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2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 4safety recalls
- 196owner complaints
- 7crash reports
- 3fire reports
- 5injuries reported
The most complained-about Chevrolet Trailblazer year on file: 196 complaints, against an average of 51 for the other 5 model years.
Every Chevrolet Trailblazer model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
The components named most often in the 196 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 196 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?25 owners · 12.8%
- Why does my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer stall, lose power or shut off while driving?14 owners · 7.1%
- Why do the brakes feel soft, fail or make noise on my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?10 owners · 5.1% · Recall 20V588000
- Why does my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer smell of fuel or gas?6 owners · 3.1%
Has the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer been recalled?
4 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Equipment: Mechanical: Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift: Stand General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Buick Encore GX and 2021-2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The emergency jack, if not positioned as directed in the vehicle owner's manual, can fracture while in use.
Risk: A fractured jack can cause the vehicle to collapse, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the jack, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owner of the safety risk are expected to be mailed July 26, 2021. A second notice will be mailed once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A212335470.
Service Brakes General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
Risk: If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.
Seats: Critical Fasteners General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Encore GX and 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles. The rear attachment bolts of one or both front seats may not have been installed.
Risk: If an occupied front seat is missing the rear attachment bolts, it may move during a crash, increasing risk of injury to the occupant.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect seat attachments for both front seats and install attachment bolts as needed, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202304380.
Tires General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer vehicles factory-equipped with optional 17-inch sport terrain tires. The certification label on these vehicles does not provide the tire size and cold tire pressure information for front and rear tires, as required. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: If drivers are uninformed and overinflate or underinflate their tires, this may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and will mail corrected labels for customers to apply, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2020. Owners may call Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A202304070.
What do 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer owners report?
12 of the 196 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
My 2021 Trailblazer does not shift into drive properly from park or reverse. When shifting into drive, the engine revs but does not move forward. In some cases, the vehicle also shakes and jolts for several seconds. It is also slow to shift into higher gears at high speeds on the freeway. In cases of quick acceleration, the check engine light comes on and the message "Engine Power Reduced" shows. This has caused potentially dangerous situations where I am not able to accelerate to match the flow of traffic, especially when merging onto the freeway. I have taken the car to both a Chevy…
ABS brake system failed causing breaking to surge and not work correctly and not stop like it should resulting in having to have the ABS module and pump replaced at an extreme cost. With no clear cause and using the same parts this is likely to happen again. Had to be taken to the dealer because it required special software and bleeding procedure that a local shop wasn't able to do. The dealership stated that this should probably be covered soon in a recall that this was a known problem and they have had quite a few issues with this ABS pump assembly.
Dear Chevy, I am reaching out to you again because I am desperately requesting immediate assistance with my vehicle, which has now become an extremely serious and dangerous safety concern. On Friday, [XXX], I had my vehicle towed to the dealership because of the ongoing mechanical issues I have been experiencing. I was advised that the repairs would cost 877, which included a battery replacement and new sensors. I paid for these repairs and picked up my vehicle on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, believing that the issues had finally been addressed. Unfortunately, within approximately one hour of…
Original Owner of 2021 Chevy Trailblazer LT. Purchased new in April 2021. Vehicle has a history of major powertrain issues, starting with Check Engine light during its first year of ownership, culminating in a complete turbocharger replacement in December 2025. This only as a result of my research, after many visits to dealership trying to diagnose the issue. The check engine was consistently illuminated in the vehicle 2021-2025. 9 days ago while traveling the vehicle, experienced sudden oil pressure loss, and stalling risks, displayed a hard warning “ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LOW. STOP ENGINE”. On…
My timing belt snapped prematurely, causing a total loss of engine power while driving on the highway, which is a severe safety hazard
I am submitting this report regarding my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer because it has been experiencing the "Shift to Park" issue described in the GM bulletin 19-NA-206. Even when the vehicle is shifted into Park, it intermittently displays a "Shift to Park" message and does not recognize that the transmission is in Park. This issue has been ongoing and has not resolved despite normal use of the vehicle. It is frustrating to deal with on a regular basis, and it appears to be the same condition addressed by GM in Technical Service Bulletin 19-NA-206 that is available to view on the NHTSA website…
"shift to park" issue on a 21 traiblazer causing your car to not being able to shutdown entirely meanwhile the shift is perfectly on Park.
