Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer
NHTSA data on file today
The 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1,078 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #05V198000 TURN SIGNAL FAILURE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #04V527000 GM/BRAKE LAMP FAILURE NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 625 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 100 complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline 92 complaints
- Power Train 62 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 43 complaints
- Air Bags 42 complaints
Of the 1,078 complaints on file, 56 report a crash and 31 a fire; across all 1,078 complaints, owners report 74 injuries and 4 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer has notable issues with exterior lighting system failures and other miscellaneous problems, leading to a below-average reliability rating.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 50,000–80,000 miles | $150–$300 | very common |
| Ignition switch | 60,000–90,000 miles | $250–$450 | common |
| Transmission | 90,000–120,000 miles | $1,200–$3,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil changes every 5,000 miles
- Replace air filter every 30,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles
- Brake fluid flush every 3 years
- Replace spark plugs every 60,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Erratic turn signal operation
- Flickering or dim brake lights
- Difficulty starting the engine
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.