Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Driving I-85 north bound on the morning on 6/15/2015 headed to work when the rear passenger tire blew out causing my 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer to cross over into another lane then back into the lane I was in, spin uncontrollable, all of a sudden the steering wheel started spinning and then the vehicle just shut down, steering wheel locks, the car comes to a stop and slams into a guard rail where I am facing south bound traffic, none of my air bags deploy, I have a neck and back injury that to this day I am still being treated for and my passenger who was a coworker riding to work with me that morning also had a back injury. …
On Saturday, August 1, 2015 at approximately 8:55 pm my mother was involved in a 1 car accident on baum rd located in tallahassee, fl. She was the only passenger determined to be in the vehicle at the time of the accident. According to the crash report, d1 (driver one) was traveling westbound on baum rd going the normal posted speed of 55mph, when she veered towards the center of the rd and suddenly turned right veering of the right shoulder of the rd and striking several trees on the drivers side and front end. D1 was wearing her seatbelt and managed to exit out the drivers side window before coming to her final resting place on the shoulder of the rd. When I went to retrieve my mothers things from her Trailblazer, I noticed that no air bags had deployed. …
While traveling westbound on 192 in osceola county between narcoossee road and nova road there were several barricades 4 to 5 inches in the traffic lane. I was in the left lane with the barricades over the yellow line on the left-hand side of the road. This took place at approximately 8:15 am while taking my children to schoo, during the morning time traffic. My vehicle struck a large round orange barricade on the left side of the vehicle. I attempted to maneuver and avoidance however I was traveling next to a semi and was unable to do so. As a result my vehicle now has a scratch on the left side. I then called dot to report the damages and to have the site investigated for future incidences. The company conducting the construction work is jr davis construction. There is not a pull off zone or a place I felt safe stopping to directly speak with an individual in charge. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that the undercarriage of the vehicle was severely rusted. The contact became aware of the corrosion by visibly inspecting the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear stabilizer bar was totally rusted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be inspected. The contact was informed that the subframe that supported the rear suspension needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified and provided case number: 8-4669457241. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. While driving approximately 35 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the frame was rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000. The VIN was not provided.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while the brakes were being serviced by an independent mechanic, the technician noticed that the entire front end frame was rusted. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 150,542.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated while driving at unknown speeds he experienced a blow out and contacted roadside assistance for help. When roadside assistance arrived, they were unable to remove the spare tire from the vehicle frame due to rust and corrosion. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who cut the tire away from the frame. The owner purchased a new tire to repair the failure. The manufacturer was contacted advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer was unable to remove the spare tire cable from the frame. The failure and current mileages were approximately 104,000. Updated 11/9/10 updated 11/16/10
Tl contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. While driving 60 MPH the contact noticed that the rear spoiler had suddenly separated from the rear end of the vehicle. The dealership was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be serviced. Prior to the recent failure the vehicle was taken to the dealership on 3 prior occasions where the spoiler was replaced each time. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 82,000. Updated 05/10/10 the first time, the dealer replaced the spoiler under warranty. The second time it blew off and the dealer stated they wouldn't replace it due to the mileage on the vehicle. Updated 06/04/10.
My gas tank always reads empty and the fuel light is always on. Occasionally after a fill up, it will appear that I have a small amount of gas, but soon returns to empty. For the last 6 months or more I have had to reset my mileage trip gauge every time I fill up and watch the mileage so I don't run out of gas. This is extremely inconvenient. Also, one night about 2 weeks ago, my speedometer was reading 20 miles an hour more than the speed we were traveling. Even after we stopped completely, the gauge read 20 MPH. The next day it was once again normal and has been since, but this was very strange.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer. On June 20, 2007, while driving 60 MPH, the hood of the vehicle flew open and smashed the windshield. The contact could not see, but was able to pull off the road safely. He drove approximately 10 MPH to a mechanic who inspected the vehicle. The mechanic could not find anything wrong with the vehicle. The vehicle is under warranty and service has been denied. The VIN was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 31,662.
Body complaints in other Trailblazer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the body & structure of the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 2% of the model year's 1,081 complaints. The component named most often is body (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer, though it has 2 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 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 104,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries and 1 death to body & structure 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.