Dealership Linwood inspected vehicle and certified power and ground module has internal fault-faulty front camera module.
While driving on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete failure of the electronic braking/power brake assist system. Simultaneously, multiple safety warnings illuminated on the dashboard display, including a persistent service wrench icon, a traction control warning light, and a lane-keep assist indicator light. Due to the loss of brake assistance, the vehicle was unsafe to operate and had to be towed/driven directly to a licensed dealership for emergency diagnosis. The dealership technicians subsequently inspected the vehicle and reported that the entire…
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer check engine code P1467
Experiencing reduced speed, rattling noise, check engine light, power steering light on. Chevy app shows throttle control system and antilock break system error messages. Took to Chev dealership. Advised it was fuel injector (1 /4 was burned out). Had all 4 replaced ($3000). Picked up car on a Friday, vehicle was having the same issues next day Saturday. Took it back on Monday, it is now Wednesday and they’re saying it’s the turbo charger now (another $3000). Mechanic couldn’t figure out what the issue was so it took 3 days for him to now say it’s the turbo charger. I think it was the turbo…
I could turn off the engine after driving, but the key stays in the position between the engine being on and the car being off (for example when you can listen to music but your car isn’t running). The battery light came on after the issue started and so the car service place charged us to replace the battery, because they had to turn on and of the car a lot and the car had to continue to run. I took it to a car service place and they ran tests and called Chevy test support to run diagnosis tests. They can’t figure it out. They think it might be the body control module. Not sure what that is…
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer: questions owners ask
Is the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 196 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer; the most common categories were electrical system (41, 20.9%), power train (41, 20.9%), engine (38, 19.4%). There are 4 safety recalls. 7 complaints mention a crash, 3 mention a fire, 5 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
Across 196 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (20.9% of complaints), power train (20.9% of complaints), engine (19.4% of complaints), service brakes (16.3% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (8.7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer; the most recent (campaign 21V440000, 2021-06-10) concerns Equipment: Mechanical: Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift: Stand. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
25 of the 196 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer (12.8%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "While driving on the interstate on October 17, 2026, my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer (1.2L turbo) suddenly lost engine power and would not accelerate, with the check engine light on. I had to coast to the shoulder and have the vehicle towed." (NHTSA complaint 11772321, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
14 of the 196 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer (7.1%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "While driving on the interstate on October 17, 2026, my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer (1.2L turbo) suddenly lost engine power and would not accelerate, with the check engine light on. I had to coast to the shoulder and have the vehicle towed." (NHTSA complaint 11772321, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why do the brakes feel soft, fail or make noise on my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
10 of the 196 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer (5.1%) describe brakes feeling soft, failing, grinding or squealing. A related recall exists: campaign 20V588000 (service brakes). The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. One owner wrote: "A loud popping noise heard through the radio when light pressure applied to brakes. Noise loud enough to scare the hell out of all the occupants in the car. Brakes squeaked when car was in reverse. Tried to slow down on wet pavement." (NHTSA complaint 11643617, February 2025). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer smell of fuel or gas?
6 of the 196 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer (3.1%) describe a fuel or gasoline smell, or a fuel leak. One owner wrote: "Strong gasoline smell noticed inside and outside vehicle. Took vehicle to dealership 3/1/24 where the smell was confirmed. Fuel rail was found to be leaking. Dealership removed and replaced all components damaged with leak." (NHTSA complaint 11610750, August 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Trailblazer
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2021 only.