1996 Chevrolet Blazer: common problems

Owners of the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer filed 1,153 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 1,153
involving a crash: 158

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 38% of all complaints
2 Visibility 16% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
4 Suspension 13% of all complaints
5 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
7 Air bags 5% of all complaints
8 Fuel system 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: 441 complaints (38% of all), 101 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Visibility: 182 complaints (16% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 149 complaints (13% of all).
Suspension: 149 complaints (13% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 96 complaints (8% of all), 3 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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: RWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 1,153 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure96 · 8%
A/C or heater53 · 5%
rust, corrosion48 · 4%
airbags did not deploy42 · 4%
smoke, burning smell, fire37 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise35 · 3%
seat belts26 · 2%
warning lights, check engine20 · 2%
transmission slipping19 · 2%
windows, sunroof19 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	441	101
Visibility	182	1
Engine and cooling	149	0
Suspension	149	9
Powertrain	96	3
Electrical system	62	2
Air bags	56	49
Fuel system	36	1
Seat belts	30	8
Equipment	29	0
Structure	29	2
Steering	28	2
Vehicle speed control	28	5
Wheels	22	1

What owners report

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

Radio clock stays on drained battery in the past. Also, there was a problem with the brakes. I tried to get a service but didn't know where in dayton , ohio.....updated10/20/15
Service brakes · crash · 2015-07-09 · NHTSA complaint #10733065
The car is totaled and I am concerned because the airbag did not deploy. I believe the impact was strong enough that they should have deployed. It was a front end collision and she was going approximately 25 miles per hour. Although she was not going fast, the impact was very hard, enough to total the car.
Air bags · crash · 2006-11-06 · NHTSA complaint #10172732
When my son applied his brake to slow, the brakes failed. When they failed the engine revved completely up, throttled out and shut down the vehicle. He of course had no brakes, but now no steering, and the engine was off.
Service brakes · crash · 2006-10-31 · NHTSA complaint #10172271
Dt: contact stated drivers side airbag failed to deploy on two separate occasions. The first incidentoccurred in october, 2003. Contact's vehicle was almost at a complete stop when it was hit in the rear end by a vehicle going approximately 45-50 mph.
Air bags · crash · 2005-07-27 · NHTSA complaint #10130265
The vehicle has an air bag light that stays on. Had a front end collision in october 2004, and air bags did not deploy. The speed at the time of impact was 45 mph. No airbags at all deployed, vehicle is equipped with the driver's air bag only. Occupant was wearing seat belt. Air bag light was on prior to accident.
Air bags · crash · 2005-06-02 · NHTSA complaint #10123925
Dt: the consumer was involved in an accident and the air bag failed to deploy. The consumer was traveling 40-45 mph at the time of accident. The air bag light was on at time of accident. Frontal impact occurred. The consumer was wearing his seat belt at the time of impact.
Service brakes · crash · 2005-05-17 · NHTSA complaint #10121149
On september 5, 2004, my husband, mother, 8 year old son, 4 year old daughter, and 1 year old son, were stranded in the emergency lane on I-66 east in fairfax county, va with a broken fuel pump. While waiting for a tow truck they were hit by a drunk driver who was traveling at approximately 100 mph.
Fuel system · crash · 2004-12-19 · NHTSA complaint #10104101
Also, emergency brakes failed to respond as well. To avoid a collision with another vehicle consumer detoured into a dry river bed. Vehicle finally stopped on its top against a fence.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2004-08-03 · NHTSA complaint #10087102

When owners complained

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

19953
199667
1997156
1998115
1999226
2000174
2001147
2002107
200370
200431
200516
200620
20075
20084
20093
20105
20111
20122
20133
20153
20161
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 167 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 1% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Blazer has 192 complaints (43 years in the data). This year has 1,153, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, visibility, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 1,153. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (8%), A/C or heater (5%), rust, corrosion (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1996 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 1996 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 1996 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.