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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.

2.5

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
59,541 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.

2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #44

May 022012

Trailblazer

  • 65,000 miles

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

Since this is a common problem with GM, I'm sure other complaints have been filed. The fuel gauge in my 2006 Trailblazer has stopped working. I am concerned with the safety issues related to this problem. After researching other complaints, there should be a recall to fix this problem. Free! please look into this serious issue and help out all of the owners that purchased one of these vehicles. Thanks.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #43

Apr 192012

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 53,671 miles
Fuel guage registered empty when tank was full, then was erratic - sounds like a common complaint - should be a recall.

- Havey, ND, USA

problem #42

Sep 092009

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • miles
Fuel gauge goes back and forth from empty to over half a tank to a 1/4 tank. This will be the third time we will have to take it in for the fuel sensor. It is costly and I feel GM should pay the full repair bill or replace the vehicle. The Trailblazer has also turned off while driving for no apparent reason and no lights come on. This has happened about three times which is very dangerous when you are out on the road. Any help we can get to repair would help being that this has proved to be very costly.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #41

Oct 122011

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 68,126 miles

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

Fuel gauge started to fluctuate in October 2011. I tried all kinds of fuel treatments by recommendation of my mechanic, but nothing seemed to work. Now, March 2012, it does not work at all. I'm afraid some day I will run out of gas on the highway which concerns me for my safety and my passengers safety.

- Portage, MI, USA

problem #40

Nov 172011

Trailblazer

  • 97,899 miles
Fuel gauge inoperable, fuel gauge indicates empty at all times. Even after a fill-up of the gas tank.

- Lynchburg, VA, USA

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problem #39

Oct 102011

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
The fuel gauge in my 2006 Trailblazer stopped working. Even after filling up the gas tank, it reads that it's on empty, the low fuel light comes on and there is a low fuel level message. This has been going on for several months; it started out with the needle bouncing around the gauge but now it just sits on empty. I am taking it in for repair because I don't feel safe not knowing how much gas I truly ever have.

- Fraser, MI, USA

problem #38

Oct 012011

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 65,700 miles

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

My fuel indicator has all sorts of mis-readings. Examples: Reads empty with low fuel light on when just filled, begins to read somewhere near 3/4 at a mileage point, (50), that it usually reads full. Very annoying and distracting to driver. Distracts the drivers attention to driving. Dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Sewickley, PA, USA

problem #37

Sep 192011

Trailblazer

  • miles
The gas gauge on my 2006 Chevy Trailblazer no longer works it started fluctuating at about 109,000 miles now I'm at about 150,000 and it hasn't worked for months now. My wife has run out of gas twice now on the interstate at 4:00 in the morning going to work with semi trucks barreling down on her not knowing why she couldn't accelerate.

- Post Falls, ID, USA

problem #36

Jul 042011

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 85,000 miles
After filling up tank, tank registers empty, and check engine light on, after restarts able to measure gas amount, within weeks, no longer measure fuel amounts, check engine light comes and go, fuel gauge sometimes in the middle of a drive will suddenly appear to measure amount of fuel and just as suddenly return to low fuel reading and empty on gauge.

- Dixon, IL, USA

problem #35

Aug 182011

Trailblazer

  • 55,000 miles
Gas gauge reads empty at all times. Filled the tank up completely one day and the gauge read empty (even though it was still full)the following day. Gauge reads empty at all times now. Serious safety issue for my special needs child.

- Cicero, NY, USA

problem #34

Aug 092010

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 93,262 miles

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

My 2006 Chevy Trailblazer has had inaccurate fuel gauge readings since 8/10. For the previous 10 months it has read empty on the gauge and gives an audible warning. We have run out of gas 3 times. Once in traffic. Dealership wants over $800 to fix it. We had decided to diligently fill the car and check the tripometer regularly. We tried to register it and to no avail, won't pass. I have read numerous posts on line with the same problem. I am 45 years old and have owned 15 cars. Not 1 has had this problem and all were older vehicles. Additionally, 4 of the previous ones had been Chevy. Their seems to be a problem with several years of these vehicles. Please conduct a recall asap.

