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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.

2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer Owner Comments (Page 6 of 22)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #329

Sep 262011

Trailblazer 4WD 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 114,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the vehicle fuel gauge failed and the fuel gauge was reading as empty when the fuel tank was filled to capacity. The manufacturer denied assistance with the repair. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 114,000 and the current mileage was 115,000. Updated 11/03/11

- Erie , PA, USA

problem #328

Nov 012010

Trailblazer

  • 136,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the fuel gauge would read inaccurately. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure nor was the vehicle diagnosed or repaired. The current mileage was 152,000 and the approximate failure mileage was 136,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Portage , IN, USA

problem #327

Oct 042011

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 81,849 miles
My gas gauge light came on today right after I filled my tank and fuel shows empty. Light went off and fuel gauge moved to half mark, then light came back on and went back to show empty. I researched and found out that over 895,000 owners have had this problem and over 600 have reported it to the NHTSA. I have not had an accident, but have read reviews of many that have due to this problem. Many have asked to recall this problem and I agree due to the amount of vehicles this has happened to, including mine. Some fixed it and the same problem recurred the next year. My extended warranty ended in June so I'm not covered and the cost is very high. Please make this a recall so we all can fix this problem and not go broke. The dealer should face up and take the responsibility to fix the fuel gauge problem by recalling this before someone gets in a serious accident.

- Ewa Beach, HI, USA

problem #326

Dec 012010

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the vehicle fuel gauge was defective. The contact mentioned that the gauge would display that the fuel tank was empty right after refueling. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who offered to pay for half of the repair costs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 96,780. The dash light will go on and off by themselves the door chime does not always work the radio does not always work goes on and off and loud then quite. Updated 11/03/2011

- Monticello, KY, USA

problem #325

May 012009

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 30,000 miles
Fuel level sensor reads always as empty. No matter the real level is.

- Bayamon, PR, USA

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problem #324

Jun 152010

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 37,000 miles
The gas gauge began by only working periodically and now either indicates a full tank or empty tank, (mostly empty) at all times regardless of the actual level in the tank.

- Terre Haute, IN, USA

problem #323

Sep 032011

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 86,240 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Two days after filling tank, I started having problems with the gas gauge. I had driven about 250 miles, but the gauge still read 3/4 full. My wife then took the truck to work that afternoon, thinking there was 3/4 tank of fuel left she did not fill up for the 80 mile round trip. Half way home at 3:00 am she runs out of gas in the worst section of phoenix you can imagine. As she works in an inner city hospital, she drives through this section of the city daily and we have always made sure she has a reliable vehicle for the trip. Fortunately a police officer stopped and stayed with her until aaa showed up. I would hate to think what would happen to a woman alone in a drug infested area of the city while her vehicle breaks down for a faulty fuel gauge.

- Wittmann, AZ, USA

problem #322

Sep 252008

Trailblazer

  • 53,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated the fuel gauge became inoperative. The dealer diagnosed that the vehicle would need a fuel level sensor. The manufacturer assisted the contact with repairing the defect. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 53,000 and the current mileage was 73,838.

- Waunakee, WI, USA

problem #321

Sep 272010

Trailblazer

  • 118,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated the fuel sensor failed. The fuel gauge would display that the fuel tank was empty when there was fuel in the vehicle. When he tried to add fuel it would spill back out of the vehicle. The contact received a letter from the Chevrolet manufacturer stating they would replace the fuel sensor for $600 and they would pay fifty percent of the cost. The consumers can only take the vehicle to an authorized Chevrolet dealer to be repaired. There was no NHTSA recall letter from the Chevrolet manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance or details regarding why they had to take the vehicle to an authorized Chevrolet dealer. The failure mileage was 118,000.

- San Marcos, CA, USA

problem #320

Jul 082011

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • 55,000 miles
Gas gauge shows empty, then full then empty again check engine light always on, also cable holding spare tire, rusted while driving tire hanging.

- Macomb, MI, USA

problem #319

Sep 012010

Trailblazer

  • 119 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My Trailblazer fuel gauge not working, fuel light stays on after filling, gas gauge lights up but tank filled.

- Grand Marsh, WI, USA

problem #318

Aug 192010

Trailblazer

  • 95,000 miles
Fuel gauge always reads empty the sender unit is an extremely common defect on this vehicle.

- Crystal Lake , IL, USA

problem #317

Jun 012008

Trailblazer

  • 45,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the fuel indicator failed and he was unable to determine how much fuel was actually in the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact that the fuel sending unit was faulty and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer agreed to cover fifty percent of the repair costs however, the contact believed that they should cover the total cost. No repairs were performed. The current mileage was 119,000. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.

- Princeton, WV, USA

problem #316

Sep 132010

Trailblazer 4WD 6-cyl

  • 90,000 miles
Fuel guage quit working.

- Rogersville, MO, USA

problem #315

Aug 012009

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • miles
My fuel gauge does not work and has not for about two years. I read that there has been many complaints to your organization regarding this problem. Have not fixed because the cost was over $400.

- Las Vegas , NV, USA

problem #314

Sep 012009

Trailblazer

  • 35,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the fuel level gauge had been inoperable for approximately two years. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired for the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 50,000.

- Taylor, MI, USA

problem #313

Dec 012009

Trailblazer

  • 7,600 miles
First was the right tail light caught fire and blew fuses, then I get power surges that cause the vehicle to accelerate randomly at the worst times and/or will also stall out, which can be potentially very dangerous or end in a fatal accident, it drops in rpms and lights dim then it accelerates... and the last thing is that the fuel gauge fluctuates dramatically and you can never tell how much fuel you really have... drive 10 miles at quarter of a tank and it either stays close to the same spot or drops and the light comes on for low fuel.

- Monongahela, PA, USA

problem #312

Feb 012010

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • miles
My fuel level sensor went out. It had been going up and down for days and then I was driving and the sensor completely died along with my instrument panel. It cost me $638.85. I called GM to see if they would help me out because once I started researching the Trailblazers...this seems to be a common issue and they actually had a recall on prior years and the year after which was the 2006, but for some reason the 2005 didn't have a recall. They would not help. Very disappointed!

- Locust Grove, GA, USA

problem #311

Aug 142011

Trailblazer 6-cyl

  • miles
I've had my 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer a little over a year no problems until now. About a month now fuel sensor light continues to go off. It doesn't matter if it's a full tank, have full or empty. The light goes on all the time. Always worried about running out of gas. Shouldn't have to go to the gas station every other day just to feel safe.

- North Highlands, CA, USA

problem #310

Aug 162011

Trailblazer

  • 123,400 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer ext. The contact stated that the fuel gauge would not display an accurate reading while driving at various speeds. The vehicle stalled once due to the fuel tank being empty when the fuel gauge did not indicate such in its reading. 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 123,400.

- Sterling, MI, USA

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