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.
8.0
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$500
Average Mileage:
68,300 miles
Total Complaints:
225 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (123 reports)
replace fuel level sensor (78 reports)
replace fuel pump (15 reports)
parts should be recalled (4 reports)
drop out fuel tank and check coil postition (3 reports)
Trailblazer Fuel Gauge Fix - This page talks about why this problem is so common on Trailblazers and how there's actually 2 different problems you can be having, how to tell which problem you've actually got.
Trailblazer Fuel Gauge Site - This page talks about the 2 most common reasons this happens to Trailblazers and how to tell exactly what yours is doing and get it fixed.
If You Have A Problem With Your 2005 Trailblazer Fuel Sensor, Go Here! - Since this seems to be a common issue, be sure to visit the recall information for the Government. If we band together, maybe they will make Chevy look at this flaw of their vehicle.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
Problem Solved - Read the indented section. GM is calling this a "speciel extended warantee" for vehicles of this year/model. Take your TB to your local Chevrolet dealer with your VIN if you have under 100k miles and you will qualify.
Gm To Help With Gas Gauge Repair Cost On 2005-2007 SUVS - This web site gives you the date a letter was to be sent out from GM and it also states that GM is to pay for 1/2 of the cost to replace this faulty part, even if your are no longer in warranty and the problem occurs with in 10yrs and 120,000 miles of when the vehicle was origionally place in service, which ever comes first
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2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Comments (Page 11 of 12)
This is my second complaint about my Trailblazer. I fill up with gas, go to leave the station and my gas light comes on. I turn off my car, turn it back on and it fixed. A few days later it did it again. It has now been nearly a year since my gas gauge has worked properly. I have ran out of gas at least five times. Nearly everytime I was pregnant with my two children in my car. It is not very safe to be stranded on the side of the highway with your children in the car. I now reset my trip mileage and fill up every 350 miles. I have seen the other complaints and refuse to pay the $500+ to fix this problem. I have never hated a car as much as this one. I can't wait until I can get a new one (and it will not be a Chevy). Unfortunately I will have to take a financial hit when I finally dump this piece of crap!! Look for my other complaints.
My gas gauge never goes above a quarter of a tank no matter if it is full or not. I know this is a known issue since my friend has a 2005 Trailblazer as well and has the same issue. It seems whenever somebody is in my SUV they also know somebody else with a Chevy that has the same problem. This is ridiculous!!!!!!!
filled up last night with gas. got back in the car and started it and the gas gauge went to full to empty and dinged at me. turned off the car got out checked to make sure the cap was on tight on the tank. it was. started the car again went from full to half full to empty again. turned off the car started it again. went to full and then 3/4 full. drove home. husband took it for a spin did the same thing...got in the car today and drove to work gauge read full for the drive in but fluctuated a bit....why isn't there a recall on this? I researched the internet and it seems this is a big problem.
I have a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer and was really happy to find out that I am not the only one that Chevy has crapped on with this problem. My gas light also stays on and always registers as empty or a tiny bit above. I think instead of bailing out the automakers they should bail out us little guys who got sh*t on by the automakers and fix our cars... the ones we cant afford to fix because we pay such a high auto payment on the cars that we thought were "LIKE A ROCK"!!! RECALL PLEASE!!!!
Filled up and the needle dropped to empty and has been bouncing all over since then. That constant dinging from when it hits empty is so annoying. I'm glad I got the extended warranty I would probably have to get this fixed even if I didn't.
- ben582,
Blackfoot, ID, US
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it seems the more that i investigate the problem the more complaints i find about people having the same problem with these trucks. Now on top of the fuel gauge problem my husband thinks that its affecting the fuel pump as well. IT is a HUGE pain in the ass because i have a son i take places, not to mention all my nieces and nephews. And in the winter months i have to go by my mileage to try and guess how much gas i have. I have run out 2 times already and once was in the middle of nowhere the second on a busy highway. This is definitely something that needs to be addressed by gm, this is happening to way too many people all across the country to just be a fluke. I think that either a class action suit or something needs to be done and i would be very interested in pursuing it so if anyone is interested in giving it a go please feel free to email me with any suggestions or whatever. thankyou
I've also had a fuel gauge problem with my 2005 TrailBlazer. The needle started bouncing all over for a while, but would correct itself if I turned the car off and restarted it. Now it doesn't move off of "E." This has been going on for almost 2 years!!! I've complained to the Chevy hotline numerous times and have spoken with the local dealership. The dealership said it was most likely the sending unit and would be about $500 or so to fix. I told them to screw because a vehicle that was only a year old at the time shouldn't be having that problem. (the car was out of warranty due to mileage). The customer service hotline was useless. I pleaded with the woman to do something because I have to drive my infants around and it was dangerous to not know how much fuel I had in my tank. She had the nerve to tell me that if it were of that much concern to me then I would just suck it up and pay the $500 to have it fixed. "F" her and Chevy!!! Now I have to reset my trip each time I fuel up. I'm screwed once that part of my gauge fails, considering my speedo doesn't work now either!
Here is something else that has gone wrong with the trailblazer. Chevy use to stand behind it's cars but all they are building these days are a bunch of lemons. But they complain about Japanese manufacturers. Let's build good American cars if you want to stay in competition.
Same problem as everyone else. The fuel gauge just stays on empty all the time. I actually ran out of gas today in the middle of no where. It's $600 to repair it, which is replacing the fuel level sensor. This is a VERY common problem with Chevrolet vehicles. They really need to make a better part and issue recalls.
