1989 Chevrolet Blazer: common problems

Owners of the 1989 Chevrolet Blazer filed 38 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 38
involving a crash: 7

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 18% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
5 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
6 Seats 8% of all complaints
7 Steering 8% of all complaints
8 Tires 8% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Seat belts: 7 complaints (18% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 7 complaints (18% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 6 complaints (16% of all).
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Fuel system: 3 complaints (8% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
4.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
6.2 L · diesel · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: AWD, RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 38 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire8 · 21%
seat belts7 · 18%
rust, corrosion6 · 16%
windows, sunroof2 · 5%
A/C or heater1 · 3%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 3%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Seat belts	7	2
Service brakes	7	3
Electrical system	6	0
Engine and cooling	4	0
Fuel system	3	0
Seats	3	1
Steering	3	0
Tires	3	0
Vehicle speed control	2	1
Visibility	2	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0
Powertrain	1	1
Structure	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Consumer's vehicle was rear ended where the seat broke causing consumer to jam knees against the dashboard.
Seats · crash · 2001-03-05 · NHTSA complaint #882103
On the 6th of december 2000, my s10 blazers throtle plate stuck, wide open while I was rearanging the truck in my driveway. It then sent me flying into my neighbors back yard, where I took out a hedge row, a bird feeder, and a couple small pine trees.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2000-12-13 · NHTSA complaint #737547
Wife and son reported brakes not working. Had checked at maxi muffler said needed pads and shoes, replaced them myself and checked wheel cylinders and master cylinder all ok. Son still reported brake loss. Rechecked everything, checked ok. Son had accident.
Service brakes · crash · 2000-11-29 · NHTSA complaint #736743
During rear impact at 10 mph the driver's side seat belt did not lock. Please provide any details.
Seat belts · crash · 1998-05-05 · NHTSA complaint #823072
When the blazer was involved in a rollover crash the seat belt in the rear seat behind the driver snapped off the anchor. The blazer was totalled.
Seat belts · crash · 1998-02-24 · NHTSA complaint #821108
Abs; when you go to put on the brakes the pedal goes so far down that you touch left hand corner of the accelerator. Design of brakes caused accident.
Service brakes · crash · 1996-02-26 · NHTSA complaint #979737
Brake and fuel lines rotted away fuel leaking lost of brakes and brake fluids gas tank rusted and leaking fuel floor rusted away seats broke loose of mounts
Service brakes · 2017-09-29 · NHTSA complaint #11030591
Dt: the consumer stated the tread on driver's side tire came off, but the tire stayed in act. The trim for the wheel well tore, and the exhaust was pinched , nearly closed. The tire was taken to firestone and they checked it. The mechanic stated it should not have happened.
Tires · 2005-08-11 · NHTSA complaint #10132448

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19957
19964
19972
19989
19992
20005
20013
20023
20051
20071
20171

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,094 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Blazer has 192 complaints (43 years in the data). This year has 38, below average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1989 Chevrolet Blazer?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 38. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (21%), seat belts (18%), rust, corrosion (16%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 Chevrolet Blazer?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1989 Chevrolet Blazer from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1989 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.