2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,905 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 89/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 70,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2000, 2008–2009, 2021–2022.
Avoid
Where 2005 sits among all Trailblazer years
What owners report
“While driving, the driver side window control started smoking, then it quit working”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Trailblazer
“Fuel gauge intermittently reports empty when vehicle was just fully filled with fuel”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Trailblazer
“My rpm gauges started messing up need my speedometer started next. They started sticking and jumping up. My 2005 trailblazer only has 47,000 miles on it and the check engine light stays on all the time. Has been serviced regularly so i really don't know what it going on with it!”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Trailblazer
“Roughly about 6/7/10 my fuel gage quit working and now on 11/2/10 my speedometer gauge started acting up and is not working. This has something to do with the instrument cluster panel being bad.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Trailblazer
“Vehicle engine stalls while driving. The car shuts off without warning. This is dangerous and not safe! I shut off while driving on the highway and when i was able to get it off the highway, it stopped in the city. Replaced the electrical body per the diagnosis and still experiencing this issue”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Trailblazer
“I was driving on the freeway and what around crave . The side airbags what off. I do not hit any thing or run over any thing”— owner report to NHTSA, 2005 Trailblazer
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,545 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 72,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 51,000 and 98,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH CLOTH SEATS THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC AIR BAG PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM AND LATER REUPHOLSTERED WITH AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVER KITS ARE INVOLVED. TESTING HAS INDICATED THAT THE AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT…
Fix: BECAUSE A REPLACEMENT LEATHER SEAT COVER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM IS NOT AVAILABLE, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) WILL REPURCHASE THESE VEHICLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS STATED…
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, 'WINDSHIELD MOUNTING.' THE WINDSHIELD URETHANE BEAD MAY NOT HAVE ADHERED TO THE BODY IN CERTAIN AREAS DURING THE CURE PROCESS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 10, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
671 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2005 Trailblazer TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer reliable?
The 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer drew 1,905 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 89/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems?
The top reported problems for the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer are electrical (775 complaints), fuel system (532), and other (157).
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems show up?
Owners most often report 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems around 72,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 51,000 and 98,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.