2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer: 8 recalls, 901 owner complaints and up to 16 mpg combined.
Recalls
8 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Airbags Vehicle recall #02V222000 · 2002 · 133,221 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain passenger, MINI vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Why it matters: Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began August 15, 2002.
Airbags Vehicle recall #03V051000 · 2003 · 130 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain MINI vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that May not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Why it matters: This could result in reduced capability of the air bag to protect the driver. Also if the air bag inflator ruptured, pieces of the inflator could strike and injure the vehicle occupants.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on March 11, 2003.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #03V075000 · 2003 · 511,167 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 114, "theft protection." these vehicles are equipped with a mechanical override that could allow the ignition key to be removed with the shift lever in a position other than park. In addition, these vehicles have an override that can allow the transmission to be shifted out of park with the ignition in…
Why it matters: These overrides are not permitted unless the vehicle has a locking steering column.
The fix: Dealers will eliminate these conditions by disabling the overrides. Owner notification began on May 29, 2003.
Brakes (hydraulic) Vehicle recall #03V151000 · 2003 · 44,653 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain sport utility vehicles were built with a left-front brake pipe with a circumferential score at a random location along the length of the pipe as the result of the manufacturing process. If the brake pipe partially or fully fractured, brake pedal travel would immediately increase and front brake performance would be reduced.
Why it matters: If braking performance is reduced, a crash could occur.
The fix: Dealers will replace the left-front brake pipe. Owner notification began on May 29, 2003.
Equipment Vehicle recall #03V250000 · 2003 · 1,707,825 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.
Why it matters: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
The fix: Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or booster cushion. Owner notification began August 18, 2003. Owners should contact…
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #04V046000 · 2004 · 581,394 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain sport utility vehicles have windshield wiper systems that will not turn on, cease operation while in use, fail to turn off/on by themselves (moisture sensitive wiper system), or have continuous windshield washer pump operation because the presence of water within the wiper modules can either cause a short circuit or can lead to the corrosion of components within the module.
Why it matters: Depending on the occurrence and weather situation, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will cover the windshield wiper module vent hole with a patch. Also, the wiper motor, circuit board, and electrical connector will be inspected to signs of water intrusion and/or corrosion and be replaced as required. The recall began July 6, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at…
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #04V527000 · 2004 · 871,473 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain sport utility vehicles, vibration and heat May cause the tail lamp/stop lamp bulb to loosen in its socket. If this occurs, the bulb May flicker and eventually become inoperative.
Why it matters: An inoperative brake lamp will not convey the driver's intention of stopping to drivers in following vehicles, and an inoperative rear turn signal lamp will not convey the driver's intention to turn to drivers in following vehicles. Both of these failures can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the tail lamp/stop lamp assemblies, and if necessary, replace them. The recall began on November 22, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, Buick at 1-866-608-8080, or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #05V198000 · 2005 · 286,478 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain trucks and sport utility vehicles, the driver wishing to signal a turn by moving the directional signal lever, (up or down) May cause the front marker/turn lights and rear turn lights to flash in a manner similar to hazard warning, rather than flashing on the desired side only.
Why it matters: The driver May not be able to clearly signal their intentions to turn, change travel lanes, or potentially warn others of an impaired vehicle operating condition increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the suspect flasher modules with a new flasher module designed with sealed relays and more durable contact material inside of the relays free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2005. Isuzu began mailing owner letters on August 4, 2005.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 14 mention a fire, 66 injuries and 2 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Electrical (285): the most common themes are electrical failure (63), stalls / loses power (18), warning light on (17).
- Fuel system (114): the most common themes are leaks (64), warning light on (27).
- Transmission & drivetrain (103): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (30), noise or vibration (22), stalls / loses power (11).
- Exterior lights (77): the most common themes are electrical failure (12), stalls / loses power (6), warning light on (6).
The 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer has 901 owner complaints, ranking #5 of 18 Trailblazer model years for complaints (2.3× the average Trailblazer year). Complaints peaked in 2010 (93 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 6 years old, at a median of 75,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2002 (1149 complaints, 12 recalls), 2004 (1081 complaints, 2 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 20 | 16 | Regular |
| 4.2 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 19 | 15 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer.
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FAQ
Does the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 8 vehicle recalls for the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems?
Owners have filed 901 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are electrical (285), fuel system (114), transmission & drivetrain (103).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer get?
EPA ratings run up to 16 mpg combined (4.2 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.