2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

CAR FELT "STUCK" IN GEAR, WOULDN'T ACCELERATE, LOW ON TRANSMISSION FLUID. ADDED MORE FLUID, REPLACED SPEED SENSOR, CAMSHAFT & CRANKSHAFT SENSORS. STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH RPMS GOING HIGH, CAR SLAMMING FROM ONE GEAR INTO ANOTHER. ALSO CANNOT RUN HEAT WHILE DRIVING, FAN DRAWS POWER & CAUSES ENGINE TO STALL OUT. CAR ALSO BURNING THROUGH GAS VERY QUICKLY. *TR

Mileage: 146,000

THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY FROM 7:45 PM, (AUGUST 10, 2011). I WAS AWAKENED AT APPROX. 3:55 AM ON 8-10-2011 BY HEARING A MUFFLED BOOM. AT 4:00 AM (AUG. 11, 2011) I HEARD A LOUD BANG TYPE NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY GOT UP AND WENT TO INVESTIGATE. I WENT OUTSIDE AND FOUND MY 2004 TRAILBLAZER (EXT) ON FIRE FROM THE ENGINE BAY AND JUST BEGINNING TO FLAME INSIDE THE VEHICLE'S PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AT THE DASHBOARD..IT ONLY TOOK MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY INVOLVED. THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE ENGINE BAY. THE FIRE MARSHALL REPORT IS STILL PENDING AND I WAS INFORMED IT WOULD TAKE 6 TO 8 WEEKS BEFORE IT WAS AVAILABLE. APPROX. TWO TO THREE MONTHS PRIOR, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR GARAGE TO FIX THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS (THEY HAD FAILED AND CHANGING THE BULBS WAS NO HELP. IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS A FAILED RELAY, WHICH WAS REPLACED. IT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY AS IT HAD GONE DEAD AND WOULD NOT TAKE A CHARGE. THE OLD BATTERY WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS OLD. THERE WERE NO OTHER BATTERY/HEADLIGHT ISSUES AFTER THESE REPAIRS. NO TOOLS OR OTHER PARTS WERE DROPPED INTO THE ENGINE BAY, OR LEFT IN THE BAY. I WAS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AND OLD HABITS OF KEEPING RACK OF MY TOOLS NEVER DIE AND ALL TOOLS USED WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. THE ROADS WERE DRY WHERE IT WAS DRIVEN THERE WAS NO RAIN AT THE HOUSE ALL NIGHT. I REPORTED THIS TO CHEVROLET THAT DAY. AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, THE EAVES OF THE HOUSE OVER THE GARAGE CAUGHT FIRE, MY WIFE, SON AND MYSELF HAD MINOR CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING, MY WORK TRUCK WAS DAMAGED BY THE HEAT OF THE FIRE, SO I CANNOT WORK (SELF EMPLOYED) UNTIL I GET A REPLACEMENT (NO RENTAL COMPANY WILL LET ME USE A TRUCK TO WORK FROM AS I NEED TO CARRY LARGE QUANTITIES OF CHLORINE IN MY PRESSURE CLEANING BUSINESS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER PROBLEMS OF THIS KIND BEFORE WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

THE EXT. MANIFOLD ON MY 2004 TRL BLAZER HAS A LEAK IN THE MAIFOLD BODY. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROX. 120000 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM FOR MANUFACTURING DEFECT, BUT GM HAS NOT AS OF YET, ISSUED A RECALL. IT IS A COSTLY REPAIR, AS WELL AS A SAFETY CONCERN, GIVEN THAT THE EXHAUST FUMES CAN ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED MANY GM VEHICLES OVERTIME, AND NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

