Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic420
- Visibility182
- Engine and engine cooling149
- Suspension149
- Power train96
- Electrical system62
- Air bags56
- Fuel system, gasoline31
- Seat belts30
- Structure29
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 103 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 29 1996 Blazer vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 23 people died inside them, and 17 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer failed the safety check 1.45% of the time — 1% less often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 149,602 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
2 1996 cars are on the New Zealand register; 50% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer.
| 1999135 26 Jul 1999 | Brakes Certain four wheel drive vehicles may experience increased stopping distances during ABS stops while in the two-wheel drive mode. A switch can erroneously sign… |
| 1997152 8 Sept 1997 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the driver's and/or passenger's front outboard seat-belt webbing could separate during a frontal impact having at least the same dynamics a… |
| 1996178 12 Nov 1996 | Fuel System CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 301 - FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY. IN CERTAIN TYPES OF VEHICLE CRASHES, THE PROPSHAFT MAY PENETRATE THE FUEL TANK, RES… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FAILURE OF AN UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY COULD OCCUR DUE TO CORROSION.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS (ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1989 THROUGH AUGUST 1996. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS THE SWITCH WHICH SIGNALS THE ABS SYSTEM WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN 2-WHEEL OR 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAN MALFUNCTION CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING ABS STOPS WHILE IN THE TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, 2 AND 4-WHEEL DRIVE. SOLDER JOINTS NEAR THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN CRACK CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 60/40 FRONT BENCH SEATS AND EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL LOCKING RECLINER BUCKET SEATS. THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE DRIVER'S AND/OR PASSENGER'S SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 4-DOOR, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ALL-WHEEL DRIVE MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING DEVELOPMENT TESTING, THE PROP SHAFT CONTACTED THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK ALLOWING FUEL LEAKAGE. THIS LEAKAGE WAS IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT PERMITTED BY FMVSS 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Chevrolet told its dealers about the 1996 Chevrolet Blazer: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634823 | TECHNICAL INFORMATION - SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE REAR PORTION OF THE ROOF HAS SOME RUST FORMING. *TT |
| 634506 | SUBJECT REGARDING GENERAL WATERLEAK GUIDE. *TT |
| 634218 | SUBJECT REGARDING RUST IN COOLING SYSTEM, HEATER INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE OVERHEATS (FLUSH COOLING SYSTEM). NLM |
| 629470 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE REAR PORTION OF THE ROOF HAS SOME RUST FORMING. *TT |
| 628913 | SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT 01049 FOR UPPER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 628854 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR ROOF PERFORATION. *TT |
| 628852 | CONCERNS THAT THE REAR PORTION OF THE ROOF HAS SOME RUST FORMING. *TT |
| 628527 | SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT FOR FOUR-WHEEL AND ALL-WHEEL UTILITY VEHICLES THAT MAY HAVE FRONT SUSPENSION UPPER BALL JOINTS THAT SEPARATE AT A LOWER MILEAGE THAN EXPECTED BY CUSTOMERS. *TT |
| 628512 | SUBJECT REGARDING REAR ROOF PERFORATION (INSTALL NEW REAR ROOF SECTION) INCLUDING 1995-1997 GMC BLAZER.*JG |
| 628070 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN EXHAUST NOISE, RATTLE NOISE AT 550 RPM. *TT |
| 627489 | INFORMATION REGARDING REAR ROOF PERFORATION. *YH |
| 625141 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SEAT RECLINER HANDLE IS STRIPPED. *JG |
| 623086 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE HEATER IS INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN OVERHEAT CONDITION OR THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS RUST IN IT. *TT |
| 615106 | PRODUCT RECALL CAMPAIGN INVOLVING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 611277 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE HEATER IS INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN OVERHEAT CONDITION OR THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS RUST IN IT. *TT |
| 609717 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE HEATER IS INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN OVERHEAT CONDITION OR THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS RUST IN IT. *TT |
| 608382 | SUBJECT REGARDING ABS 3-SENSOR EBC4 - SPECIAL POLICY. *TT |
| 606523 | CONDITIONS WITH HEATER INOPERATIVE, BLOWS COLD AIR, ENGINE OVERHEATS, AND RUST IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM. *TT |
| 52601 | ENGINE NOISE (INSTALL VALVE STEM OIL SEAL). *TW |
| 52555 | AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 1-2 AND/OR 2-3 UPSHIFT SLIP/FLARE, NO 3RD OR 4TH GEAR, DTC P1870, LAUNCH SHUDDER (REVISE VCM WIRING). *TW |
| 52554 | TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK FROM PUMP BODY (REPLACE BUSHING). *TW |
| 52350 | ENGINE HARD TO START (REPLACE FUEL PUMP PULSATOR). *TW |
| 52347 | ENGINE ROUGH, MISS, AND OXYGEN SENSOR DTC'S (REPLACE OXYGEN SENSOR JUMPER HARNESS). *TW |
| 52092 | RECALL 97V-008 - GENERAL MOTORS HAS DECIDED THAT CERTAIN 1996 S/T MODEL PICKUP TRUCKS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) 212, WINDSHIELD MOUNTING - THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION WHERE THE TOPCOAT PAINT SEVERLY PEELS DUE TO OVERBAKING OF THE POWDER PRIMER PRIOR TO THE TOPCOAT APPLICATION - SINCE THE WINDSHIELD PRIMER AND ADHESIVE ADHERE TO THE TOPCOAT PAINT ON THE WINDSHIELD OPENING FLANGE, THE WINDSHIELD MAY NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 212, IN A VEHICLE CRASH - RECALL 97V-008. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE
UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT
FRONT SEAT RECLINER BOLT FAILURE
UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT BREAKAGE
STEERING SHAFT SEPARATIONS
SEAT BELT WEBBING SEPARATION
ABS BRAKING SYSTEM
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation