Problems with 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer STRUCTURE

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer. the contact stated that the frame was experiencing decay. while the vehicle was being serviced by an independent mechanic, the contact was informed of rotten areas on the frame. there were no warning indicators illuminated. prior to the diagnosis, the vehicle was taken to lynch chevrolet of mukwonago (280 east wolf run, mukwonago, wi 53149 (262) 363-4061), but the contact was not informed of corrosion on the frame. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer stated that they could not offer assistance to repair the vehicle. the vin and failure mileage were unknown.

I've noticed that my front end was lower than usual. at first i thought my upper control arms were giving in. i took my car to replace the front tires and to also get a 4 wheel alignment. that is when i was told that the strut base that is welded onto the chassis was rotting off. the mechanic expressed that i was a very lucky guy because at any point in time during my commute, i could have been in a serious car accident that could have resulted in death since i mostly use this car on the highway to commute to work. i didn't think much of it until he actually showed me all the rotted parts and i was in deep shock once i saw what he was telling me. i'm thankful that the cars strut was leaning on the inner fender frame preventing it from completely falling to the ground. i asked the mechanic how something like this could have happen and he explained that since we live in an area where it snows, the salt that is applied on the roads gets trapped into the slotted holes of the chassis and deteriorates with time. it is unknown of the time of which the chassis had begun rotting.

Takata recall was driving down the highway doing bout 70mph and i hear a nosie on the roof and then i saw my whole 3rd break light asmbley break off and fly into the air and almost hit the car in back of me this can cause a major accident if it fly's off and hit a car in back of you and i was doing research online and saw its a common problem with these suv its a poor design and needs to be recalled before somebody dies.

On august 26, 2015 we purchased a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer from wali's auto sales in enola, pa. it had 93,907 miles on it and appeared to be in good condition with a clean car fax. we traded in our 1996 chevrolet suburban and received $1700 in trade in value purchasing the trailblazer for $5722.70 including tax and transfer fees. brakes and ball joints had been replaced prior to our purchase along with a transmission line. we took the vehicle for an alignment as soon as we purchased it. we drove the vehicle approximately 200 miles and then on september 17th left home with intentions of driving the vehicle to stowe vermont. at 11:30 am on the morning of september 17th (approximately 2 hours into our trip) the vehicle lost power and brakes close to scranton, pa. the engine caught fire and within 7 minutes the vehicle burned up. the vin number was not readable. the scranton fire department responded along with pennsylvania state police and the forty fort police. we have a copy of the fire report. the vehicle was towed by a local tow company. my wife and i escaped injury. we had liability insurance through state farm which covered towing and fire company expenses. wali's gave us a 30 day warranty on the vehicle and has acknowledged since the incident that there is a warranty on the vehicle but is not forthcoming in allowing us to submit a claim to their insurance company.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, a fuel odor emitted from the vehicle without warning. the contact discovered that there was fuel leaking from the vehicle. the contact also mentioned that the hatch back failed to latch. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the of the failure. the failure mileage was 270,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer. the contact stated that the driver side door lock malfunctioned and the driver was unable to open the door from the outside. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that a clip inside the door locking mechanism fractured. the clip was replaced and the failure was remedied. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 156,000.

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

Rear piece above hatch which holds the third brake light, came off and was dangling by the wire. this is a safety hazard and can cause an accident if it falls off. this is held on by double stick tape. gm needs to do something about this problem, they redesigned the piece and that tells me they know it is dangerous. *tr

Driving approximately 40 to 43 mph when another vehicle turned directly in front of me. total frontal damage buckling up hood on my car as i hit other vehicle in front-end passenger side. their airbag deployed but mine didn't, even with total front end damage to my car. had seatbelt on, but due to impact still pulled my whole body forward (like crash test dummy). this was a very hard crash totaling my car. *tr

When getting into vehicle all my dashboard gauges just stopped work, no speed, gas, oil pressure etc. *tr

I have a 2003 trailblazer last year we noticed paint was fading off hood ,this year it is so bad i need to have the whole hood repainted, i was told this was a factory defect in the paint , i have seen many trailblazers with the same problem,hoping there is a recall somewhere so i can get my hood painted. *tr

