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.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
62,143 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.
My 2005 Trailblazer has begun to have several problems and in speaking to other Chevy owners the same problems have been found in other models and years of Chevy trucks and SUVS. I'm very disappointed to see that Chevy chooses not to recall, which is why I'll never purchase another Chevrolet. Beginning a few months ago my gauges began to be erratic. Starting with my speedometer sticking at zero and then later sticking at 60mph even while sitting still. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. next while sitting at traffice lights or stops signs my engine began to surge forward without applying the gas. When the vehicle surges the RPM gauge also jumps up. I already replaced one transmission at 50K miles and now since passing 100K miles have begun to have rough shifting again in my vehicle. I do not drive my vehicle in a rough manner, speed, or haul a trailer, so there is no reason to be going through transmissions. Now my fuel gauge has stopped working and I'm having to track my mileage with my odometer. I've never seen a vehicle with so many problems and no help offered from the maker. *
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the fuel gauge failed and was providing inaccurate fuel level readings. When the fuel tank was either full or empty, the gauge would remain at zero, causing the contact to have to add fuel to the vehicle often. The dealer was contacted and advised that the fuel level sensor failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 100,000. Updated 02/13/12 updated 02/29/12
After filling my gas tank and exiting gas station. I noticed that my fuel gauge was showing half full, even though I just put in 20 gallons of gas in the tank. As I drove further down the rode I noticed the gauge would go back and forth from empty to full stopping at different points. At some points would stay at empty.
At approx 36,800 miles the gas gauge no longer functioned. The low fuel light is always on and the gas gauge always shows either empty or 1/2 full even after a fill up. In order to not run out of gas, you need to keep track of mileage with trip meter and fill up at 150 to 175 miles. The cost to fix this malfunction is over $500. In addition, the thermostat froze open and needed replaced along with the sensor inside the thermostat. This happened at 48,000 miles.
- Bethel Park , PA, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Last summer my fuel gauge started acting poorly with misreadings. My vehicle is a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer. At the onset of the error I ran out of fuel in a poor part of town causing me much distress. A couple months later GM said they are aware of their fauly equipment and only offered to pay for half of the fix. The error they claim is a faulty fuel sensor.
The fuel gage reads inaccurate readings. This causes problems as to know how much gasoline is available in the vechicle. Upon filling tank the gage will read empty. When driving the gage will read a quater of a tank then drop down to show as empty. There is never a true reading as to how much gasoline is in the vechicle. Also not sure if letting this issue go will cause future issues.
The fuel gauge registers empty when the tank has just been filled. It never recovers to an accurate reading and has never since this incident initially occured.
Gas gauge is reading wrong. Once I fill up the tank with gas, it's reading empty and the gas light is on. It fluctuates all over the place while driving it.
The fuel gauge has not been working for months. After approximately 5 gallons are used of the 20 gallon tank, it will read empty and the engine light will go off. On christmas eve, our family of 4 including two toddlers was stranded on the side of the highway because we ran out of gas due to the inaccurate fuel gauge, and when the towtruck arrived there was not enough gas to start the truck because they only bring $5 and with today's gas prices it equates to less than 2 gallons. We had to then be towed to a gas station, moving car seats into the tow truck and the toddlers screaming on the side of the highway because they didn't know what was going on, to fill the rest of the tank. While GM has offered to help (only 50%, even though this is a known problem, they are only admitting premature failure) with the cost of the repair, they won't cover it for me because I have over 120,000 miles currently, which they stated you must have less than for them to cover the 50%, even though I had less than 120,000 when the problem started occurring. Even upon filling the tank, it takes about a day for the gauge to read full, and then it begins to fall steadily, not reflecting the actual amount in the tank.
On December 21, 2011 my fuel had a half tank of gas. I went into the store and came out my fuel registered empty light came on. I rushed to the gas station to put more gas in and thought some one stole my gas out of my tank. This happened with the amount of fuel in my tank not registering four times since the first incident. Than on January 01, 2012 my front wind shield wipers will not stop. When I turn off the vehicle they stop, when I turn on the vehicle they continue to wipe my windows until I turn my vehicle off.
The fuel gauge on my 2005 Trailblazer stopped reading correctly and has stopped working completely. I use the trip mileage to determine how much fuel I have in my tank. I have run out of gas several times since them because this is not the most accurate method. I have read on several Chevy forums that this is a common occurrence on the Trailblazer yet GM refuses to issue a recall on the faulty product. What else can be done aside from filing more complaints"?"
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was reading inaccurately and she was unable to determine how much fuel was in the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,000 and the current mileage was 118,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The gas gauge no longer works. I filled my SUV up with gas, the gauge reads empty. While driving the gauge will bounce from 1/2 tank to full to empty. I never really know how much gas I have or when I will run out. Looking on the internet I see that this has been a very common issue for a bunch of people.
Dec 2008 gas gauge went out will no longer read advised Chevrolet. I was advised it would be $800 to fix and this is a common problem. Next my speedometer just went out 12/2011 147000 miles and I find this to be another common problem with Chevrolet.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Chula Vista, CA, USA