AI Damage2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT filed 189 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 189
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 66% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 22% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 5% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 4% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 2% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 124 complaints (66% of all).
- Electrical system: 41 complaints (22% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 11 complaints (6% of all).
- Structure: 9 complaints (5% of all).
- Visibility: 8 complaints (4% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 189 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 124 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 41 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 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.
Our vehicle sustained a direct hit on the front of the vehicle and the air bags never deployed. After the initial collision our vehicle remained in contact with the vehicle that failed to stop and both of our vehicles were driven directly into a tree, thus incurring another significant impact ( more significant than…
She contacted me saying that the engine was making a knocking noise, and brought the vehicle back to me, where I inspected it while it was stationary. To rule out everything else before I acknowledged the sound of the knock being a severe mechanical failure of the engine, I connected a diagnostic scanner to the can…
While driving various speeds, the vehicle would stall and shut off without warning. The vehicle would have to be jumpstarted in order to restart. The failure recurred, but the vehicle would not restart. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who was unable to identify the cause of the failure.
Both rear parking tail lights does not turn on, while both front parking lights are operational. Brake lights, rear turn signals, reverse lights, doors unlock light are all operational.
The headlights are not working properly. Sometimes the headlights work but other times they turn off. The high beams and marker lights are not affected. This also applies to the daytime running lamps and occurs in motion or at a stop.
My low beam headlights went out which shows it's a relay bad online it shows that there was a recall but in the database it doesn't show up for my vehicle
My driver side seat heated seat short circuited and looks like it caught on fire briefly. My head lamp module went bad and is recalled but no remedy has been solved, dealership replaced at my expense but I cannot get reimbursement for repair due to remedy not yet available.
As soon as you start vehicle....dash shows that the air bags needs to be services and it stays on the whole time of your journey..when I lift my seat to get correct positioning to drive it starts to have the bell sensor ring, like when you don't your seat belt on....but I have my seat belt on/fastened,,took to mtn…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 6% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Trailblazer EXT has 216 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 189, about average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, electrical system, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 189. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (37%), warning lights, check engine (14%), windows, sunroof (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT?
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 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT 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 2006 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.