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 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Transmission doesn't have 3rd or 4th gear. Vehicle was smoking under hood. Found out after buying it it has flood damage. Mechanic said there was water in the transmission when inspected. Vehicle needs catylic converter sensor and vehicle has bad ground wire. Seller didn't inform me of any of these issues and he said it was in good shape and very reliable.
I went to pick up my grandson who lives approximately 1 mile away, drove back home making it 2 miles. Upon parking in the driveway we both smelled something burning and noticed smoke coming out from under the hood. The ignition was switched off. Upon opening the hood I discovered the fuse box smoldering and melting away, so I quickly used a wrench to disconnect the battery terminals. Before doing so I noticed that the headlights were still on but growing dimmer by the minute. The vehicle is not in drivable condition.
My daughter was driving locally yesterday 7/1/18 and making a right hand turn at a slow speed. She lost control and collided with another vehicle in oncoming traffic. She was injured. The cars brake lights had just gone out and the blower is going on and off. I assume this is an electrical problem for which my VIN is not displaying a recall. There is now damage to the wheel and rear drivers side fender, clearly displaying that the vehicle spun out of control, based on the 2 vehicle impact points.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, a burning odor was present inside the vehicle. The contact diagnosed that a failed electrical wiring attached to the heater blower caused the failure. The vehicle was repaired by the contact on multiple occasions but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Takata recall I have a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer and my SUV was parked in the yard and I went to go to the store and opened my door and found the truck was full of smoke! My driver seat had caught on fire just sitting there. Not even cranked! It destroyed the seat and the top of the SUV and the roof melted all over the truck.
The lights melt the harnesses in the front lights frequently. More than 2 times a year the tail light neef constant replacement from faulty wiring. The wires are not big enougb to handle the load. It happens at any time it wants doesnt matter if its sitting in park or driving.
I was driving in the left lane on interstate highway 290 (youngman highway) at about 65 m.p.h. When smoke began wafting from the area where the steering column meets the dashboard. I took immediate evasive action, pulled onto and off the shoulder onto the grass, shut the engine off, ran to the barrier fence and watched to see if vehicle was going to burst into flames. After calling aaa, about ten minutes had elapsed without further smoke so I assumed I could drive to the next exit ramp at colvin blvd. (about 1,000 feet away) and off to a wendy's parking lot where I waited for a aaa flatbed truck. My SUV was flatbed towed to my dealership, fuccillo Chevrolet on grand island, where the problem was diagnosed as a faulty ignition switch, code number c0379. Total cost of repair was$222.66. It would be nice to be reimbursed for this expense. …
I purchased my 2003 chev Trailblazer new in 2003. I have never had any problems with it. It was parked in my driveway and I just went outside and unlocked it to put something in the vehicle and locked it back. About an hour or so later, I heard the horn start to blow but the keys were hanging up inside the house. I went out to see what the problem was and the vehicle started trying to crank on its on several times. Then I smelled something and raised the hood and the fuse box located under the hood was melting. We disconnected the battery but it had already melted the box by that time. I had it towed to the dealership but they didn't know if there was a recall or not. …
Multiple gauges on the instrument panel are malfunctioning. The tachometer is reading 5,000 RPM when the vehicle was in park, and 7,000 RPM when going 15 MPH. When I turn the car off the gauge sits at 2,000. The speedometer is clicking up (not a smooth transition to the correct speed). And it showing a lesser speed then I am going. When I turn the car off the speedometer shows it is going 10 miles per hour but will slowly drop down to zero. Both of these malfunctions could are a huge safety concern. I had to pull over on the highway while the instrument panel was showing 7,000 RPM, afraid I was going to break down and ruin my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact noticed a strong burning odor emitting from the vehicle. The key was removed from the ignition, but the vehicle failed to power off. The contact also stated that the interior lighting illuminated independently. The contact disconnected the battery and the vehicle failed to power off. The contact discovered that the fuse box was burning and disconnected all the fuses to avoid a fire. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 149,000. Updated 10/09/14 updated 3/26/2015
Electrical complaints in other Trailblazer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
NHTSA has 285 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 32% of the model year's 901 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (82 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer, though it has 8 recalls for other components. 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 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 9 fires and 1 injury and 1 death 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.