NOT SURE WHAT TO FILE THIS UNDER, SO I PUT IT UNDER UNKNOWN AND OTHER. ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. IT STAYED ON FOR A FEW DAYS THEN WENT OFF, A FEW DAYS LATER IT WAS BACK ON, THEN A FEW DAYS LATER WENT OFF, THEN IT CAME ON FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME AND DO THE SAME THING, EVENTUALLY IT STAYED ON. TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID THE GAS TANK HAD A CRACK IN IT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SAID IT WAS PROBABLY FROM THE GAS NOZZLE HITTING THE TANK WHEN FILLING IT UP. DON'T SEE HOW THAT IS POSSIBLE, WHEN IT IS ONLY ME OR MY HUSBAND FILLING IT UP & HOW HARD WOULD YOU HAVE TO HIT IT FOR IT TO CRACK? HAD IT REPLACED THE NEXT MONTH. NOW THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS DOING THE SAME THING. HAVEN'T TAKEN IT BACK IN YET. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT - FOR OVER ONE YEAR NOW, AND 4 VARIOUS MECHANICS, NO ONCE CAN FIGURE OUT WHY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAVE REPLACED TWO AIR SENSORS (ACTUALLY 3 - ONE WAS BAD)... I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $1,000 TO GET THIS FIXED - BUT THE DAM LIGHT CONTINUES TO GO ON (INTERMITTENTLY) SOMETIMES IT'S ON FOR A MONTH - OFF A DAY - ON TWO WEEKS - THERE IS NO PATTERN. THE LAST TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON, MY CAR BEGAN STALLING IN TRAFFIC AND STOP SIGNS. LAST MECHANIC SPENT 5 HOURS TRACING ALL THE CODES BACK - NOTHING. NEXT DAY HAD ANOTHER MECHANIC CHECK CODES AND THE ENGINE RUNNING COOL AS WELL AS A FEW OTHERS SHOWED UP. IF NO ONE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT - WHERE IS THE RECOURSE. I FEEL LIKE I AM BEING SCAMMED OVER AND OVER. I STALLED ON RT. 24 SLOWING DOWN IN TRAFFIC - AND WAS ALMOST HIT BY A BOX TRUCK BECAUSE I JUST SAT THERE. WHO CAN HELP DIRECT ME TO A REPAIR WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY END THIS ISSUE? NOW, THE LIGHTS OFF THIS WEEK (WATCH, NOW THAT I SAY THIS IT WILL COME BACK ON). THE ONLY THING I NOTICE IS THAT MANY TIMES THE LIGHT TURNED OFF AFTER I FILLED THE TANK. SO, IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO KNOWS WHAT'S WRONG (REFERRING TO MECHANICS WHO TAKE US FOR A RIDE $$$)? I CHALLENGE ANYONE OUT THERE TO FIGURE THIS OUT. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

I OWN A 2004 TRAILBLAZER EXT WITH THE I6 AND I'VE BEEN GETTING STRONG SMELLS OF EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE DO TO A FAULTY EXHAUST MANIFOLD THAT IS CRACKED. IT SEEMS THAT IT HAPPENS TO 90 PERCENT OF THE TRAILBLAZERS WITH THE I6 MOTOR. COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER WHICH TELLS ME THAT GM SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SEEING THAT IT'S HARD TO DRIVE AROUND WITH THE WINDOWS UP AND THE HEAT ON. NOT ONLY IS IT A SAFETY HAZARD BUT IT'S ALSO AN EMISSION ISSUE. *TR

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN OCTOBER 2009 FOR A OIL CHANGE & A EXHAUST LEAK WAS TOLD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET FOUND OUT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT GM WHEN MANUFACTURING THE VEHICLE USED BOLTS THAT WERE TO LONG MAKING THE MANIFOLD GET TO HOT AND THEREFORE LEADS TO IT CRACKING. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $319.50 & HAVING IT BACK FOR A MONTH & DRIVING IT 3 TIMES MY SPEEDOMETER WENT HAYWIRE REGISTERING A SITTING STILL SPEED OF 45 MPH. ONCE AGAIN LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER THEY HAVE ISSUED RECALLS FOR THE CHEVY TRUCKS AND YUKON GMC FOR THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALL SO FAR ABOUT THE TRAILBLAZER. THIS REPAIR WILL COST ME $516.33, BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS ARE DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING & SHOULD BE LISTED AS A RECALL. I JUST HOPE THAT NONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES I HAVE READ ABOUT BECOMES A CONCERN FOR ME. *TR

