1994 Chevrolet Blazer Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe antilock brake trouble: the pedal traveling to the floor, longer stopping distances, and the ABS light coming on, sometimes after the ABS unit or computer was already replaced. Secondary reports cover windshield wipers that stop or will not park, fuel system leaks and hard starting or stalling, and seat belt retractors and seat backs that fail to hold. Many accounts come from trucks well past 100,000 miles, though brake complaints appear across the mileage range, including low-mileage vehicles.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS pedal to the floor and long stopping distance

   • 409 complaints (66%)
   • median 134,000 mi at 11.5 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 95 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2015

   Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking to the floor during braking, with the vehicle continuing to roll or taking much longer to stop than expected, and in some accounts the ABS light stays on. Several owners say a dealer found no stored code or said the braking felt normal, while others report the ABS unit, modulator valve, or computer was replaced. Some complaints mention that a recall covering similar vehicles did not apply to their truck by VIN. Reported across a wide mileage range, from low-mileage vehicles to trucks over 180,000 miles, often during hard or emergency stops and sometimes on wet pavement.

   Recall 99V193000

   What to check: Drive the truck and make firm stops from speed on a quiet road, watching for a sinking pedal or kickback, and ask whether the ABS recall work was ever completed. Scan for stored ABS codes before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought my 94 chevy Blazer in jan 2000. In 2005, my abd light went on. The dealer said my ABS brake modulator valve failed and that I need to replace my entire ABS unit. It costs $100 used and over $3k new. I found an article stating the recall of this pat in 1999 that I was unaware of. Is it possible to have these repairs covered under the recall since it is a safety feature of the vehicle?”

   NHTSA complaint #10137377, filed 2005-09, 118,000 miles

   “I was driving home early this morning, after doing a little hill climbing the night before with a friend. On the way home I was driving under the speed limit, when the vehicle about 3 seconds in front of me stopped, I immediately hit the brakes, the brakes did not work properly, causing me to hit the rear end of the car in front of me, causing damage to both vehicles, I received a traffic violation, and a neck sprain.”

   NHTSA complaint #10676914, filed 2015-01, 186,000 miles
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Fuel leaks, hard starting and stalling

   Mentioned in 11 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe fuel smells and visible leaks from split plastic lines, a rusted or cracked fuel tank, and the central fuel injection unit, with some owners reporting fuel entering the engine or oil sump. Others describe stalling at speed as if out of fuel, hard starting, and rough running, with repairs including fuel pumps, sending units, hoses and injectors. Several owners report repeat failures of the same part. Appears from around 60,000 to 165,000 miles, often noticed after refueling or during steady-speed driving.

   What to check: Check for fuel odor around the engine bay and under the rear of the truck, look for wet spots or rust at the tank seams, and ask whether the fuel pump or injection unit has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Stalls about every half a mile. Going on about 1 1/2 weeks. Done quite a bit of research turning up many complaints about fuel pumps and EGR valves. I don't have money for rebuilding my engine so I'd like to find out if there has been confirmed answer as to why these blazers are stalling.”

   NHTSA complaint #10066400, filed 2004-04, 87,280 miles

   “Egr valve makes car surge and die almost every year and we have to pay several hundred to change it out each time. ($50+ just to get the car checked by them so they can tell me its a code 32-bad EGR then 2-3 hundred for part and labor). Of course I stopped using the dealerships and went to a small business mechanic and cut $100 off that. The other problem is the fuel pump has given out twice but my son has fixed it each time for me.”

   NHTSA complaint #10070885, filed 2004-01, 79,874 miles
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers stop or fail to park

   • 40 complaints (6%)
   • median 110,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2004

   Owners describe wipers that quit without warning, run continuously after startup, or stop anywhere on the glass instead of parking at the bottom. In several accounts the pulse delay board or wiper motor was replaced, sometimes with the problem returning months later. Some owners note that a wiper recall covered similar trucks but their vehicle was not included by VIN. Mostly reported on trucks over 100,000 miles, with failures appearing intermittently during use or right after startup.

   What to check: Turn the wipers on at every speed setting and in intermittent mode, then switch them off and confirm they park; also check that washer fluid sprays promptly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Windshield wipers quit working without warning ,this vehicle is not included in the present recall, but is a serious safety issue that should be addressed. The g.m. Dealer replaced this at my expense due to me almost having a serious accident. The passenger side seat does not lock in place all the time and has almost thrown people into my windsheild. This problem has been to the g.m. Dealership 3 times to be repaired, and has yet to be repaired. This was even while this vehicle was under warranty.”

   NHTSA complaint #707418, filed 1999-06

   “Windshield wipers worked intermittently. This vehicle was ineligible for recall repairs due to VIN although the consumer was experiencing a similar problem. The part on recall was identical to the part on the consumer's vehicle that eventually failed october 2003. The consumer requested reimbursement for the replaced component.”

   NHTSA complaint #10046215, filed 2003-12, 102,000 miles
4. 4
   Seat belts

   Seat belts that do not lock or retract

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report front seat belts that will not retract and stay loose on the shoulder, belts that fail to lock during a sudden stop, and webbing that frays where it enters the retractor. One account describes a retractor separating from the body in a collision. Complaints also mention that a seat belt recall was identified but the work was not performed on their truck. Reported from roughly 120,000 to 160,000 miles, and in some cases noticed during sudden stops.

   What to check: Pull each belt out fully and let it retract, check for fraying at the guide, and give a sharp tug to confirm it locks; ask whether any seat belt recall work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving 35 MPH the vehicle was involved in a frontal collision. The seat belt retractor system separated from the frame of the vehicle and the dual airbags did not deploy. The passenger sustained facial injuries and hospitalized. Please provide additional information.”

   NHTSA complaint #10107335, filed 2005-01, 165,000 miles

   “Driver's side front seat/shoulder belt will not retract. It is fully extended and will not retract to tighten on the shoulder. It stays completely loose. This is for a 1994 full size chevy Blazer.”

   NHTSA complaint #10474557, filed 2012-09, 120,000 miles

Buying note. Have the brakes inspected and road-tested carefully, confirm whether the ABS recall was done, and check wipers, belts and seat backs by hand before buying. Service records for the fuel pump, lines and injection unit are worth asking about on a truck of this age.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.