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

Owners name the electrical system most often with 65 complaints. Air bags and the engine come next with 33 each.

Are there recalls on the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer?

See the Recalls section on this page for the full list. The by-year data counts 0 recalls in our pack.

Is the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer reliable?

Owners filed 193 complaints with NHTSA. They are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read the problem groups above to judge for yourself.

How many miles do 2008 TrailBlazer problems show up at?

The median mileage at failure was 76,000 for electrical complaints and 77,000 for engine complaints.

What is the gas mileage of the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer?

See the fuel economy section on this page.

2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 193 owner complaints on file for the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer^[1]. The electrical system is named most often, with 65 complaints^[2].

193owner complaints^[1]

13–17MPG combined (EPA)^[3]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name most often, biggest first.

Electrical System. 65 complaints^[2]. Owners describe warning lights, gauges and accessories dropping out together, battery charging that seems off, and corroded parts that came back after repairs.
Air Bags. 33 complaints^[4]. In the stories we read, side curtain bags opened when nothing seemed to call for it, and in a crash story the front bags stayed shut.
Engine. 33 complaints^[5]. Owners describe cracked exhaust parts and repair quotes of several hundred dollars, plus a worry about oil supply in a sportier trim.
Exterior Lighting. 17 complaints^[6]. Owners describe headlights going dark while driving and low beams that fail again soon after new bulbs.
Brakes. 14 complaints^[7]. 3 of these mention a crash and 3 an injury^[7].
Seat Belts. 12 complaints^[8]. 2 of these mention a crash and 3 an injury^[8].
Steering. 11 complaints^[9]. The median mileage at failure was 63,218^[9].
Power Train. 10 complaints^[10]. This is the smallest group on our list.

Recalls

NHTSA's records show 0 recalls for the 2008 TrailBlazer^[11].

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
TrailBlazer 2WD, 4.2L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[12]	14 / 20 / 16	$4,200
TrailBlazer 2WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[3]	14 / 20 / 17	$3,950
TrailBlazer 2WD, 6.0L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Premium, Rear-Wheel Drive^[13]	12 / 16 / 14	$5,850
TrailBlazer 4WD, 4.2L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[14]	14 / 20 / 16	$4,200
TrailBlazer 4WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[15]	13 / 19 / 16	$4,200
TrailBlazer AWD, 6.0L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Premium, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[16]	12 / 16 / 13	$6,300

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR RWD/AWD^[17]	n/a	n/a	n/a	4	19.1%

Engine and size

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
TRAILBLAZER 4DR SUV 4WD LT1/LT3^[18]	192 in	74 in	74 in	113 in	4,524 lb
TRAILBLAZER 4DR SUV 4WD SS^[19]	192 in	74 in	68 in	113 in	4,663 lb

How 2008 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each TrailBlazer model year. The 2008 is highlighted^[11].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2002	1,249	13
2003	1,214	9
2004	1,342	2
2005	1,466	2
2006	1,297	8
2007	732	5
2008	193	0
2009	27	0

NHTSA's counts for the TrailBlazer show 193 complaints and 0 recalls for 2008^[11]. Among the 14 model years listed, 7 have fewer complaints than 2008 and 6 have more^[11]. The fewest complaints are for 2021 (0) and the most are for 2005 (1,466)^[11]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2008 TrailBlazer?

The 2008 TrailBlazer draws complaints in a spread of areas, and the electrical system leads with 65^[2]. Air bags and the engine follow with 33 each^[4]^[5]. Some of the reports involve crashes or fires, so those sections deserve a careful look^[1]. These are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for how many were sold. If you are shopping for one, check the electrical and air bag items first and have a mechanic look at the engine.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer?: Owners name the electrical system most often with 65 complaints^[2]. Air bags and the engine come next with 33 each^[4]^[5].
Are there recalls on the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer?: See the Recalls section on this page for the full list. The by-year data counts 0 recalls in our pack^[11].
Is the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer reliable?: Owners filed 193 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. They are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read the problem groups above to judge for yourself.
How many miles do 2008 TrailBlazer problems show up at?: The median mileage at failure was 76,000 for electrical complaints^[2] and 77,000 for engine complaints^[5].
What is the gas mileage of the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer?: See the fuel economy section on this page.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Chevrolet TrailBlazer

2002 1,249 complaints, 13 recalls
2003 1,214 complaints, 9 recalls
2004 1,342 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 1,466 complaints, 2 recalls
2006 1,297 complaints, 8 recalls
2007 732 complaints, 5 recalls
2008 this page
2021 0 complaints, 0 recalls
2023 0 complaints, 0 recalls
2025 0 complaints, 0 recalls

Compare all model years of the Chevrolet TrailBlazer

Other Chevrolet models from 2008

2008 Chevrolet Avalanche 295 complaints, 4 recalls
2008 Chevrolet Cobalt 940 complaints, 4 recalls
2008 Chevrolet Colorado 81 complaints, 2 recalls
2008 Chevrolet Express Passenger 41 complaints, 11 recalls
2008 Chevrolet HHR 616 complaints, 4 recalls

All Chevrolet models

Similar cars from 2008: suvs

2008 Jeep Liberty 541 complaints, 4 recalls
2008 Lincoln MKX 253 complaints, 6 recalls
2008 Mazda Tribute 202 complaints, 4 recalls
2008 Mercury Mountaineer 96 complaints, 1 recall
2008 Nissan Armada 161 complaints, 6 recalls
2008 Nissan Xterra 119 complaints, 6 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 193 owner complaints on file for the 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer (10 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 9 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
65 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 11 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 76,000). NHTSA vehicle records
EPA rating for TrailBlazer 2WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 14 city / 20 highway / 17 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
33 complaints name the air bags component group (8 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 78,400). NHTSA vehicle records
33 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 77,000). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the exterior lighting component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 89,471). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the brakes component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 61,835). NHTSA vehicle records
12 complaints name the seat belts component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 89,000). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the steering component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 63,218). NHTSA vehicle records
10 complaints name the power train component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 47,858). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Chevrolet TrailBlazer model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for TrailBlazer 2WD, 4.2L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 14 city / 20 highway / 16 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for TrailBlazer 2WD, 6.0L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Premium, Rear-Wheel Drive: 12 city / 16 highway / 14 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $5,850. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for TrailBlazer 4WD, 4.2L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 14 city / 20 highway / 16 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for TrailBlazer 4WD, 5.3L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 13 city / 19 highway / 16 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for TrailBlazer AWD, 6.0L 8-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Premium, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 12 city / 16 highway / 13 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $6,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR RWD/AWD: rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 19.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, TRAILBLAZER 4DR SUV 4WD LT1/LT3: length 192 in, width 74 in, height 74 in, wheelbase 113 in, curb weight 4,524 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, TRAILBLAZER 4DR SUV 4WD SS: length 192 in, width 74 in, height 68 in, wheelbase 113 in, curb weight 4,663 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer: problems, recalls and fuel economy