Same problem of malfunction gas gauge, not sure if it's empty or not even though you filled up or put gas just a couple of days ago, wasting too much money putting on gas just to make sure you have enough.
WELL IN 06' MY GAS GAUGE STARTED TO FLUCTUATE. I TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT WAS WORKING FINE AFTER THEY FIXED IT UNTIL...........................................
THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN. i FILLED MY GAS TANK UP AND THE GAUGE WENT DOWN TO "E" FOR EMPTY. I WAS REALLY UPSET ABOUT IT BECAUSE I GOT THE SAME PROBLEM FIXED IN 06' FIRST ONSTAR NOTIFIED ME BY EMAIL AND TOLD MY FUEL LEVEL SYSTEM WAS MALFUNCTIONING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I HAD TO PAY $100 TO TELL ME THE SAME THING ONSTAR TOLD ME AND IT COST $500 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT PISSED ME OFF BECAUSE THE $100 I USED TO GET THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE COULDN'T BE USED UNLESS I GET THE CAR FIXED THAT DAY. I COULDN'T AFFORD TO GET THE CAR FIXED THAT DAY BECAUSE I LIVE IN LOUISIANA(JEFFERSON PARISH) AND I HAVE TO KEEP MONEY TO EVACUATE FOR STORMS. I FELT LIKE CHEVY SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THAT BECAUSE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE FUEL LEVEL SYSTEM WENT OUT. I KEEP THE MAINTENANCE DONE ON MY CAR SO I SHOULD NOT HAVE THOSE KINDS OF PROBLEMS.
I own a 2005 Trailblazer. Its a great vehicle but problem's of great concern have risen. I would like to petition to have Chevrolet to display a campaign for the recall and correction of a fuel Gage problem which myself and many,many trailblazer owners are having. It involves the fuel Gage not functioning properly displaying empty and or a variety of levels of the fuel tank. The amount of complaints which I have found on the Internet of trailblazer owners should warrant an action from Chevrolet to repair the problem with no costs to the owners of these vehicles. Please investigate and you will see the situation. I hope an action to correct is the responsibility of Chevrolet because it is definitely an design issue. Why do the owners have to pay something that is not functioning properly and definitely an issue from the manufacturer.
Same problem as others have had. Apparently this is a factory problem with make and model. Chevy should provide fix for free as this is apparently a common problem.
It started back on October 2007 when there was approx 21,300 miles on vehicle and the only way I can keep up with how much gas I have is to set my trip meter and figure how many miles I can go on what I have put into tank. This is really getting to be a pain because of the cost of gas now. The dealership said that the part along would cost around $131.00 and that's not with the labor added in. My husband's 2000 Silverado is now doing the exact same thing. I would think if this is a problem with the Chevrolet's there would have been some type of recall or notice sent out to their "loyal customers". I been thinking about trading in my vehicle for a Toyota.
I bought this SUV verse a Japanese model because my wife has always been a Chevy fan. Needless to say this has been the worst purchase of my life I know we have to list problems separately so this is the latest problem in a laundry list of issues that are making me decide to never buy American again. a few months ago my fuel gauge started staying on empty when I filled up. as I used about a quarter of a tank it would show 3/4 full and work fine. I figured it would be pretty costly and not something I wanted to deal with myself as I don't have a lift to remove the tank so I dealt with it. Now it starts at empty and then goes up to a half tank and just stays there till the engine runs out of fuel. I would use the trip meter to gauge a tank full but since my wife uses this car sometime she forgets to reset the trip when she fills then I get stuck somewhere with no gas. I am pissed off and disgusted with this car and worst of all since gas is $4.50 a gallon the blue book on this piece of sh*t has dropped so far down in the course just two months I cant afford to get rid of it not that anyone would buy it. I want to push it off a cliff and report it stolen
Filled my tank and low fuel light came on and dinger went off. Since then I never know how much gas I have in my vehicle. Tank will sometimes show 1/4 tank, but then go right back to empty. This is very dangerous in the aspect that I not only travel a distance to work but also have three children who I transport.
My gas gage quit working so I have to watch my miles to see how much gas I have left before I need to fill up again. The gage stays on empty and the light stays on. The dinging noise goes off periodically. It will cost me $400 to fix it.
this is the second time that the gas gage will not mark it always stays on empty. now that i do not have a warranty any more i don't have the funds to fix. first time is was still under warranty.
this is my first time on autobeef and it seems to be a good source. I am very dissatisfied because my warranty has also gone out and now this expensive problem occur. i feel like it should be recall because we have know control over the gas sensor that is not our is fault. It should an immediate recall due it is a hazard for the owner and passengers.I just want my vehicle prepare at the Chevrolet expesende. thank you Deborah
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This is my second complaint about my Trailblazer. I fill up with gas, go to leave the station and my gas light comes on. I turn off my car, turn it back on and it fixed. A few days later it did it again. It has now been nearly a year since my gas gauge has worked properly. I have ran out of gas at least five times. Nearly everytime I was pregnant with my two children in my car. It is not very safe to be stranded on the side of the highway with your children in the car. I now reset my trip mileage and fill up every 350 miles. I have seen the other complaints and refuse to pay the $500+ to fix this problem. I have never hated a car as much as this one. I can't wait until I can get a new one (and it will not be a Chevy). Unfortunately I will have to take a financial hit when I finally dump this piece of crap!! Look for my other complaints.
- Danielle V., Fort Worth, TX, US