Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
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).
I have a 1999 Blazer on which both handles for the recliner seats in the front broke off after just 30,000. My wife drives the Blazer ... I drive a suburban. I am just amazed at the inferior quality of the metal used, and it's understandable that the metal would have broken by anyone. My wife is petite and there's no way she did anything beyond what a normal person would do in adjusting their seats. What further amazes me is pulling up the internet site and seeing the huge number of complaints regarding the same issue. It appears that the only way to get anyone's attention is to contact an attorney friend of mine here locally who successfully caused one auto company to repaint thousands of vehicles several years ago because the manufacturer just wouldn't response to a lot of customer complaints. …
When reclining driver's seat, the metal post holding the adjustment handle broke off. Had to drive home with seat in reclining position for my husband to fix. He had to use a wrench to raise seat back up. He said the bolts are made out of cheap pot metal and that's why they don't last. The post on the passenger side broke several years ago. We rarely adjust the seat backs. Guess we won't at all now. The driver's side door won't close properly and the fuel gauge bounces between full and empty all the time.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer. While reclining the back seat, the head rest reclined, smashed and bruised her finger. The finger injury was severe and caused the finger nail to be removed. The head rest reclined previously and hit her hand without causing an injury. The dealer and manufacturer have not been notified of the failure. The current and failure mileages were 65,416. Updated 10/31/07
Seat recline levers snapped off without warning. These units are made from zinc die casting and should have not been used. GM will do nothing to repair, the repairs are over three hundred dollars to replace with similar zinc rods. The local dealer said they see this all of the time. I know of 5 people with similar problems. Consumer service will not do anything about it, normal wear and tear!.
My car has had two recliner mechanizms break in 2 years. My security lights come on for no reason,my paint is checking and peeling.now it appears that my control arm and lower ball joint were failing at 85,000 miles. At about 70,000 miles my 4wheel drive would slip in and out at freeway speed. I have a 1999 Chevy Blazer,4dr, completely maintained and driven with care.
The cable on the lumbar support adjuster broke on driver's side fromt seat. Lumbar support in now non-functional. Also, clunking in suspension of passenger side front suspension. Aware of recall for control arm bushing and ball joints. Apparrently, excessive wear due to lack of or poor lubrication.
The transmission went out for the second time. It now has 46,200 miles. The first time it went out it had 13,000 miles. Several problems with the seat back adjustors. The cast gear broke on each seat at least twice.
The right front seat reclining handle stud shears off. Very little useage, very little wear or tear. The left side broke 6 months ago. Chevrolet says that it's out of warranty, and that they won't take care of it.
Have a 99 Blazer,2 wd. The recliner handle broke off the first week I owned it( my kid broke it by simply touching it!) vehicle had 32000 mi at the time. Have not fixed it because of cost.since then I have discovered an oil leak on the oil line cooler,a $300 fix(to repair both lines),and to top things off I'm being told that the intake gasket has the potential of giving way. I have 58000mi on this vehicle so far. Have been told that the s-10 Blazer are notorious for these problems, and so far g.m. Has no recall on any of it. Incendently a mechanic I know has a s-10 Blazer similar to mine, his oil lines leaked, and finally blew,costing him a new engine. Mine haven't blown -----yet. I can still drive it, but it worries me. I've been a g.m. Fan for many yrs. But this crazy Blazer is starting to make me reconsider what my next vehicle will be. Can anything be done about this????? Thanks.
Dt: the front driver side door was falling off. The way the door was designed made it impossible for hinge to hold the weight of the door. The door was repaired three times by the previous owner. Each time it was repaired it did not last for much more than a year. Consumer had the dealership give her an estimate. When she contacted the manufacturer, they said they might do something for her after she had the repair done. The consumer felt this was a manufacturing defect, and they should pay for the repair or replacement. There were other problems with the vehicle. The seat did not work. There were other parts of it that either broken or were breaking.
Seat complaints in other Blazer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 1999 Chevrolet Blazer?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the seats of the 1999 Chevrolet Blazer, 9% of the model year's 436 complaints. The component named most often is front assembly › recliner (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet Blazer seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats 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 seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 4 injuries to seats 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.