2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 Problems
- Complaints
- 237filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 70,000miles, 199 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often describe two instrument-panel failures: a fuel gauge that stops reading accurately and a speedometer that sticks or jumps. Reports typically appear between roughly 30,000 and 100,000 miles, and complaints describe them developing gradually — an intermittent swing between empty and full first, then a permanent failure — rather than as a sudden event. Electrical complaints also cover blower motor and power-door problems, and a number of owners describe the rear liftgate glass shattering.
- Fuel system
Fuel gauge reads empty or fluctuates after fill-up
- 93 complaints (39%)
- median 67,500 mi at 5.8 yrs old (76 state mileage)
- 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 13 quotes)
- filed 2007–2018
Owners describe the gauge dropping to empty right after a fill-up, swinging between empty and full while driving, or sticking at one reading and setting off the low-fuel warning and chime. Many say they switched to tracking trip mileage to avoid running out of fuel. Complaints describe replacement of the fuel level sensor or sending unit as the usual repair, with quoted costs varying widely, and some owners mention a manufacturer cost-sharing letter that they were told no longer applied. Mostly reported between roughly 35,000 and 110,000 miles, often appearing shortly after the warranty period ends.
What to check: Fill the tank and confirm the gauge climbs to full and drops steadily as fuel is used; check whether the low-fuel light stays on with a full tank. Ask whether the fuel level sensor or sending unit has been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I have a 2005 chevy trailblazer ext... My fuel tank light came on and never went off I would fill my tank up and it would never go off. I ended up having to take this in and paid 1000.00 for a new fuel tank... I have been researching and this is a very extremely common thing on chevy trailblazer's... It was right about 75,000 miles that this happened.”
NHTSA complaint #10396974, filed 2011-04, 75,000 miles“My 2005 chevy trailblazer fuel gauge does not work. It says its empty when I fill the tank and any other time for that matter. I have to use the fuel used data in the driver information center to figure how much fuel was used to know when to fill up. Then I reset it everytime I fill up. Very dissapointing.”
NHTSA complaint #10414767, filed 2011-07, 80,000 miles - Electrical system
Speedometer sticks, jumps or quits (gauge cluster)
- 83 complaints (35%)
- median 72,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (75 state mileage)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $500 (median of 13 quotes)
- filed 2007–2018
Owners report the speedometer reading far too high or low, sticking at a fixed number, pointing past the top of the scale, or sitting at zero while driving. Several describe the cluster resetting after a restart and failing again later, and some say other gauges such as oil pressure, temperature or amps also stop working over time. Complaints describe dealers quoting a several-hundred-dollar cluster repair or replacement and declining warranty coverage. Commonly reported from about 32,000 to 120,000 miles; in several complaints the gauge acts up regardless of weather or engine temperature.
What to check: Watch the speedometer through a test drive and after a restart, and compare it against a GPS reading; also confirm the fuel, temperature and oil pressure gauges move normally.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I have a 2005 chevy trail blazer the lights would flicker at night thought was battery had it checked out the battery was bad that was back in sept. Then around jan I am driving down the road and doing 70 on the interstate and my speedometer goes from 70 to 120 MPH and then goes down to neutral lights are flicking again as well and battery is fine.”
NHTSA complaint #10303521, filed 2010-02, 91,000 miles“Once my warranty ran out, the gas gauge quit working and a couple weeks after that the speedometer quit working. I have researched online and found many people who are having the same problems with the same make and model car. The repairs are very costly. The repair should be fixed through a vehicle recall since so many others with the same vehicle are having the identical problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10261400, filed 2009-03, 85,000 miles - Electrical system
Power windows and door locks stop working
- 14 complaints (6%)
- median 88,375 mi at 7.0 yrs old (12 state mileage)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2007–2015
Owners report window switches and lock buttons on the driver's door going dead, sometimes with a burning smell and a clicking noise that continues with the ignition off. Some describe doors locking or unlocking on their own, the key fob no longer working on that door, and the battery draining overnight. Complaints mention wiring in the door as the area examined. Reported from about 76,000 to 147,000 miles, and some owners note the switches fail in damp or humid weather.
