1992 Chevrolet Blazer: common problems

Owners of the 1992 Chevrolet Blazer filed 278 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 278
involving a crash: 48

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 74% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
3 Visibility 5% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 4% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 4% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 3% of all complaints
7 Seat belts 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: 205 complaints (74% of all), 42 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 18 complaints (6% of all).
Visibility: 14 complaints (5% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 11 complaints (4% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 10 complaints (4% of all), 6 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
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: AWD, RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 278 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure56 · 20%
smoke, burning smell, fire16 · 6%
warning lights, check engine14 · 5%
knocking, grinding or other noise8 · 3%
seat belts6 · 2%
vibration6 · 2%
A/C or heater3 · 1%
rust, corrosion3 · 1%
unintended acceleration3 · 1%
fuel system, fuel smell2 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	205	42
Electrical system	18	0
Visibility	14	1
Fuel system	11	0
Vehicle speed control	10	6
Engine and cooling	9	0
Seat belts	9	2
Seats	7	0
Latches, locks, linkages	3	0
Powertrain	3	0
Steering	3	1
Suspension	3	1
Tires	3	1
Equipment	2	0

What owners report

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

I was going around a curve when I went to slow down a little bit ...I was going 25...& my truck slid & when I went to turn to go around the curve my truck jerked to the left & I hit a barrier, and now I am unable to drive my truck .... Failures: brakes & abs system.
Service brakes · crash · 2007-07-21 · NHTSA complaint #10197118
Consumer's vehicle was in a line of traffic stopped when the vehicle suddenly experienced sudden acceleration. This caused the vehicle to rear end another vehicle. Consumer contacted the dealer to see if this vehicle was recalled for any related failures.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2004-12-06 · NHTSA complaint #10103133
Brakes failed to hold when they were depressed to slow the vehicle down. As a result the vehicle impacted a pole.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2003-10-15 · NHTSA complaint #10043999
Left upper ball joint broke without warning,lost control of blazer. Bulletin sequence no. 190 service bulletin no.300800 , nhtsa item number sb619031. Date of bulletin, 08/00. Covering all years.
Suspension · crash · 2002-03-25 · NHTSA complaint #759674
Tire tread completely separated from tire while traveling at 65mph. This caused the vehicle to spin out of control and crashed into center highway divider. Tire tread was adequate at time of accident. Tires were bought from sears in sep 95 and were still within the 5o,ooo mile warranty.
Tires · crash · 2000-08-25 · NHTSA complaint #727762
Brakes: driving approximately 15mph, approaching an accident and attempting to stop, the brakes failed and rear ended a vehicle. One week ago, driving and putting foot on brakes and the brakes went to the floor and did not stop.
Service brakes · crash · 1998-01-07 · NHTSA complaint #819346
Consumer was going up his lane on incline vehicle pulled out in front and consumer began pressing brakes to floor, brakes failed and crash happened. Dried or rainy roads are not bad. But when dirving on gravel or salt the road is fine.
Service brakes · crash · 1997-11-12 · NHTSA complaint #818893
Accelerator stuck while driving, had an accident. Please give more details.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1996-05-08 · NHTSA complaint #984220

When owners complained

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

199546
199643
199753
199837
199929
200036
200112
20025
20037
20045
20061
20071
20081
20091
20221

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,458 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Blazer has 192 complaints (43 years in the data). This year has 278, above average.

What to check before buying

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.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1992 Chevrolet Blazer?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, visibility. Total complaints: 278. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (20%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%), warning lights, check engine (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 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 1992 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 1992 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 2026-11-06.