2004 Chevrolet Blazer Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe brake problems, including a soft or sinking pedal, ABS faults, and corroded brake lines. Other common reports involve speedometers that read wrongly or stop working, door and hood latch or hinge failures, and engines that stall or lose power. Rust and corrosion appear in some complaints across brake, steering, and drivetrain parts.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Brake pedal failure, spongy feel and ABS faults

   • 9 complaints (18%)
   • median 60,920 mi at 6.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2018

   Owners describe brake pedals that sank toward the floor, stayed spongy after repairs, or failed during a stop. Corroded brake lines were reported to rust through or rupture, and a complaint says the dealer could not repair a corroded line because the part was no longer available. Other complaints describe the ABS light coming on, shaking during braking, and the vehicle pulling to the right and taking longer to stop on wet or snowy roads. Recorded mileage ranges from about 52,000 to 162,000 miles, and a report describes failure shortly after purchase.

   What to check: Ask whether the brake lines, rotors, and ABS module have been inspected for corrosion and leaks. On a test drive, check that the pedal stays firm, the ABS light stays off, and the car stops straight without pulling.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “All of a sudden in late may when I hit my brakes they made a crushing sound and the entire vehicle would shake and the ABS light came on. So at 51000 miles I am told that my front and rear brakes and rotors all need to be replaced. The mechanic couldn't believe how badly the rotors we rusted. After the brakes we repaired ABS still kicks in at the very last minute before the vehicle stops. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10078801, filed 2004-06, 51,702 miles

   “Anti-lock brake problem I think- when vehicle is driven during a light dusting of snow and when applying brakes- vehicle will pull about 8-15 feet to the right and doesn't stop until it's done pulling you this distance. Now this seems to happen when it is wet out and doesn't happen everytime you brake. I recently was braking at a red light going about 15 miles an hours and began braking about 4 car lengths before the light and my Blazer did not stop until it turned the corner about 15 feet to the right. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10254856, filed 2009-01
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Speedometer reads wrong or stops working

   Mentioned in 4 of 44 sampled complaints

   Owners describe speedometers that read far above their actual speed, drop below zero, or stop working entirely, and some say the odometer stopped as well. Some say the reading returned to normal after the engine was turned off and restarted, which left them unable to tell how fast they were going. Some complaints say the dealer found no fault during diagnosis, while others were quoted a repair cost for a replacement. Recorded mileage ranges from about 3,000 to 78,000 miles, and some owners say the reading recovered after turning the vehicle off and restarting it.

   What to check: Compare the speedometer with a GPS app or a second speed reference during a test drive, and check that the odometer advances normally. Ask the dealer whether any speedometer or instrument cluster repair or software update was done, and request written diagnosis records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2004 trailblazer ls faulty speedometer. The speedometer started action g up one day when I was going 50mph, the speedometer went up to 100mph by itself. Ever since then is has been reading whatever it wants. I have also heard a strange noise from my other gauges on my panel. I took it into a dealership and had a diagnostics run on the SUV. They stated I had a faulty speedometer and it would run about $600.00 to fix. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10254201, filed 2009-01, 58,289 miles

   “While driving at 65 MPH the the service engine light and emergency brake light came on. Then the odometer and speedometer stopped working. When I stopped at a stop sign it was almost impossible to get the vehicle to accelerate. Pushing the accelerator pedal just caused the engine to race. This is the second time this has occurred. It first occured on may 20, 2004. The car was towed to a dealer who could find no problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10079243, filed 2004-07, 3,222 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Door or hood latch and hinge failures

   • 6 complaints (12%)
   • median 76,331 mi at 8.1 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2018

   Owners describe doors that would not stay closed, including a driver's door that flew open during a turn and would not latch afterward. Another door hinge failed in a parking lot, and a left front door dropped so its lock dragged on the striker plate. A hood popped open while driving at highway speed and shattered the windshield glass, and the owner tied it shut to drive home. A mechanic reportedly said he had seen other vehicles with the same hinge failure. Recorded mileage ranges from about 24,000 to 125,000 miles, and some failures happened while the vehicle was being driven.