What to check: Operate every window and lock from the driver's master switch and from each door, and listen for clicking from the door with the engine off; ask whether door wiring has been repaired.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I read in the manual for my 05 trailblazer that I bought 3 days ago that the drivers side door wouldn't be able to lock if the keys were in the ignition. Today I was making a trip to my storage unit and decided to leave the car running since my 4 month old son was inside and it was a warm day. My doors automatically unlock when I put it into park, and I got out, walked around the car to open my sons door so I could hear him. The doors were all locked! …”
NHTSA complaint #10389947, filed 2011-03, 87,750 miles“The controls in the front doors for the windows stopped working. There was a slightly burnt smell when I got in the car that day. Now there is a clicking sound in my drivers door that happens about every 35-45 seconds even when the vehicle is turned off. When this clicking sound occurs while the vehicle is running my engine loses power. This is also killing my battery every night because it is occurring even with the vehicle turned off with no keys in the ignition. I am afraid it is going to start a fire in my door. …”
NHTSA complaint #10499956, filed 2013-02, 147,000 miles - Electrical system
Heater and A/C blower works only on some speeds or quits
- 14 complaints (6%)
- median 70,500 mi at 5.7 yrs old (12 state mileage)
- filed 2007–2018
Owners describe the blower running on only some of its speed settings, then stopping altogether, often with a burnt smell. Complaints mention burnt wiring at the blower resistor or harness as the cause and say a new resistor and connector were needed. Some describe the blower cutting out when particular settings are selected. Reported from roughly 41,000 to 95,000 miles; several complaints note it came on gradually over weeks.
What to check: Run the blower through every speed setting with the engine on and listen for whining or clicking; ask whether the blower resistor or harness has been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“2005 tb ext, summer of last year the computer had to be replaced, about 6 months ago the speedometer quit working, the check engine light stays on, the gas gauge wont work, the heater wont work on 5 and there is no heat in the front vents,the oil light does not work,, I have had it aligned but the back tires keep going bald,,it looses power so bad,,,,I went out this morning and the headlights wont go off and now my battery is dead...what else is left to go wrong??? …”
NHTSA complaint #10297105, filed 2009-12, 50,000 miles“Heater blower is going out, then goes back on if I touch the wires going into the motor housing. Now the speedometer is going wacky. Shows 120 MPH never goes back to zero. This is an ongoing problem with GM please investigate.”
NHTSA complaint #10182946, filed 2007-02, 41,000 miles - Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
Rear liftgate glass shatters
- 9 complaints (4%)
- median 37,434 mi at 4.6 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
- filed 2006–2014
Owners describe the rear liftgate window breaking while the gate is being opened or closed, or after it was simply parked. Complaints say the glass bursts into pieces over the surrounding area, and in some cases the spoiler was damaged as well. One owner reports the gate itself would only open partway before later detaching. Reported from roughly 12,500 to 55,000 miles, and in one case while the vehicle had been sitting unused.
What to check: Inspect the liftgate glass and its hinges and struts for cracks, loose mounting or prior replacement; open and close the gate slowly and check that it moves through its full travel.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I own a 2005 Chevrolet trailblazer ext. 2 weeks ago I opened the rear gate and the rear glass exploded over my head. Had glass and spoiler repaired by glass co. With new parts. Today the same thing happened after I opened the tail gate and was walking away. Seems to be a bad design flaw by Chevrolet. Do I fix it again not knowing the cause? Are there any other complaints?”
NHTSA complaint #10300002, filed 2010-01, 36,368 miles“The rear liftgate window of my 2005 Chevrolet trailblazer ext shattered for no apparent reason at all. My wife was closing the liftgate (the glass was not open), pulled the liftgate down a few inches, and the entire rear liftgate window exploded sending glass all over my wife and our 4 year old son, not to mention my driveway, sidewalk, etc. According to different sites that I have visited on the internet, this is quite a common occurrence. …”
NHTSA complaint #10240142, filed 2008-08, 55,000 miles
Buying note. Check the instrument cluster carefully on a test drive — run the fuel gauge through a fill-up and watch the speedometer against a GPS — and confirm the blower, windows and locks work from every switch. Ask for receipts showing any fuel sensor, cluster or door wiring repairs already done, since these are the areas owners most often describe.
