Print this page

CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2002-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer is known for many things, but perhaps it is most famous for its faulty fuel gauge.

This gauge flip-flops more than a politician during election season. Some report that the gauge says "empty" after a fill-up, while others report the gauge says "full" when they're running on fumes. Either way, there's one thing everyone seems to agree on: the darn thing is just wrong.

Following hundreds of complaints and a few accidents allegedly caused by the malfunction, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the issue in May 2011. Unfortunately for frustrated owners, no recall has been announced.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
151,929 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer lights problems

lights problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Comments (Page 3 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #65

Jun 222014

Trailblazer

  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The low beam headlight on my 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer turn off while I am driving down the road with no notice. The first time this occurred was on lawndale/7 mile road in saginaw county Michigan in June 2014. The incident has happened several times since, most recently on 8/8/15 on greenwood road in alger mi. The low beam lights go out for no reason and cannot be turned back on. The high beam lights will work. The low beam lights will later turn on on their own. It generally takes several minutes before this happens. Several times this has occurred on dark, county roads which increase the danger to the occupants of my vehicle and other passengers on the road. I have contacted GM and their executive office and was informed that while the issue is a recall for the 2006 model year, because my vehicle was built in June 2005 it is not covered.

- Saginaw, MI, USA

problem #64

Oct 152014

Trailblazer

  • 74,000 miles
Lights go out/dim while driving. No additional electrical items in use-heater, ac, gps, radio, cigarette lighter. Does not appear to be affected or caused by speed, acceleration, deceleration. Fule tank will sometimes register empty while mostly full. Do not notice problem during daylight driving.

- Fountain Hills, AZ, USA

problem #63

Aug 032015

Trailblazer

  • 117,000 miles
The dim headlights will start flashing for no apparant reason.

- Stokesdale, NC, USA

problem #62

May 132015

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 125,826 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving home one night around 9:30 pm from the local wal-mart, I turned out onto a highway/public street and my head lights went out. They would not come back on no matter what I did. I went home thinking my lights were completely out but when I pulled into my drive and hit the high beams they worked just fine. My low beams did not come back on until early the next morning. It has happened several times since then.

- Jackson, MO, USA

problem #61

Jun 152015

Trailblazer

  • 108,000 miles
The contact owns 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, there was a burning odor inside the vehicle. The contact pulled over and inspected the head lights and noticed they were melted on the inside. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 108,000.

- Wichita, KS, USA

Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...

problem #60

Apr 092015

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 114,000 miles
My low beam headlights stopped working completely now. They have gone out intermittently before, but they would not come on at all on Thursday, April 9th, 2015, and have not come on since then.

- Huntsville, AL, USA

problem #59

Mar 312015

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 160,107 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The headlights work then shut off. (on the way to work in a downpour, no less) dashboard lights partially working. (if I go over 40 mpg can't tell what my speed is) was working correctly for a couple of days now nothing. I checked for recalls and there are recalls for 2006-20xx (NHTSA 14V755000 ) just wondering, after finding on the internet, numerous 2005 owners with same problem, why this model wasn't included in the recalls? I would like to file a complaint on the potentially deadly problem of the 2005 Chevy Trailblazer that should be corrected and included in this recall. Thank you

- Bessemer, AL, USA

problem #58

Jan 012015

Trailblazer

  • 98,000 miles
Multiple times while driving the headlights will malfunction and turn on and off, at random driving speeds under many different conditions. I continued to drive the Trailblazer even after this occurred. Just not as often. If the heater was on while driving and the headlights would short the heater would stop and then turn back on. The fan turns on at random, first it turns on when driving at random times. The fan will turn on at random times with a higher speed and sound. I have had the inspection completed multiple times with a mechanic re-assuring the issue although it has been happening frequently. The check engine light is on all the time due to computer error and is a $500 fix. This has all happened and been reported within the first year I bought the vehicle from kendal motors in lewiston Idaho. I find that the amount of work to fix this vehicle is overwhelming and to see that this vehicle was under 100.000 miles is financially distressing. I have already had the fuel pump portion removed and fixed twice, I had to purchase a locking cap. The stereo repeatedly jams with new cd's even.

- Coeurdalene, ID, USA

problem #57

Jun 012014

Trailblazer

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the passenger side headlight failed. The failure also occurred on the driver side headlight. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.

- Johnstown, PA, USA

problem #56

Dec 152012

Trailblazer

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the headlights started to flash intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and to an independent mechanic but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

- Columbia, SC, USA

problem #55

Oct 022014

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Low beam headlights have flashed on multiple occasions in the past. On the night of October 2, 2014, while driving home with my entire family in the car, the low beam headlights went out completely. I turned on my fog lamps to get home. I checked all fuses and relays and there were no problems. I also took it to a mechanic, who secured a loose ground wire. This did not help. Then I heard that GM was doing a recall for this exact problem, but it is for models 2006-2007, and mine is a 2005. They will not honor the recall on my vehicle. I am afraid to take my vehicle anywhere at night or in the rain. I do not feel I should have to pay for the repair when they know it is an issue.