My truck hood latch and area surrounding is so rusted going down the road the hood just bounces like its going to come loose. i called an assortment of mechanics and they say its a common and big problem with the trailblazer! they do not come with a hood seal to stop the elements from entering the engine compartment thus the rusted hood front and latch. this is very dangerous and i don't think the consumer should pay for new hoods when the trucks donot come with the proper protection! *tr

Was traveling on interstate and the rear spoiler with brake light just broke off my vehicle. *tr

Our 2003 chevy trailblazer has smelled like fuel for a few months and we have been going through gas like crazy. we just discovered a cracked valve connecting the hose to the fuel tank. of course, chevy doesn't just sell the valve, they want you to buy a whole new tank. after researching online, this seems to be a common problem, maybe a defect with this model and make for 2002-2004 models. i have 3 small children and am concerned that this is a huge safety issue. we had another defect problem with our trailblazer last year, where the hinges on the rear door wore out and we had to replace the entire door. this is also a common problem with trailblazers, but chevy will not issue a recall. we paid the $2500 for the rear door, but i don't want to pay another $1000+ for the fuel tank. this vehicle is becoming a money pit. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer. the contact stated that the front passenger side door opened by itself and he was unable to close it. the contact also mentioned that the rear driver's side door would not open at all. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 94,000 and current mileage was 116,000.

We were driving on the wi interstate system when the rear spoiler detached and flew onto the roadway leaving the brake light dangling and banging into the hatched window. due to road conditions and snow on the concrete divided median i wasn't able to stop and pick up the debris. the back gate hadn't been opened for at least 2 days so there was no way to know this was going to happen. *tr

Tl * the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer. the contact stated that the spare tire hoist had malfunctioned by not releasing the spare tire. the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that there was no repair for the failure, but they could remove the spare tire for him. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileages were approximately 65,000. the vin was unavailable.

2003 trailblazer lt. check engine light came on and stayed on for about a 3 weeks. brought vehicle to service at dealership, was told that i needed to replace my fuel tank because there was a leak in my fuel tank and it should be replaced. cost would be about $1100.00. i have also replaced my kick panel at least 6 times. everytime i have to come out of pocket for something that is poorly made by the manufacture. i know others are experiencing this same problem. please look into this situation for us, we need your help. i drive my vehicle everyday and only have about 63,000 miles, my vehicle is like new and i am the only driver. *tr

Raised rear lightgate heard a crunching sound. on inspection the plastic piece on the top of the lightgate was cracked & lifted up. it was a fairly warm day & i had washed the truck early in the day & it sat in the sun all day. ice build up was not a possibility. took the truck in for repair of this piece, bodyshop states that there are 2 bushings missing from the hinges where the rear glass pivots on the hinges. dealer parts dept. confirms that bushings should be there. parts dept. had conversation with gm customer service these hinges & replacement bushing are only services able when the rear liftgate glass gets replaced. *tr

The back hatch latch will at times go for months, not locking with the inside lock & sometimes it even has to be shut 2-3 times for it to catch & latch shut. then for some reason it will seem to be ok. then it is right back to not locking & having to shut it hard 2-3 times to catch. when it will not lock with the inside lock, you can not even lock it with the key, the key will not turn completely so it is locked. i never know when it is locked until i check it manually i have at times though it is locked & when i come out of the store (or ???business work etc..) i check the back hatch & it has been unlocked the whole time i was away from the vehicle. i can't leave anything in it my jack, a tire, groceries, christmas anything, we can't take it on vacation, nothing is safe. this has happened over & over, at least 5-6 times over the years. and lasting from a couple of weeks, to several months at a time. it has been broken this time for over 6 months. i like the vehicle but all i get is flack from my husband because of the security issue. *tr

The front passenger door has not worked properly from the time i purchased the vehicle. the door was not air tight and would let in air & rain in. i brought it back to the dealer several time and after approximately a couple weeks the problem will start again. the whole air-conditioning system has failed, the blower goes on and off by its self; but when you try and turn it on it will not turn on. this includes the defroster and heater it makes driving very hazardous when the windows fogs up. i was told by my mechanic that this is a problem with the trailblazers; he has seen a large number of trailblazers with the same problem along with problems with the back hatch glass separating from the hinge. this has also happened to my trailblazer and makes it impossible to open the glass or the entire hatch. i love my trailblazer but disappointed with all the problems i have had with the vehicle. *tr

The rear window hatches are rusting through and i fear this will cause the glue to separate from the glass. once the glue separates the window will fall out. other then the hinges rusting i see no other obvious signs of rust. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer. the contact experienced difficulty closing the front driver's side door. the vehicle was taken to an auto body shop and the technician stated that the failure was related to the bushing and striker plate. the front driver's side door dropped half an inch. the vehicle was repaired. the vehicle was taken to an auto body shop for the same failure on both the front and passenger side doors. the authorized dealer was notified and stated that the repair would cost approximately $300-$600 per door. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 82,000 and current mileage was 88,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet trailblazer. while driving 60 mph, the transmission slipped and would not shift gears. the contact noticed bluish-colored smoke coming from under the vehicle. there were no warning indicators present. the vehicle was taken to the repair shop and the mechanic stated that the oil line for the transmission was placed too close to the catalytic converter. the catalytic converter caused the oil to leak. the current and failure mileages were 44,000. the consumer stated the dealership agreed with unsafe defect and requested the vehicle to be investigated but was refused request by chevrolet. updated 11/14/07 *tr

First rear a/c stopped working and repaired but stopped working less than a year later. gas gauge stopped registering amount left so now we go by fill ups and reset mileage each time. rear brake lights have been replaced multiple times because of melting in sockets and now right turn signal won't work bc there is problem with socket again. passenger side rear door handle doesn't engage consistently either. repairs are frustrating. biggest issue was transmission died right after warranty expired and we had to cover entire cost of this. kind of sucks because i love my truck but the electrical system seems to have problems. *tr

Hatch back/lift gate hatch back binds and back window explodes in the mechanics face knocking him to the ground. this lift gate mechanism has failed for the second time. this time there were potentially severe consequences. this time i attempted to open the hatchback and it started binding, so i immediately closed it and took it to the dealer. since this had happened before, i knew immediately what was happening. a friend picked me up and drove me to work. one hour later the dealer called me and said that the window exploded when the mechanic opened the hatch back. he said it blew up in the mechanics face and knocked him to the ground. the dealer says this is an insurance claim and somehow tried to blame the whole thing on me. i was in shock. it will take a week to fix as it involves body work, etc. the dealer's body shop explained that the high mount stop light and trim are attached with double face tape and if they come loose they bind inside the hatchback. i don't feel it is my insurance company's responsibility to pay for something the dealer caused. first, i think they sent a rookie mechanic to look at my liftgate and he forced it open which caused the explosion of glass. secondly, this is a very dangerous problem created by chevrolet's poor design. why haven't they done a recall on this. i have read other complaints about the same hatchback failure. now the dealer is going to fix mine again with double stick tape and this problem is going to occur again. the glass could explode on me on my grandkids or another mechanic. i will be nervous everytime i open that hatchback and i will never, never buy a general motors car again. the dealership treated my husband and i terribly. they knew they had the upperhand in the situation and they knew there was nothing we could do. *nm

Regarding 2003 chevy. trail blazer (3 row seating version). the tail gate binds and will not open. i took the vehicle to a chevy. dealer. they called me back and said that the entire window, struts, high mount brake light and trim blew out when the mechanic opened the tailgate to repair it. the impact was so intense that it knocked the mechanic down on the ground. this is very dangerous matter and gm should do something about this. we or the mechanic could have been injured. they originally wrote up the repair for $25 but now my bill is $1000. the dealer wants me to turn it into my insurance. the dealer force the tailgate open and caused the damage. i think they are responsible. *jb

These are all of the problems fixed at the dealer with this truck so far: rear sway bar links replaced, rear wiper blade came out of alignment 2 times, right rear door is warped, driver side rear molding is loose, back plate rubber seal out of alignment, windshield wiper tank replaced since it was leaking, a/c low pressure switch inop then replaced, windshield wiper module replaced because wipers would not turn off, sway bar links replaced for a second time. all of these have broken over the past 2 years and nine months and driver's side passenger window for that door is loose. still is a noise in the front suspension that makes a hard knock onto the steering column but dealer denies hearing it. *nm