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.
NHTSA recorded 237 consumer complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370. 199 of the complaints include a mileage, and 25% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 70,000 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 9 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 129 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system101 43%
- Fuel system94 40%
- Exterior lighting15 6.3%
- Engine cooling10 4.2%
- Vehicle speed control8 3.4%
- Air bags7 2.9%
- Body and structure6 2.5%
- Tires5 2.1%
Also reported: Engine (4), Equipment (4), Latches, locks and linkages (4), Other or unknown (4), Seats (3), Steering (3), Brakes (2), Interior lighting (2), Suspension (2), Electronic stability control (1), Seat belts (1).
Example complaints
Electrical system: “I have 2005 Chevrolet trailblazer 4wd ext ls 4.2 liter. I noticed over past 3 years that I be at drive through for burgers and etc. The car would cut off. I did not think much of it at the time. It has gotten critically worse. It would cut off in middle of the highway, drive throughs and etc. During the past two years I have re the luster and over head dome light flicker. …”
NHTSA complaint #11100524, filed 2018-06, 81,000 milesFuel system: “Today, 02/28/2012, I noticed that the fuel gauge on my 2005 Chevrolet trailblazer ext was fluctuating between half full and full after adding 19 gallons of gas to the truck. This is the first time I have noticed this problem and am aware that many other individuals have had this problem on their trailblazers. I am hoping there will be a recall in the near future.”
NHTSA complaint #10449650, filed 2012-02, 73,313 milesExterior lighting: “All of a sudden headlights stopped working. I have changed the bulbs, fuses and relay. Had this problems checked out several times, no one can find a solution to why they don't work. I was on the highway coming home when they just stopped working, I had to put my high beams on to be able to get home safely.”
NHTSA complaint #10606763, filed 2014-06, 135,000 milesVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “This is the 2nd time that the rear window has literally blown up on this particular vehicle. The first time my wife was at a busy grocery store when she started to lower the back hatch and the entire back window exploded. It was so loud and devastating that she thought someone had fired a shotgun into the back window! The dealership replaced the window in 2008 as a courtesy. Less than two weeks ago it happened again as I dropped my two young children off at school. I opened the gate, removed their school bags, shut the hatch and took approximately 3 steps and kapoww! …”
NHTSA complaint #10323929, filed 2010-04, 34,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
25% of the 199 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 50,000 and 85,800 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 129 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11020816Jul 18, 2025Other or unknown. This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
- 11019074May 30, 2025Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
- 11019073May 30, 2025Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
- 11019072May 30, 2025Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
- 11008956Sep 9, 2024Other or unknown. This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to Submit a Field Product Report (FPR) (U.S. and Canada Dealers Only).
- 11007208Sep 6, 2024Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires…
- 11006621Aug 26, 2024Electrical system. Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need…
- 11007091Aug 5, 2024Engine. This service bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
- 11006421Jul 24, 2024Transmission and drivetrain. GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging…
- 11004761Jun 28, 2024Fuel system, Engine. This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with…
Other model years of the Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 16 | 105,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2005 | 237 | 70,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2004 | 15 | 96,250 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2003 | 14 | 140,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 6 | 120,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 model years
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370?
Owners of this model year most often describe two instrument-panel failures: a fuel gauge that stops reading accurately and a speedometer that sticks or jumps. The issues reported most often: Fuel gauge reads empty or fluctuates after fill-up; Speedometer sticks, jumps or quits (gauge cluster); Power windows and door locks stop working.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 have?
NHTSA recorded 237 consumer complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 101 complaints (43% of the total), followed by fuel system with 94.
Has the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 370 reported?
Among the 199 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 70,000 miles and the middle half falls between 50,000 and 85,800 miles; 25% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.