- Huntsville, AL, USA

problem #54

Jun 192013

Trailblazer

  • 87,000 miles
While putting the truck into 4X4 hi, lo, or all wheel drive, the transfer case never does fully put it into 4X4. While driving, the dim lights turn completely off. The brights work, but the dims do not. These will not turn back on until the truck is shut off or a proper bump is hit. The heater blower in the front sometimes will nit come on. The back will be blowing, not the front. Also if a bump is hit improperly, the back speakers will start buzzing.

- Brighton, IL, USA

problem #53

Aug 012013

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 10,000 miles
Multiple times my Trailblazer has stalled without warning. It tends to happen when I am in a stopped position. Whether it is at a stop light or just stopping in general. It takes a minute and then restarts. It has also multiple times lost head lights. The last time was at 9pm while driving home with my children in the car. My headlights went out I had to pull over and the only way my lights would work was if I held my high beams on.

- Deerfield, WI, USA

problem #52

Jul 062011

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
The date, mileage and mph were either estimated or just ut in since options did not include "unknown". when driving at night headlights sometimes turns off. Only the lowbeams turn off, but when driving with high beams it is dangerous but necessary (especially when on the highways). I called GM and they pretty much claimed that no one had ever complained about it. But I did research and it happens a lot.

- Mcallen, TX, USA

problem #51

Oct 062012

Trailblazer

  • 126,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 mph, the head lights failed to illuminate. The contact stated that after turning the vehicle off and restarting it, the lights resumed normal function. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified about problem.the contact stated that the failure had recurred multiple times. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000.

- Denham Springs, LA, USA

problem #50

Feb 272014

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the low beams failed to illuminate. The contact mentioned that the high beams were able to function. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 122,000. Updated 8/11/14 the consumer stated the headlights went out, for no reason. Updated 08/26/14

- Port St Lucie, FL, USA

problem #49

Jul 132007

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • miles
Dash lights come on all the time.had it in to local dealer.we have took it in all the time they have replace everything they could to find problem.still didn't fix it. Warranted run out.even took in and pd for ourselves still not fixed lights come on now and stay on.can't keep taking in don't have money to take in.

- Van Buren, AR, USA

problem #48

Jan 282014

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 110,000 miles
Vehicle's headlamps will power surge, dim while driving periodically. Fuel sensor showed constant empty until repaired by the recall. Vehicle will occasionally surge forward revving on it's own at random times. The blower resistor pack has burnt up twice, the blower motor has been replaced as well as the melted wires.now the vehicle will not start. The power windows, locks, radio, dome lights, dash lights are inoperative and the vehicle will not attempt to turn over. Seems like this vehicle has had a lot of electrical issues.

- Dayton, IA, USA

problem #47

Nov 072013

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • miles
I went into town to grab dinner and as I am driving along, my headlights shut off. The only thing that remained on, were the orange turn signal lights. I frantically turned the headlight knob on an off and nothing happened. I was looking for a place to turn off the highway, however it was night time and I had no headlights. I ended up pulling over to the gravel side of the road, and turned the car off. Now I am stuck on the side of the highway at night time, with no working headlights. I turned the car off and got out, tapped the headlights and looked for any physical damage and did not find an answer. Upon starting the car again, it sounded like someone had turned on a vacuum cleaner. The noise pitched up for about 5 seconds before pitching back down. After re-starting the oil pressure gauge moved from its normal position at "12 O'clock" to an abnormal "6 O'clock". I tried to call onstar for a vehicle diagnostic, however now my radio would not work either. I tried the headlights again, and they still would not turn on. I turned on my high beams, and proceeded back home. While en route my speedometer was reading 10mph over my actual speed. When I pulled into my driveway and turned the car off, the speedometer stayed at 10mph. I find it very hard to believe that all of these things happened all at once as a coincidence. This is a huge safety concern as I lost the ability to see at night, as well as the ability to monitor my speed all while trying to drive. Not to mention all of the motorists who were blinded by my high beams on the way back.

- Green Lake , WI, USA

problem #46

Jul 162011

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
Sometimes while driving my vehicle at night(and during the day), within (15-20 minutes into the drive) my headlights go off and do not come back on for a period of time. When this happens I usually have to pull over and let the vehicle sit for a period of time(15-60 minutes). This issue is intermittent and I can not predict when it will happen. But it happens enough that this poses a great safety risk to me and other drivers on the freeway.

- Queen Creek, AZ, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?