Most common 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems
Share of the 1,108 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Trailblazer complaints by model year
Best Trailblazer years: 2021, 2022. Years to avoid: 2005, 2002, 2006, 2004. Compare all years →
2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer recalls (8)
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy vehicles, and 2006 GMC Envoy XL and Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new driver's door switch module, free of charge. The recall began on November 2, 2015.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737.
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the part number on the door module, and install a new door module if necessary, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available.
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board.
Remedy: Owners will be contacted and dealers will test the driver's door module. If the module is functioning properly, a protective coating will be applied. If the module is not functioning properly, it will be replaced.
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, SAAB 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender vehicles, originally sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,…
Remedy: Parts for this recall are expected to available in March 2013. GM will notify Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC owners when parts are available.
Air bags › Frontal
Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.
Remedy: Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (GM) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in GM's letter to…
Show 2 more recalls
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were shipped with tire and loading information labels listing an inacccurate vehicle capacity weight.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with corrected labels and installation instructions. At the customer's option, a dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on March 31, 2006.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Certain passenger vehicles May have been built with a power steering hose that is not to specification. Under extreme steering maneuvers, such as turning the steering wheel fully to the left or right while braking, the hose May fracture and leak fluid.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the power steering hose(s) for two suspect date codes and replace them if required. The recall will begin on October 14, 2005.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer:
Loss of Headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV.
Driver's Master Power Window Switch
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on February 9, 2012 in response to complaints alleging driver door module melting and/or burning in MY 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazers. In response to ODI's Information Request letter, General Motors presented 167 reports and 698 warranty claims that related to the alleged problem.
Driver's Master Power Window Switch
On August 15, 2012 General Motors (GM) announced a regional recall action (12V-406) involving model year (MY) 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Ascender and MY2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the salt belt states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New…
Fuel Level Gauge System Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 668 complaints alleging inaccurate fuel gauge reading while driving in model year 2005-07 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.Of the 668 complaints, 58 incidents were alleged to result in a vehicle stall.Of the 58 stalling incidents, 43 complaints reported stalling because the fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than…
What 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 607 →
Driving vehicle turn it off turn back on drive somewhere and turn it off and go swimming for an hour came back go to go start it and would not start I believe it's the anti-theft system as we replaced the ignition switch and the ignition cylinder but my illumination selector for my gear selector nor my tachometer works nor do my front two windows or locks
On Tuesday, October 21, 2014, at approximately 11:30 a.m. While my husband and I were driving on the west side of the standing rock sioux reservation my 2006 Trailblazer ext caught on fire. We both smelled smoke, parked (didn't turn off the ignition) and flames began to shoot out from underneath the front driver's side of the vehicle. We got out and ran to the west side of the roadway as the fire engulfed the entire front motor area. My purse was still in the burning vehicle and I told my husband he ran back to the burning vehicle to retrieve it. He sustained burns to his hands, face, legs and feet. In addition he received smoke inhalation to a degree of a "black out" stage. …
Electrical system all 251 →
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V248000 (Electrical System, Visibility). The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was running or while driving at various speeds, the passenger's window switch was depressed from the driver's side door panel, and there was a clicking sound coming from the front passenger's side of the vehicle, and the window failed to roll up or roll down. Additionally, the contact stated that on several occasions, when the driver's side window switch was depressed, the window failed to roll up or roll down. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
.+Electrical system. Have read this speedometer issue can also cause other malfunctions on instrument panel such as cruise control issues. .+Driving a car with a broken or faulty speedometer is very dangerous. Not only can it put you in danger, but it can also jeopardize the safety of your passengers, and other drivers and pedestrians on the road. As for the law, you can also be ticketed for operating a vehicle with a broken speedometer, which can cost you fines and court fees, and even risk suspending your drivers' license. .+My mechanic has not had the chance to look at it yet as he isn't open till Monday. .+No other warnings were given prior to failure.
Lights all 112 →
The headlamps have quit working when driving at night but will come back on later. This has happened several times. I found GM recall number 14291 that is supposed to include 2006 Chevy Trailblazers and pertains to this problem. The local dealership told us that our vehicle has a vin number that is not covered. It would seem that all model 2006 Chevy Trailblazers would use the same HDM modules in them when they were built. Is ours covered?
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer. While driving at approximately 35 MPH, the headlights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the wiring was burned and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 5/15/15 updated 05/26/15
2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer a good car?
Based on 1,108 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Trailblazer rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Trailblazer at the same age. It is one of the Trailblazer years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
The fuel & propulsion system — 607 complaints, 55% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › fuel gauge system. Next are the electrical system (251) and lights (112).
How many recalls does the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer, the most recent from September 24, 2015 (power window devices and controls). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Trailblazer?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021 and 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2002, 2006 and 2004. See the full Chevrolet Trailblazer years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 27% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.