2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
191 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 191 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 38.2
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My timing belt snapped prematurely, causing a total loss of engine power while driving on the highway, which is a severe safety hazard
"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.
Vehicle displays Shift to Park when vehicle is in park & you push the ignition button & audible chime occurs. Apparently this is a known issue for Chevrolet Trailblazers & Buick Encore GX vehicles model year 2021 & newer. You have to either wiggle the gear shifter several times & depress/wiggle the shift lever button in order to turn off the vehicle. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes to get it to work.
Recalls: 4 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V537000 | 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. |
| 21V440000 | 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. |
| 20V295000 | 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. |
| 20V588000 | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,200
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Unknown Or Other53 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System40 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train39 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine37 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Service Brakes31 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Fuel/Propulsion System17 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Chevrolet Trailblazer years
Chevrolet Trailblazer years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (53 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 59/100, computed from 191 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer's most common problem?
53 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer cost to run per year?
About $4,295 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,478 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/09/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 191 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 191 NHTSA complaints on record (38.2/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (21.0/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems