Reliable Auto DB

2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer holds 193 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 19 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 Trailblazer years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Stand, Service brakes, and Seat fasteners.

2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Photo by Gold Pony, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

193

Per year

19

Recalls

4

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (41 of 193), then Powertrain (40) and Engine (38). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Next to 2022

The 2022 Trailblazer has 110 complaints, 18 per year. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall equipment, mechanical, jack or lift stand, stand 2021-06-10 · NHTSA campaign 21V440000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall Service brakes 2020-09-24 · NHTSA campaign 20V588000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall Seat fasteners 2020-09-03 · NHTSA campaign 20V537000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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.
Recall Tires 2020-05-21 · NHTSA campaign 20V295000
Summary 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."
Remedy 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.

Complaints by component (193 total)

Electrical system
41
Powertrain
40
Engine
38
Service brakes
29
Fuel and propulsion system
17
Forward collision avoidance
10
Structure
8
Steering
6
Speed control
5
Visibility and wipers
4
Air bags
3
Back-over prevention
3
Wheels
3
Engine and engine cooling
2
Equipment
2
Hydraulic brakes
2
Lane departure
2
Tires
2
Child seat
1
Exterior lighting
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Insert and padding
1
Suspension
1
Tether and lower anchor
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

7

Fire-flagged

3

Injury reports

4

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

62020202021172022152023462024482025412026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "2021 Chevy Trailblazer has a shift to park sensor issue. Car is in park and the sensor does not recognize that it is in park and displays a safety message to place car in park and continues to beep. Takes numerous…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-15
  • "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…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-09-07
  • "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…"
    Powertrain, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-03
  • "My timing belt snapped prematurely, causing a total loss of engine power while driving on the highway, which is a severe safety hazard"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-03

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV AWD Early Release 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV AWD Later Release 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV FWD Early Release 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV FWD Later Release 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Trailblazer all-wheel drive 1.3L, 3-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 26 30 28 MPG $2300
Trailblazer front-wheel drive 1.3L, 3-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 29 33 31 MPG $2100
Trailblazer front-wheel drive 1.2L, 3-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 28 31 29 MPG $2250

Specs and fitment

Crossover (current nameplate), 2021–present
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 (1.3L turbo); 0W-30/5W-30 (1.2L turbo) , 4.8 qt capacity
Tire size 225/60R17

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V537000 covers certain 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer and 2020 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Rear attachment bolts of one or both front seats may not have been installed; a seat missing those bolts may move in a crash. Recall 21V440000 covers certain 2021-2022 Trailblazer and 2020-2022 Encore GX vehicles. The emergency jack can fracture if not positioned as directed in the owner's manual, which can allow the vehicle to collapse. Recall 26V539000 covers certain 2024-2026 Trailblazer vehicles (among Buick Envista, Encore GX, and Chevrolet Trax) where the rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image.

Compare

Next year 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer See every Chevrolet Trailblazer model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer holds 193 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 19 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 Trailblazer years on this site. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Stand, Service brakes, and Seat fasteners.

What are common problems with a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (41 of 193), then Powertrain (40) and Engine (38). Those filings include 7 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 4 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2022 Trailblazer has 110 complaints, 18 per year. The 2021 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2022.

Has the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer been recalled?

The 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?

Owners have filed 193 complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer is 29.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Chevrolet Trailblazer take?

2021+ US crossovers: 0W-20 for the 1.3L turbo (about 4.8 qt with filter); 0W-30/5W-30 for the 1.2L turbo (about 4.2 qt).

Does recall 20V537000 cover the Chevrolet Trailblazer?

It covers certain 2021 Trailblazer and 2020 Encore GX vehicles: rear attachment bolts of one or both front seats may be missing; dealers install the bolts.

What generation is the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?

The US crossover generation that began for model year 2021 (not the earlier body-on-frame TrailBlazer).