   What to check: Check that every door and the hood close and latch fully and securely, and look at the hinges and striker plates for wear, looseness, or damage before buying. Ask whether any hinge, latch, or hood repair was done and request the repair records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2004 Chevrolet Blazer. The left front door dropped about a quarter of an inch and the lock was dragging on the striker plate on the door jam. And getting more difficult to open and close. About two months ago it was in to the dealer for oil change and lube. I requested at that time that the left door by lubricated because it had started to creak when opened and closed. They said they lubed it but the noise was still there. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10255992, filed 2009-01, 24,563 miles

   “While making a right turn into a parking lot, my driver's door flew open. Now the door will not stay closed. I am able to manually move the latch with the door open but it will not engage to secure the door shut.”

   NHTSA complaint #10662230, filed 2014-12, 121,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalls, cuts out or loses power

   • 5 complaints (10%)
   • median 4,611 mi at 0.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2007

   Owners describe the engine shutting off or cutting out without warning, sometimes repeatedly within a short trip, with restarts that did not always hold. Others describe a loss of power, with the vehicle hard to accelerate and the engine racing when the accelerator was pressed. Some owners say the service engine light came on before or during these events, and some dealers found no fault during inspection. Recorded mileage ranges from about 70 to 38,000 miles, and some events happened at highway speed while others happened at traffic lights or stop signs.

   What to check: Ask the dealer to scan for stored engine codes and to check for any engine-related service bulletin that applies. During a test drive, watch for stalling, hesitation, or loss of power when accelerating from a stop.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was stuck in traffic on an interstate. Without warning my vehicle shut off. I restarted it a few moment later and continued down the road. Approx 30 min later while traveling 70 MPH, it suddenly stopped again. During the next 2 hours, it quit 5 more times, usually at stop signals. I took the vehicle to the dealer who had it for two days and couldn't find anything wrong.”

   NHTSA complaint #10080687, filed 2004-07, 38,000 miles

   “My 2004 trailblazer had been in the maroone service dept 5 times during the first 27000 due to loss of power, engine stop on traffic light, and service engine soon light on. The last time was last week and the light is on again. I almost had accident on the turnpike trying to pass a car, car is not responding as necessary. I previously owner a Blazer, and a trailblazer and they were great. This truck is giving me a hard time, lost of time and confidence.”

   NHTSA complaint #10156083, filed 2006-04
5. 5
   Suspension

   Front wheel bearing and steering joint wear

   • 9 complaints (18%)
   • median 16,200 mi at 1.1 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2014

   Owners describe a humming noise from a front wheel bearing that tire balancing did not fix, and a rattling noise that turned to grinding before the wheel area failed at the bearing. Other complaints describe lower ball joints, a tie rod, and an idler arm found worn during an alignment, and the dealer replaced them at the owner's expense. A separate complaint says a steering arm sleeve on a tie rod had surface rust that could rust through and result in steering loss, and that the dealer and manufacturer considered it acceptable without providing documentation. Recorded mileage ranges from about 1,500 to 54,000 miles, and some owners first noticed a humming or rattling noise.

   What to check: Ask whether the front wheel bearings, ball joints, and tie rod ends have been inspected or replaced, and listen for humming or grinding during a test drive. Have a mechanic check the steering linkage for play and look for rust on the tie rod adjusting sleeves before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car started making a rattling noise when I turned to the right shortly after having a spring replaced in drivers side front tire. Within a week the rattling progressed to a grinding. Dealership refused to look at it, knowing I was about to go on a long trip. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10167095, filed 2006-08, 27,323 miles

   “Dt: the contact states when having the tires aligned the certified dealership discovered both front lower ball joints/the front passenger tie rod, and idle arm were extremely worn out and had needed to be replaced. All parts have been replaced by the dealership at the contact's expense. The work was done at c&h repairs at louisville,ky. There were other vehicles at dealership with similar problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #10144820, filed 2005-12, 54,200 miles

Buying note. Used-car buyers should check the brake lines, fluid, and ABS warning light, and test the pedal feel during a test drive before deciding. Ask for records of brake, speedometer, and door or hood latch repairs, and confirm that all latches close securely.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 44 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.