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Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 193 safety complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer with the US government. Of those, 7 describe a crash, 3 mention a fire, 5 people were injured and no death is recorded. 4 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 41 complaints, 21% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 20,000 miles, the median across the 32 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers September 2020 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

193 complaints on file

193

Complaints

7

Describe a crash

3

Mention fire

5

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 54 · 28%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 41 · 21%
POWER TRAIN 40 · 21%
ENGINE 38 · 20%
SERVICE BRAKES 29 · 15%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 17 · 9%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 10 · 5%
STRUCTURE 8 · 4%
STEERING 6 · 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 5 · 3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 4 · 2%
AIR BAGS 3 · 2%
0 23 46

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 193.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 48.

52 39 26 13
20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2021 Chevrolet TRAILBLAZER, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD Early Release SUV AWD Later Release SUV FWD Early Release SUV FWD Later Release
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 17.9% 17.9% 18.5% 18.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

4 on file

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT:STAND

21V440000 · June 10, 2021

The defect
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.
The risk
A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A212335470.

General Motors, LLC · up to 135,400 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES

20V588000 · September 24, 2020

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
The risk
If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.

General Motors LLC · up to 3,677 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

20V537000 · September 3, 2020

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Encore GX and 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The rear attachment bolts of one or both front seats may not have been installed.
The risk
If an occupied front seat is missing the rear attachment bolts, it may move during a crash, increasing risk of injury to the occupant.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202304380.

General Motors LLC · up to 105 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES

20V295000 · May 21, 2020

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles factory-equipped with optional 17-inch sport terrain tires. The certification label on these vehicles does not provide the tire size and cold tire pressure information for front and rear tires, as required. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk
If drivers are uninformed and overinflate or underinflate their tires, this may increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and will mail corrected labels for customers to apply, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2020. Owners may call Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A202304070.

General Motors LLC · up to 20 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash

A loud popping noise heard through the radio when light pressure applied to brakes. Noise loud enough to scare the hell out of all the occupants in the car. Brakes squeaked when car was in reverse. Tried to slow down on wet pavement. Car started to veer to the right. Forward collision warning nor automatic emergency braking worked. Pushed brake all the way to the floor and the car did not slow. Rear ended another car. No airbags deployed. My passenger was okay. I got diagnosed with a concussion. Do not know if the occupants in the other car were injured.

NHTSA complaint 11643617. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 injured · crash · towed · 6,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ATTEMPTING TO PARK HER VEHICLE AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING, JUMPED THE PARKING MEDIAN AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING FROM HER LAP BELT BUT DID NOT NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE AUTHORITIES ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SID DILLON CHEVROLET - FREMONT(2500 E 23RD ST, FREMONT, NE 68025) WHERE IT HAD REMAINED IN THEIR POSSESSION TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE

NHTSA complaint 11375970, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed

Brakes failed and myself and others were in harms way. To my knowledge the car was totaled as the air bags did deploy.

NHTSA complaint 11527819. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

1 injured · 5 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while outside the vehicle, the power liftgate opened and closed independently. The liftgate struck the driver on the head. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 5. The contact stated that this issue happens a lot and at any time.

NHTSA complaint 11463175. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2021 Chevy Trailblazer has a shift to park sensor issue. Car is in park and the sensor does not recognize that it is in park and displays a safety message to place car in park and continues to beep. Takes numerous attempts of taking car out of park and back into park to get it to recognize that the shifter is now in park. Has taken up to 15 minutes. Dealership has diagnosed as a known issue with this year and make with a service bulletin issued by GM of 23-NA-119. Has been happening over the last 2 weeks.

NHTSA complaint 11764456. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Dear Chevy, I am reaching out to you again because I am desperately requesting immediate assistance with my vehicle, which has now become an extremely serious and dangerous safety concern. On Friday, [XXX], I had my vehicle towed to the dealership because of the ongoing mechanical issues I have been experiencing. I was advised that the repairs would cost $877, which included a battery replacement and new sensors. I paid for these repairs and picked up my vehicle on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, believing that the issues had finally been addressed. Unfortunately, within approximately one hour of leaving the dealership, my check engine light came back on. When I arrived home, the key became

NHTSA complaint 11762612, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Original Owner of 2021 Chevy Trailblazer LT. Purchased new in April 2021. Vehicle has a history of major powertrain issues, starting with Check Engine light during its first year of ownership, culminating in a complete turbocharger replacement in December 2025. This only as a result of my research, after many visits to dealership trying to diagnose the issue. The check engine was consistently illuminated in the vehicle 2021-2025. 9 days ago while traveling the vehicle, experienced sudden oil pressure loss, and stalling risks, displayed a hard warning “ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LOW. STOP ENGINE”. On Star provided me with a diagnostic code of P0521, pointing to an engine oil pressure sensor

NHTSA complaint 11761820, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Shifter

NHTSA complaint 11757775. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
My timing belt snapped prematurely, causing a total loss of engine power while driving on the highway, which is a severe safety hazard

NHTSA complaint 11754543. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am submitting this report regarding my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer because it has been experiencing the "Shift to Park" issue described in the GM bulletin 19-NA-206. Even when the vehicle is shifted into Park, it intermittently displays a "Shift to Park" message and does not recognize that the transmission is in Park. This issue has been ongoing and has not resolved despite normal use of the vehicle. It is frustrating to deal with on a regular basis, and it appears to be the same condition addressed by GM in Technical Service Bulletin 19-NA-206 that is available to view on the NHTSA website. I believe the NHTSA should push General Motors to issue a recall for this problem rather than

NHTSA complaint 11754013, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Chevrolet Trailblazer

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 9 1 —
2025 24 1 —
2024 33 1 —
2023 68 0 —
2022 110 1 —

Other 2021 Chevrolet models

Silverado 1500 829 Tahoe 453 Suburban 198 Blazer 134 Equinox 96 Malibu 89 Traverse 89 Silverado 2500 87

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Chevrolet on this site — 304 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst