2004 chevrolet trailblazer questions

Possibly looking for a trailblazer to replace the 01 olds van for the wifes drive to work. The one we are looking at has 4wd, 125,000 and asking price of 6300. Haven't driven it yet, just looked at it at the lot, looks clean, but does have some dried oil around the rear axle seal. Tires look worn evenly with maybe a little cupping on the front outside on front wheels. Wife knows 3 people at work with 04-19 trailblazers and seem to like them. Our van has the 3.4 and we had the heads machined and new head gaskets at 200,000 last year, it has 225,000, now with no other trouble with the motor since we bought it at 110,000.
A few questions:

1) Is the inline 6 a good engine?

2) Do the trails have a good transmission?

3) I have read the 4wd has some issues on the trails, are they costly fixes and at how many miles do they fail.
4) Any other things to watch out for?


I have a 96 and 98 silverados and they have been very reliable simple trucks. One has 5.0 and the other a 5.7, both vortecs. I think, for the same or less money I could get another Silverado with a 305. Cost a little more in gas, but maybe less in up keep.

Thanks for any information. I couldn't get the trailblazer picture to transfer from the dealer, but here is my 96 Silverado.

I had an 06 trailblazer and liked it until 100k miles. The gas gauge failed like all other gm trucks,slow idle due to the throttle body issues, not adjustable. Bought a 2010 Toyota 4runner, rice burners for me going forward. To the trail blazers credit it didn't use oil or have any transmission issues. It was not hard on tires and it did drive nice. I pulled an 18' boat with it.

Wife had an 05. Maybe it was a bad one. but at about 80000 miles it started nickel and diming us to death. Still can't see me owning another chevy after that piece of junk. Used to be all we drove. hth, jstpa

I hate to run any vehicles down because some people have good luck with all of them, that being said I have been around trailblazers, the early ones had tranny problems and didn't get very good mileage, but the later ones seem better, thats a lot of miles for the money.

We have an '02 Trailblazer. 165,000 now, got it at 95,000 miles. Engine is really good. Transmission on ours has been good, but their reputation is not very good! Front axle wont engage and not worth throwing money at! Cooling fan quit, cost $650ish to repair. Dumb stuff like this has made me think I will not be looking at another when we upgrade!

First couple years of production were junk, last few years of prod. were pretty nice rigs, the years in-between were a flip of the coin.

I drive an '04 Trailblazer that my son gave to me to repay a loan. Engine seems good, no problems, 123k miles. nice clean interior, good tires, no rust or body damage. Took it to Ford dealer last week just for giggles to see what I could get for it on a trade for new F-150, he said $3600 max. Guess I will keep it, gets 18-20 mpg.

Dick ND

Wife had an 04 that we bought new. Ran great till about 75k that when the gauge cluster went out. Gm had a major problem with them with millions of cars but would only warranty it to 70K. 3 water pumps, 1 clutch fan, new air ride suspension and compressor, both heated seats failed, new shifter and the list goes on. Took it to the Honda dealer with 165k and took 3k on a trade for a new Honda Pilot. Little did they know we would have gave it to them for free. For 30+ years always had at least 1 GM product but that was the last. GM customer service would do nothing for us. Should have let GM go bankrupt!

They are WAY over priced on that Trailblazer. I would run from that deal. You did not say what year it was?? Sister-in-law had a 2004 and it was pure junk. She is easy on a vehicle and in 75,000 miles they had loads of trouble with it. As soon as the warranty was out they traded it on a Chevy 1500 four door pickup. She loves it and has had very little trouble with it. The mileage is the same on the two. Her current one has the small V-8, I think a 4.8???? I am not sure on that.

i have an 08 and love it---no problems at all yet but only 70k on it.

Wife has a 2005,inline 6. Got it at 60,000. got 95000 on it now. Get about 15 on gas. Instrument display says it is getting 17. (I have never seen one of those displays that told the truth.) Run Mobil 1 in it, so expect the engine to last a long time. Have to keep the oil changed religiously, as dirty oil will gum up the cam variable advance gear, according to the service manager at the local dealership. This last summer we replaced rear shocks, front struts, upper ball joints, and all four tires. Did the brakes, turned the rotors, and changed the plugs in summer of 2013. Hope I never have to pull the pan, as the front half shaft goes through the pan. The six is underpowered, as it seems to downshift the tranny any time you move the foot feed. I will probably do a fluid swap this year when I get to 100,000. HTH

After reading all these other replies, I should feel really lucky. I have a 2004 with 227,000 miles. My brother bought it with 40,000 miles on it and took it to 200,000 I have had it since. It has had new ball joints in the front and a water pump and alt. Nothing else. I use it like a pickup now. I plan on running it many years.

Another note. We had our heads done this year on our Pontiac Montana at 185,000. Took it to GM dealer. The bill was $1300, which I did not have a problem with. Most of the techs thought I was nuts to spend that on a 10 yr old rig. Nothing else was wrong with the van. Other than a couple trinkets in the interior the dang thing was almost perfect. In 13,000 miles I got my money back. I plan on running the van many more years too. I love old rigs with high miles. I got a 94 chev 1/2 ton diesel with almost 200,000. a 97 1500 suburban with 230,000. 2003 S10 crew cab with 240,000. The trailblazer and the van too. Wifes 08 Lucerne just rolled over 100,000.

Thanks for the replies. It would seem clean vehicles up this way always seem to bring a premium compared to the rest of the country. On the same lot two weeks ago, they had a 2wd 02 trailblazer with 122,000 on it and it sold for 4600 within a week, similar to the condition of the one we are looking at except not a 4wd. She will continue driving the van in good weather and one of my good pickups in snowstorms, I don't want to get in a money pit with this thing. If a one owner clean one comes up we may still get one, but according to car fax this one has had about five different owners over the years and comes from up north, I would rather have one from a little farther south. Thanks again for all the information.

We had a Trailblazer of about that year. It was back in the shop almost more than it was in our garage. It got a free ride on a flatbed when the transmission gave up the ghost right in our own driveway. It got another free ride when the shaft in the power steering pump snapped, leaving the wife with no power steering on a snow and ice covered, rutted up road. The lack of power steering made her lose control and go into the ditch. Transmission and various other things were fixed under warranty. Warranty had just expired when the power steering pump broke and I would have to pay for a new pump. That was the last straw. I'll spare you the details, but that Trailblazer stayed right there, and we came home in a brand new Durango at a very good price.