1991 Chevrolet Blazer: common problems

Owners of the 1991 Chevrolet Blazer filed 222 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 222
involving a crash: 32

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 58% of all complaints
2 Seat belts 12% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
4 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 3% of all complaints
8 Seats 3% of all complaints

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

Service brakes: 128 complaints (58% of all), 27 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seat belts: 26 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 16 complaints (7% of all).
Engine and cooling: 12 complaints (5% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 11 complaints (5% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

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

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 222 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure34 · 15%
seat belts22 · 10%
smoke, burning smell, fire20 · 9%
warning lights, check engine11 · 5%
jerking, harsh shifts5 · 2%
rust, corrosion5 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise4 · 2%
engine failure or replacement3 · 1%
vibration3 · 1%
infotainment or screen glitches2 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	128	27
Seat belts	26	2
Electrical system	16	0
Engine and cooling	12	0
Vehicle speed control	11	4
Powertrain	8	0
Fuel system	7	0
Seats	7	2
Steering	5	0
Suspension	5	0
Tires	5	0
Structure	4	0
Visibility	4	1
Wheels	4	0

What owners report

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

While goiing around a corner between 20 to 25 mph and applying the brakes to slow down, brake pedal was jerking and vehicle accelerated and the consumer hit a pole.
Service brakes · crash · 1999-08-31 · NHTSA complaint #846191
While parking in garage vehicle accelerated, causing it to run inside consumer's kitchen and coming to a stop. Also when making a left turn, the windshield wipers will make one cycle and stop.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1999-04-01 · NHTSA complaint #836362
Had shifted into reverse, vehicle suddenly accelerated backwards. It then flipped over, after hitting a small embankment. Vehicle was towed to dealership.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1998-12-08 · NHTSA complaint #831977
Upon impact, rear seat belts (shoulder/lap) failed to restrain css & gave way. Child went forward & hit rear of front seat (driver). Driver had neck problems. Child facial problems.
Seat belts · crash · 1998-02-25 · NHTSA complaint #821682
When igniton was turned on and foot on brake vehicle suddenly took off, resulting in a crash/injuries. Vehicle would not slow down even with full pressure on brake pedal. Dealer could not duplicate problem.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1997-09-12 · NHTSA complaint #815278
When driving on wet and dry pavement the brake pedal went to the floor and the vehicle continued to move, causing the consumer to have a near accident ea94-038. Consumer states he did have an accident because of the faulty brakes.
Service brakes · crash · 1996-11-26 · NHTSA complaint #805591
Light turned red so needed to stop, when applied the brakes ,pedal went completely to the floor and there were no brakes . The brakes failed and vehicle went into the back of a truck.
Service brakes · crash · 1996-11-13 · NHTSA complaint #804951
When hit in rear at 50mph the driver seatback fell backwards and seat belt broke.
Seats · crash · 1996-06-12 · NHTSA complaint #985559

When owners complained

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

199542
199634
199744
199822
199931
200022
20016
200211
20034
20046
20061
20211

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,821 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Blazer has 192 complaints (43 years in the data). This year has 222, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
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 1991 Chevrolet Blazer?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, seat belts, electrical system. Total complaints: 222. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (15%), seat belts (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (9%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 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 1991 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 1991 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.