- Redmond , WA, USA

problem #33

Sep 072011

Trailblazer

  • 64,000 miles
Gas gauge malfunctioning. Will not register amount of fuel in tank. It will go up and then down to empty and the low fuel light will come on even when I know it is full.

- Masontown, PA, USA

problem #32

Jun 222011

Trailblazer 4WD 8-cyl

  • miles
Fuel sensor does not work. Chevy is aware of this problem and issued a deal to pay for half the cost only if the car has under 120,000 miles or is less than 10 years old. We are over the mileage limit, but this problem caused our car to run out of gas on a curvy, mountain road with large coal trucks speeding by. We ran out in a place where we could not pull far enough off the side of the road and were almost hit by several passing vehicles. We couldn't start the vehicle and had to drift it backwards downhill to a safer place. Very dangerous!!!

- Wise, VA, USA

problem #31

Dec 012009

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 40,000 miles
The gas gauge on my trail Blazer stopped working and always shows empty.

- Grove City, OH, USA

problem #30

Jun 012011

Trailblazer

  • 85,000 miles
First - relay resistor module for manual heating/HVAC. Certain blower settings do not work in 2006 Trailblazer. This same problem is a recall for 2004 Chevy Silverado. Will this be a recall for the Trailblazer as well" second - gas gauge have failed and does not work. I know of 3 others that have the same problem, is there a recall on this"

- Wilmot, OH, USA

problem #29

Jul 152011

Trailblazer

  • 95,000 miles
There was a burning smell in the car and then the high setting on the air fan speed stopped working. Then about a month later the second to highest speed stopped working also. I opened my glove when my wife was driving and then the highest setting started working again, then stopped working a few minutes later. I looked in the dash behind the glove box and found that there was a connector for the fan motor controller was heating up and started melting. I checked the connection and inside the connector was burnt and blackened. I contacted General Motors about my 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer. They setup an appointment at the nearest Chevrolet dealer and had it checked. They found that the fan motor connector was bad and that the fan motor controller was bad also, they contacted General Motors and told them it wasn't a defect and it was not a safety hazard. I cannot believe that the connector almost catching fire is not a fire hazard or a defect. They wanted to replace the connector and the motor controller. I denied the service because they wanted to charge me $365 to do so. When I found the parts elsewhere for $75 and im going to do the repairs myself. I have pictures of the burnt connector and fan motor controller. I will be repairing the issue once the parts are delivered. I am also experiencing the fuel level problem also, the fuel gauge says its empty when I fill it up.

- Heber City, UT, USA

problem #28

May 012010

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 79,000 miles
Fuel gauge in 2006 Chevy Trailblazer went out while driving home from work on highway. Was stranded on highway until help arrived with fuel to refill vehicle. Now fuel gauge in Trailblazer shows empty at all times even after a fill up. Nothing has been done to correct the failure due to car just being out of warranty and high price of fix. Currently have to guess on fuel levels by keeping track of mileage.

- Saint Paul, MN, USA

problem #27

Apr 132010

Trailblazer

  • 65,000 miles
I have a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer ls. The gas gauge stopped working over a year ago. After checking with the Chevrolet dealer, this seems to be a common, well known problem. GM needs to recall these vehicles and fix this problem.

- Flower Mound, TX, USA

problem #26

Jul 012011

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 71,000 miles
Gas gauge on Chevy Trailblazer is very inaccurate. It stops working each time you fill up with gas. This can be fixed but will cost $600. This needs to be a recall.

- Appleton, WI, USA

problem #25

Oct 142010

Trailblazer

  • 50,000 miles
I have a 2006 Trailblazer the gas gauge quit working. It is an expensive fix. I have read many complaints of this and I am shocked there has not been a recall.

- Hamilton, MO, USA

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