Mileage: 62,321

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN OCTOBER 2009 FOR A OIL CHANGE & A EXHAUST LEAK WAS TOLD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET FOUND OUT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT GM WHEN MANUFACTURING THE VEHICLE USED BOLTS THAT WERE TO LONG THEREFORE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WASN'T PROPERLY TORQUE/TIGHTENED WHICH MADE THE MANIFOLD VIBRATE UNTIL IT BROKE AND PRIOR TO ITS BREAKING IT LEAKED THE MANIFOLD BECOMES LOOSE AND THAT LEADS TO IT CRACKING. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $319.50 & HAVING IT BACK FOR A MONTH & DRIVING IT 3 TIMES MY SPEEDOMETER WENT HAYWIRE REGISTERING A SITTING STILL SPEED OF 45 MPH. ONCE AGAIN LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER THEY HAVE ISSUED RECALLS FOR THE CHEVY TRUCKS AND YUKON GMC FOR THE SAME ISSUE BUT NO RECALL SO FAR ABOUT THE TRAILBLAZER. THIS REPAIR WILL COST ME $516.33, BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS ARE DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING & SHOULD BE LISTED AS A RECALL. I JUST HOPE THAT NONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES I HAVE READ ABOUT BECOMES A CONCERN FOR ME. *TR

Mileage: 62,321

TICKING NOISE FROM ENGINE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS A CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY GM AS A WARRANTY ITEM SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILURES RELATED TO THE 4.2 LITER SIX CYLINDER ENGINE. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

2004 TRAILBLAZER , TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK RUSTED AND BROKE, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT FROM WATER GETTING INSIDE / DO NOT KNOW HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ! AND THE BEARINGS IN THE WATERPUMP WENT OUT LEAVING THE FAN SHAFT WIGGLING / LOOSE. WITH ONLY 65000 MILES ON MY TRAILBLAZER NOT TRAVELING NO FASTER THAN 75 MPH MAX. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. MY FRIENDS WITH THE SAME TRAILBLAZER IS HAVING THE SAME THING HAPPENING. I SERVICED EVERY 3500 MILES SINCE OWNED 2005. PLEASE HELP IF CAN . *TR

Mileage: 65,459

2004 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER. INTERMITTENT ENGINE STALLING SINCE NEW. MANY SERVICE VISITS TO CHEVY DEALERS TO FIX, HOWEVER MECHANICS STUMPED. LOCAL GAS STATION MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM HAVING TO DO WITH COMPONENTS IN THE EMISSION CONTROL / VAPOR RECOVERY SYSTEM. NOW CHEVY NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT THE CURE. IN THE MEANTIME I GET TO DRIVE AROUND WITH THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ON. I GUESS THIS IS BETTER THAN BEING CRASHED BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY. CHEVY MECHANICS AND ENGINEERS NEED TO GET THE "DUH" AWARD. VERY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED BY CHEVY. I WOULD STILL LIKE TO HAVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO GO OFF, AND HAVE THE ENGINE NOT STALL IF THAT IS POSSIBLE. PLEASE SEND INFO TO HAVE THIS DONE IF POSSIBLE. *JB

Mileage: 1,000

MY TRAILBLAZER HAS STALLED (CUT OFF) NOW 4 TIMES AND IT IS GETTING OLD AND UNSAFE. WHEN YOU ARE GOING DOWN I-95 AND IT CUTS OFF. IMAGINE HAVING NO POWERING STEERING AND TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE YOU GET HIT GOING 70 MPH! AND CHEVROLET WILL NOT TAKE IT BACK OR HELP WITH A TRADE! I MAY CONTACT THE PAPERS AND HAVE SOMEONE LOOK INTO THIS!! *NM

01/27/04,09/28/05,11/18/05 TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHTS, 04/26/06 TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR METALLIC RATTLE SOUND SUSPECTING HEAT SHIELD ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD. DEALERSHIP STATED FRONT BACKING PLATES WERE CONTACTING STEERING KNUCKLE. 04/21/06 BEGAN DRIVE FROM OKC, OK TO VANOUVER, WASHINGTON, MIDTRIP NOTED SAME NOISE. ON TRIP NOISE BECAME EXTREMELY LOUDER. STOPPED AT CHEYENNE WY DEALERSHIP COULDN'T GET APPT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. HUSBAND REMOVED HEAT SHIELD IN EVANSTON WY ON 8/23 AND DISCOVERED CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. 41000 MILES ON VEHICLE. 2 DEALERSHIPS IN EVANSTON WY WOULD NOT TOUCH US FOR SEVERAL DAYS. CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WHO CONTACTED DEALERSHIP IN SLC,UT WHO WOULD LOOK AT VEHICLE. DROVE THERE BUT BECAUSE OVER 36K, WARRANTY DID NOT COVER AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY AND COULD NOT FIX SAME DAY. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP IN VANCOUVER WA UPON RETURN AND THEY ARE TRYING TO REPAIR BUT HAVE NOW DISCOVERED 3 CRACKED HEAD BOLTS IN ADDITION TO CRACKED MANIFOLD. REFUSING TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IN FOR PREVIOUSLY. HAVE ADMITTED TO NOT ADDRESSING HEAT SHIELD AT ALL IN APRIL. EXTREME STRESS, INCONVENIENCED AND WORRY ON VACATION. NO ETA ON REPAIRS. HAVE REQUESTED ALL PARTS TO BE RETAINED FOR INVESTIGATION. *NM

