Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chevrolet Blazer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The ABS systemm is not working and the is a short in the front end,..causing the battery to die. Amazingly after the battery was removed from the vehicle the lights on the bumper that are supposed to light up the liceness plate was still on. Long with other lights under the hood. How is this possible.,,unless there is an alternate power source that I was never made aware of. The is police documitaton on this.
Dt*: the consumer stated the vehicle caught fire and burned. After turning on the heater, smoke poured from the interior vents and visible flames were behind the dashboard. The fire department was contacted to extinguish the fire and determined the fire was electrical in nature. After the initial purchase, the check engine light and airbag light came on intermittently. The dealership suspected it could have be the transmission slipping signaling the check engine light and the airbag sensor indicating airbag failure. The dealership cleared the check engine light code and recommended the vehicle be seen by a transmission repair shop. Contrary to the dealers suggestion, the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop. The independent mechanic also recommended the vehicle be taken to a transmission shop. Two days later, the vehicle burned and was totaled by the extensive fire damage.
1999 Chevrolet s10 Blazer started vehicle, drove down driveway out on to street. Smelled smoke, returned home. Found back of drivers seat on fire, put out with garden hose. Wiring under drivers seat started on fire? We do not have heated or power seats on vehicle and we don't smoke. Damage was burned seat, carpet, rear floor mat, melted wiring. The vehicle does have the hazard/blinker that turns on intermittently for no apparent reason. Don't know if this is related.
Dt*: the contact stated after the vehicle had been parked for 8 hours, the contact was alerted that the vehicle was on fire. The fire department responded and the fire was extinguished. The vehicle was towed to the dealership, where the cause of the fire was undetermined.
My wife, myself, and my 6 week old baby girl were driving back to colorado from iowa where we had spent christmas with our family. The new 99 Chevy Blazer trailblazer edition that was just one week old to us started acting funny. We we're pulling off on an exit to change the baby and feed her when I noticed my tachometer was jumping up to 4 and 5 k RPM. So I look in my mirrors and notice this white cloud of smoke behind us. No warning lights were on, my temp gauge was reading normal, we had no warning of what was to come. I immediately stopped the vehicle on the side of the road to see if I had blown the tranny or something like that. When I did that, then my check engine light came on and my battery light. I got out of the vehicle only to smell electrical smoke. …
1999 Chevrolet Blazer lt - multifunction switch (common problem!) is malfunctioning. Turn signal/flasher relay is constantly clicking whether signals are in use or not -- unless the brakes are applied. Good sign of an electrical short. The cause of this issue is the grease inside the switch, applied at the factory, running from contact to contact. This switch includes the wipers, cruise control, turn signals, hazards, and can also cause vehicle lighting (headlights, brake lights) to malfunction. Many cases include non-working brake lights! Others have reported smoke coming from the switch as the contacts are shorted by the grease. I inherited this vehicle from my grandfather, who couldn't hear the relay firing -- it is the only indicator inside the vehicle that something May be going wrong. …
Ac delco battery on a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer failed in 21 months - leaking battery acid from one of the side terminals. The exact same failure occurred on this vbehicle on 12/3/01. The same battery on this vehicle also failed about 10 months after purchase but actual cause of failure is unknown. Service mananger at Chevy dealership told me that ac delco had sent representaives around to find out why they were having so many failures of this type with these batteries. Said it is related to heat and only happens in southern states where it gets hottest. Ac delco customer service admits nothing of this sort and always blames these failures on overtightening the connections to the terminals. The safety issue is caused by this leaking battery acid and what it will eat into and what kind of problems it will cause. …
The multifunction switch is not working correctly on my vehicle. Out of the blue I started hearing the blinker indicator noise without actually using my blinkers. The noise and the blinker work together when they should, but now the noise comes on randomly regardless of the actual signal. This happens when the engine is on and when just the accessory switch is engaged, going straight, turning, forward, backward, neutral...at all times. The blinking last anywhere from a single click to a minute straight. My mechanic replace the relay and I have checked all my fuses, the problem has remained. The only option left is to replace/repair the switch which my mechanic has quoted at about $400, which is what it appear others have paid. This has been going on for about two weeks now. This was a recalled item on other vehicles at this time by this manufacturer but not my specific year/model.
Bought a Blazer from lee xars in fort myers. Was making a loud noise so I took it to a auto repair close to my house because I was afraid to drive it all the way back to town. When I bought it they out a relay switch so the ac would blow cold. Heres whatmy mechanic found what was wrong.A/C compressor clutch was defective and the A/C clutch controlrp relaywas bypassed improperly and not fused which could have started a fire. When I went up to get my title and tags the guy who runs the repair shop wanted to know what I wanted him to do about it. The owner wasnt there so I left a copy of my invoice. He was suppose to call me but hasn't. They need to be checked out. There deal is if something brakes on the car they can get cheap parts and they charge cheap labor. This also happened to other people as I been reading on there reviews.
Bought this car from lee auto in fort myers. Was making a loud noise. Took it to a close mechanic to check the problem because I was afraid to drive it back there to get checked out. This is what my mechanic said. A/C compressor was defective and the A/C clutch control relay was bypassed improperly and not fused which could have started a fire in the engine. When I bought the car the salesman told me he was going to put a relay switch in because it was t blowing cold air. Told lee cars about it and have t heard back. Its not good to sell unsafe cars.
Electrical complaints in other Blazer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Blazer?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Chevrolet Blazer, 9% of the model year's 436 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Blazer electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1999 Chevrolet Blazer. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Chevrolet Blazer electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 5 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.