This vehicle was purchased new in jun 2003. while still under warranty, various recalls were issued for steering, brake lights and rear hatch locking/handle assembly. since then, the vehicle has been a lemon. power steering pump replaced twice (first one i paid for, second independent and very reliable mechanic shop paid). next the engine cooling fan bearing had to be replaced. later, the transmission had to be rebuilt. i also had to get the computer checked and reset to avoid surging engine rpm and resultant speed deviations. reaching a point of frustration as never before, i wrote gm asking for consideration repairing the transmission and received no response. i know they received the email since i had a "receipt requested" feature activated in my office computer. i sent a second email stating i was aware of the email receipt and that i expected a response. no such luck. all these problems manifested themselves well before the 100,000 miles were reached. now at approximately 132,000 miles, i had to replace the exhaust manifold due to a crack, the vehicle has lost power on two occasions, the entire dashboard has gone to zero and back to normal several times and the latest is an engine noise that my very reliable, 6 year auto service provider has told be is related to the timing belt assembly/mount points and as it gets louder, the engine will be getting ready to fail. so, i read all these complaints today and felt like i could have summarized everyone's complaints and concerns. i am an accident investigator and have no doubt that this vehicle will go down in history as one of the most unreliable and dangerous cars ever built. shame the feds have not taken the extra steps to remedy the issues after so many complaints yet, they went after top selling toyota at a time when the american made cars were barely able to stay afloat. wonder? *tr

A couple days after i bought the used vehicle i noticed the driver floor mat very saturated and soaking wet with water and now i noticed all 4 doors have water leaking into the door causing all the door speakers to burn out. *jb

Dt: the contact stated sometimes the doors could not be opened from either the outside or the inside. she started having this problem in 3-04. this happens intermittently, mainly to the back doors and the driver's side door. the dealer originally said they could not find the problem. currently, they were saying the doors were sticking because she did not bring the car in and had the doors lubricated. she denied this was the problem. *ak

The front door hinges on 2003 trailblazers are not securely fastened to the body and are susceptible to bending away from body. the hinges need to be welded better or fastened with bolts. once bent, the door cannot be opened or closed causing a dangerous situation. *la

On two occasions, my 2003 chevrolet trailblazer has caused a safety concern for me. once in extreme cold and once in extreme heat, the rear spoiler has separated from the vehicle. the last time, it had to be wrapped on to get to the dealer and it actually broke. it causes it to rub against the body of my vehicle every time. i am concerned that the safety of my family from operating the lift gate and people that i share the road with is being jeopardized. i never know when it is going to malfunction. how many times does this lift gate have to malfunction before general motors will recall the vehicle and do something about it? i know what is wrong and they refuse to listen to me. my friend that works at a body shop told me that the spoiler is held on by some "sophisticated tape" - in extreme hot and extreme cold outdoor conditions, the tape expands and the rear spoiler separates from the vehicle. it is not that hard. general motors says once was due to weather conditions (admittedly the extreme cold) and the other due to my fault because i opened it with the glass open and that is not even a true statement. i am less than satisfied with general motors and don't know what to do, because in 2-3 months it will happen again - until they can find something besides tape to hold it on my vehicle. they are just going to keep saying, i don't know until it runs out of warranty. *jb

My 2003 trail blazer there is so much wind around the vehicle it sounds like a window is open and it so nerve racking you can not hear in order to try and drown out the noise i have to blast the radio. and when it rains water comes inside the doors and the back hatch i have taken it back to the dealer several times. *jb

Eliectrical failures. rear passenger window would not go up, replacement of right rear taillight and fuse twice in three months and left taillight and fuse during that time. front bumper facing comes unglued,i understand it is velcroed on.*ak

While traveling on the highway and without warning, the front grill fell off. *jb

The center console located between the driver and passenger seats does not fit correctly. the tray allows objects to fall down near the transmission. the objects can only be removed if the console is taken out by the dealer. the consumer feels this is a poor design. *nlm *ts

Rear spoiler molding (3rd brake light) flew of vehicle while driving down state highway at approximately 55 mph. *nlm