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.
7.9
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$490
Average Mileage:
61,600 miles
Total Complaints:
78 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (36 reports)
replace faulty level sensor in fuel pump assembly (34 reports)
I'm so angry with Chevy, they are not doing anything to to fix this sensor problem. Hundreds of Thousands have complained about this issue and yet and still nothing has been done. I was so angry I wrote a letter to all the news channels, it costs so much to have this done. It's not like it's one person, it's people everywhere. I was a Chevy girl from day one, but after this and when this SUV is done. I'm done with them, how dare they not recall this item,then customers through this. I can't get mine fixed due to me being laid off, I'm always riding around in fear that im going to run out of gas and I have a number of times, no matter how hard I estimate. Something always happens, the littlest thing can cause your fuel to go off course of your numbers. This just sucks, Chevy has lost a customer
Same problem as everyone else. Fuel gauge is inaccurate. Found out about the problem while on a road trip driving on an interstate in Detroit. Great place to run out of gas ;-)
Had to replace fuel level sensor shortly after I purchased our 2006 trailblazer, and it was covered by warranty. At 60.000 miles the fuel level sensor has failed again and I am going to have to repair it out of my pocket. I would like to meet the S.O.B. that designed this peice of junk so I can shove it up his tank. I can do the repair myself but its gonna cost me $350.00 for the whole fuel pump assembly, when I only need the sensor. Chevrolet really didnt give a damn about the customer when they did this. Corporate Greed is going to be the death of America, this is a prime example of (to hell with what the customer wants)
I too have the same issue posted here. My trailblazer is a 2006 and did not show any problems until this summer (2009). One day I filled up my gas tank and nothing, it showed empty. For the first couple of months the gas gauge was all over the place and would eventually "fix" itself. Finally it just stopped giving me a reading. Now when I fill up, the SES light appears until the gas level drops (usually 2 days later). I recently took my trailblazer to a Mike Shaw Chevy for a 50,000 mile check up and they charged me lots of $$$ just to tell me that the fuel sensor no longer works....DUH. Looks like from these posts its not worth my money to repair if the problem we reoccur in the future.
Are there any suggestions/remedies out there? What does it take to get a recall?
This was brought to my attention by the dealer mechanic! I also mentioned that there more faulty parts that are going to go ba soon with the fuel system, and I should fix all of them at once ($1,200). I have not fixed the problem because I am waiting to do it all at once. It is a pain to do, but I just put in gas everyday.
- mane,
Woodbridge, VA, US
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Was showing 1/4 tank. Filled up the tank and now it constantly shows empty. I searched the problem on line and found this problem is on these cars since 2004 and Chevy has done nothing to correct the problem. No recalls, just replace the faulty part for $600 with the same p.o.s. part that will surely fail again. What a joke. This is what GM has been known for.....not fixing known problems because it creates repair $$$ for them.
I, too have the fuel sensor problem. I fill up, it goes to empty and fuel light comes on and dings. Sometimes the check engine light comes on, sometimes not. Seems my gauge will begin working properly after I've driven about 35 miles. Use trip odometer as well (just in case!). I bought an extended warranty when I bought the car in Jan 2007. Unfortunately, it does NOT cover the fuel sensor!!!
Fuel gauge sending unit is faulty. Fuel gauge reads all over the place and trips a code off and on. I have to set trip meter to track fuel. I know 1 other person close to the family with the same year Trailblazer that has the same problem and my wife had to take them gas cause they ran out of fuel!! Should be recalled. Not an easy fix, the average person can't do. You need to put the car up on jacks, drain the fuel, DROP the tank, than the fuel gauge sending unit can be replaced!!!! RECALL! RECALL! RECALL!
Update from Feb 13, 2010: Today I found out that now my 2006 will not pass smog because of a faulty fuel gauge sending unit code. Now I have to spend about $500 to repair!! WTF!!
Something happens everytime I get gas in my car. The automatic starting does not work and the gas gauge goes crazy bouncing up & down, dinging then going to full. It only stops after about 20 miles is put on the car. Driving me nuts!
The fuel sensor in my fuel pump assembly no longer gauges the amount of fuel pumped into my tank. This has been going on over a year. I have to reset my tripometer in order to gauge the amount to fuel used by mileage. Talk about pain in the _ _ _! THis should be a recall. I have spoken with others in my community and they have the same complaints. 2003 & 2005 Trailblazers, mine is a 2006.
APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG GM VEHICLES. THE GAS GAUGE STARTS FAILING. YOU PUT GAS IN AND IT READS YOU HAVE NONE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $500. NICE- AND IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD I WOULD BE FINE SO LONG AS I KEPT UP WITH MILEAGE- NOW MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME AND AFTER READING ABOUT IT- APPEARS THEY ARE RELATED AND I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SOMEHOW COME UP WITH THE MONEY- AND THAT IT COULD ALSO CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO GO BAD?????????
I THOUGHT CHEVY WAS BUILT "LIKE A ROCK"- WHATEVER!!!!!!!!!!!
SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT GONNA OFFER ANY RECALL OR HELP????
I am so furious that I paid $1700 for an extended coverage warranty and I was told today that this problem, which seems to be VERY common, is not covered under my warranty. I am reading MANY blogs on line where so many people have the same issue. When are these car companies going to become accountable for faulty 2 year old parts that absolutely should NOT break like this!!! I bought the stupid warranty because in the first 5000 miles my husband had the car absolutely stop running on his way to a business trip. It was a major repair that would have cost us thousands if it wasn't under warranty! This repair for a replacement fuel sending unit is costing me $489.00!!! WOW I am so calling the attorney general on this one!
Same problem as everyone else. The fuel gauge started by fluctuating all over the board, and now it just stays on empty most of the time. I've run out of gas at least 5 times even when I was being careful not to, I use the odometer to refill every 250-300 miles. I'm hoping that they issue a recall on this defective part.
I bought a used 2006 Trailblazer on 11/29/08 with only 16,000 miles on it!!!
I owned it for less than 2 months when the fuel gage stopped working and I had to depend on the trip to keep track of how much gas I had at all times. I'm glad I bought the extended warr!! I just made a service appointment, because after filling up your tank, you can only listen to the low fuel ding so many times before getting ticked off!
After seeing all the complaints here I'm glad I'm not the only one but I've not seen anyone with such low mileage as I have. After being raised in a Chevy family all my life... this was Chevy's last chance to redeem themselves. I don't think I'll ever buy another Chevy again.
Don't tell my husband, but I should have listened to him when he told me not to buy another Chevy.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I'm so angry with Chevy, they are not doing anything to to fix this sensor problem. Hundreds of Thousands have complained about this issue and yet and still nothing has been done. I was so angry I wrote a letter to all the news channels, it costs so much to have this done. It's not like it's one person, it's people everywhere. I was a Chevy girl from day one, but after this and when this SUV is done. I'm done with them, how dare they not recall this item,then customers through this. I can't get mine fixed due to me being laid off, I'm always riding around in fear that im going to run out of gas and I have a number of times, no matter how hard I estimate. Something always happens, the littlest thing can cause your fuel to go off course of your numbers. This just sucks, Chevy has lost a customer
- rayaqb, Meriden, CT, US