE REAL BAD THING GOING ON IS IT WILL GO INTO 4WD BY ITS SELF AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS OFF AND ON,, I DON'T DRIVE IT ANYMORE UNTIL I CAN FIGURE WHAT THE DEALER IS GONNA DO WITH IT OR GM, WHILE GOING DOWN THE RD IT WILL DO THIS AND A LOUD NOISE WILL FOLLOW COULD LOSE CONTROL,,ALSO WHEN BACKING IT SEEMS TO BE IN A BIND SOMETIMES,,THIS AUTO ISN'T SAFE TO BE ON THE RD.. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED UPON INITIALLY STARTING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH PRODUCED A FAILURE CODE FOR THE AIRBAG SENSOR. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 02V222000, REGARDING THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPDATED 12/18/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE BRAKES PULSATED, AND THERE WAS AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT ALL FOUR ROTORS WERE CORROSIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR HOME WHEN THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. ALL IT WOULD DO IS MAKE A LOUD WHINING NOISE WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS PUSHED. WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THERE SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I NEARLY HAD A WRECK JUST TRYING TO GET OFF THE EXIT RAMP AND TO THE NEAREST AUTO SHOP. *JB

I JUST PURCHASED THIS 2002 TRAILBLAZER SEPT 30 2006.. IT WAS NOVEMBER 22, 2006- THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE BLINKING WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE. THE ONSTAR LIGHTS WERE ON. THE SEAT BELT LIGHTS WERE ON. LATER THE NEXT DAY, MY FATHER GOT IN MY VEHICLE TO MOVE IT, WHEN THE BRAKE SENSOR CAME ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF. HE DIDN'T USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. MY FATHER CALLED APPLE CHEVY IN WEST YORK PA TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD DO. THE 24TH THEY CALLED AND SAID THE VEHICLE NEEDED A E.B.C.M. ( ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE ). I HAVE A 9 MONTH OLD SON. I GET TO GO PAY FOR THE BILL, AND IT COSTS 930. 25 FOR A VEHICLE THAT WASN'T THAT OLD. IT DOES HAVE 144, 000 + MILES BUT IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED OR SO I THOUGHT. THEY DID A CAR FAX AND IT WAS CLEAN. OR SO I THOUGHT. APPLE CHEVY IN WEST YORK WOULDN'T HELP WITH ANY COST REPAIRS. THEY SAID WHEN YOU GET AN AS IS VEHICLE, ITS YOUR PROBLEM. WELL AFTER 4 VEHICLES THAT MY DAD BOUGHT FROM THEM, WE ARE NO LONGER CUSTOMERS. ME BEING A HOT HEAD, MY DAD TOLD ME TO NOT SAY NOTHING AND BE NICE. I KEPT MY COMMENTS TO A LOW ROAR. I CALLED THE GENERAL MANAGER AND HE SAID AN AS IS SALE IS WHAT IT IS. I GOT NO SATISFACTION. BUT A COMMENT I SAID TO HIM WAS- WHAT IF IT WAS YOUR WIFE AND SON WHAT WOULD YOU DO? HE SAID I WOULDN'T BUY AN AS IS VEHICLE. I BASICALLY ASKED IF HE WANTED SOME LEMONADE FROM THE VEHICLE I JUST GOT. I SAID WELL I MUST HAVE SUCKER WRITTEN ON MY HEAD AND THAT NEXT TIME WARN ME ABOUT GETTING MORE KY FOR THE SCREWING I JUST RECEIVED. HE BASICALLY SAID SORRY I FEEL THAT WAY. WE COULD BRING IT BACK AND GET SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THEM. BUT I BASICALLY SAID NO AND HUNG UP. STILL THE RADIO MALFUNCTIONS, THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE MAY WORK SOMETIMES, THE VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. THEN AFTER BEING TOWED, IT ACTS FINE. SO AT PRESENT, IT SITS IN MY PARENTS GARAGE NOT DRIVEN WITH $ I STILL PAY FOR INSURANCE AND PAYMENTS. I DID HEAR A GRINDING FROM THE SHIFTER WHEN PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE. I DON'T TRUST IT. THANK YOU. *JB *TR

I HAVE A 2002 TRAILBLAZER, THE TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT ON IT. I ONLY HAVE 75,000 MILE AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. JUST ON GOGGLE THERE ARE 97,100 HITS FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THE TRAILBLAZER. *JB

I ALSO HAD A NOISE FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE GETTING LOUDER OVER 3-4 DAYS THEN SMELL OF GAS BEGAN AND GOT VERY STRONG AFTER A COUPLE DAYS. WHEN IT SMELLED BAD WE TOOK IT TO A SHOP AND THE FUEL SENDING UNIT AND FILTER NEEDED REPLACED. THERE WAS A SMALL HOLE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION THAT THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. HE SAID IF I HADN'T BROUGHT IT WHEN I DID THAT THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS NOTICED IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO REPLACED THE SYNCHRONIZE VALVE, FUEL SENDING UNIT AND FUEL FILTER. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE SENDING UNIT. THE CONSUMER HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED, HOWEVER IT RESURFACED AGAIN. UPDATED 12/18/06. *JB