2008 Chevrolet Blazer: common problems

Owners of the 2008 Chevrolet Blazer filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 5

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 20% of all complaints
3 Equipment 20% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 20% of all complaints
5 Steering 20% of all complaints

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

Electrical system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Equipment: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Steering: 1 complaints (20% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 5 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion1 · 20%
vibration1 · 20%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	1	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Equipment	1	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Steering	1	0	0

What owners report

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

The electrical doesn't work in my truck any more. The dash doesn't light and every time I change the fuse it blows. There is no way I can afford to get this fix and is missing up my break lights also. I have read a lot of articles that this is a reoccurring issue with 2008 chevy blazers.
Electrical system · 2018-08-20 · NHTSA complaint #11121139
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet blazer. The vehicle failed the state inspection. The dealer diagnosed that the brake lights and hazard lights failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,400.
Exterior lighting · 2016-06-07 · NHTSA complaint #10872950
The car was parked. Got out of car and closed door all doors locked automatically with keys inside
Equipment · 2015-05-31 · NHTSA complaint #10722489
When turning onto my residential street I had severe vibration in steering. I parked suv because it was dark. The next morning suv was taken to chevy dealership. They stated that both high and low pressure lines had rusted in two, under clamp attached to left fender well that holds lines in place.
Steering · 2014-10-31 · NHTSA complaint #10651734
Bought a used 2008 chevy trailblazer from a dealership, after 1 1/2 years of owning it, I had to replace the exhaust manifold already. It has less than 70,000 miles on it.
Engine and cooling · 2013-09-10 · NHTSA complaint #10543000

When owners complained

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

20131
20141
20151
20161
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Blazer has 192 complaints (43 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.

What to check before buying

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.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Chevrolet Blazer?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, equipment. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (20%), vibration (20%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 2008 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.