Mileage: 3,900

TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED A NEAR MISS WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER TRAVELING BEHIND ME. CAUSE WAS CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 37000 MILES ON IT. OXYGEN SENSOR ALSO FAILED, THIS IS THE SECOND ONE REPLACED. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE 4 MONTHS AND ONLY PUT 5000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE CHEVY GARAGE FOR 10 DAYS NOW, CHEVY SAYS THEY CAN'T FIND A CONVERTER. *NM

Mileage: 37,060

ENGINE STALLS AT VARIOUS TIMES FOR NO REASON. HAVE HAD IT INTO DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO ISOLATE PROBLEM. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AFTER FIRST STALL. DEALERSHIP RESET COMPUTER. SINCE THEN, THE ENGINE HAS STALLED AT LEAST 5 TIMES. SES LIGHT HAS NOT COME BACK ON. ENGINE USUALLY RESTARTS AFTER APPROX 5 MINUTES. *NM

Mileage: 24,000

FULL DESTRUCTION BECAUSE OF FIRE I WAS ON THE WAY BACK FROM A LONG TRIP IN SOUTHERN CHILE (UP TO USHUAIA) OVER THE "CARRETERA AUSTRAL" AND, AFTER ABOUT 9'000 KM DRIVE WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM, I SAW A WHITE SMOKE BACK MY VEHICLE. OIL PRESSURE: NORMAL, MOTOR TEMPERATURE: NORMAL. THIS MEANT IMMEDIATE STOP ALONG THE "RUTA 40 NORTE" IN ARGENTINA (ABOUT 100 KM NORTH OF BARILOCHE, ON THE WAY TO NEUQU). WHILE STOPPING, I FELT THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST GOING WITHOUT IMMEDIATE REACTION BUT THE PRESSION CAME BACK. WHILE BRINGING THE GEAR SHIFT TO POSITION PARKING, I DID NOT FEEL ANY SENSATION, AS IF IT WOULD HAVE NO CONNECTION; THE AUTOMATIC DOOR BLOCKER CONNECTED TO THE GEAR SHIFT DID NOT WORK TOO, SO THAT WE HAD TO UNLOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY. AFTER HAVING DISCONNECTED THE ENGINE, I SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE MOTOR. I OPENED THE CAPOT AND THE SMOKE CAME FROM THE LEFT CORNER (CLOSE TO THE DRIVER'S PLACE). SUDDENLY, SOME MATERIAL IN FLAMES FELL TO THE BOTTOM, ABOUT MIDDLE LIGHT LEFT OF THE CAR. I TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES WITH THE EXTINGUISHER, BUT OTHER BURNING MATERIAL FELL. OTHER PEOPLE HAD STOPPED AND HELPED ME. WE PUSHED THE CAR A LITTLE AHEAD - THOUGH THE HAND BRAKE WAS TIED AND THE GEAR SHIFT ON "P", BUT BURNING MATERIAL FELL AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME, MY WIFE AND CHILDREN THROW OUT THE LUGGAGE, SO THAT WE COULD SAVE ALMOST ALL OF IT. BUT THE CAR BURNED ENTIRELY. WHAT COULD BE THE REASON OF THIS INCIDENT ? THANKS GOD, I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY SO THAT NOBODY WAS INJURED NOR BURNED AND NO THIRD PARTY SUFFERED ANY DAMAGE. *NM

Mileage: 24,100