YearToAvoid

2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext is the only model year with data, logging 189 complaints, 6 recalls, and 2 fires. Fuel System issues dominate at 68% of complaints, mostly involving faulty gas gauges, with median failure mileage around 54,000.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
—/100
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
189
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
6
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
2
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
4
Top issue
Fuel System
Best nearby year
—
no alternative with data
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15.5
14 city / 19 hwy
Injuries / deaths
4 / 0

Top 2006 Chevy Trailblazer Ext problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Fuel System129 (68%)
  2. Electrical System47 (25%)
  3. Structure & Body12 (6%)
  4. Visibility & Wipers8 (4%)
  5. Engine6 (3%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain6 (3%)
  7. Brakes5 (3%)
  8. Airbags4 (2%)
  9. Other4 (2%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Fuel gauge fails to register properly, staying near empty or leaving the low-fuel light on regardless of actual tank level.
  • Driver-side power window, door lock, and heated seat switches flicker or stop working, sometimes forcing the driver to exit through the passenger side.
  • Window switch panel overheats, smokes, and gives off a burning smell.
  • Steering wheel shakes violently and intermittently despite repeated dealer visits.
  • Front tires wear unevenly in the center or separate tread while driving at highway speed.
  • Vehicle unexpectedly shifts into 4-low or loses power on the highway before restarting on its own.
2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext complaints: complaints filed per quarter272006 Q22008 Q32009 Q42011 Q12012 Q22013 Q32015 Q12016 Q3
189 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q2 to 2019 Q2; peak 2011 Q2 (27).

2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V599000Sep 24, 2015Visibility & Wipers9,932 vehicles

    Visibility:power window devices and controls

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer and GMC Envoy vehicles, and 2006 GMC Envoy XL and Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT vehicles. Fluid may enter into the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board, causing window switches to become inoperative. Previously, the affected vehicles may have had their master power window switch module treated with a protective coating, instead of having it replaced.

    Risk: The protective coating may not eliminate the risk that the circuit board could short and result in a fire, even while the vehicle is unattended.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a new driver's door switch module, free of charge. The recall began on November 2, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15700.

  2. NHTSA 15V519000Aug 14, 2015Electrical System429,170 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:headlights

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.

    Risk: Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.

  3. NHTSA 14V404000Jul 2, 2014Visibility & Wipers184,611 vehicles

    Visibility:power window devices and controls

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corrosion that could result in a short in the circuit board. A short may cause the power door lock and power window switches to function intermittently or become inoperative. The short may also cause overheating, which could melt components of the door module, producing odor, smoke, or a fire.

    Risk: A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the part number on the door module, and install a new door module if necessary, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. An interim letter was mailed to owners in August 2014. A second owner letter will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-955-9007 (SAAB), and 1-800-255-6727 (Isuzu). GM's number for this recall is 14309. NOTE: This recall provides a new remedy for all vehicles covered by recall 13V-248. Vehicles whose modules were modified but not replaced as part of the previous recall remedy must have their vehicles remedied again under this campaign.

See all 6 recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext →

2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
19 MPG
Combined
15.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,175
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Trailblazer Ext years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002006
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006No verdict—189615.5

All Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest problem with the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext?
Fuel System complaints make up 68% of all reports (129 of 189), mostly tied to faulty gas gauges, with a median failure mileage of 54,000.
Does the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2006 Trailblazer Ext, covering visibility/wiper door module issues, an electrical HDM replacement, a tire label fix, and a power steering hose defect. None are do-not-drive recalls.
Is the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext reliable based on complaints?
NHTSA has 189 owner complaints for this model year, with Fuel System (68%) and Electrical System (25%) as the top problem areas; this is the only year of the model with data, so no cross-year ranking is possible.
Were there fires reported in the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext?
Yes, NHTSA records 2 fire incidents, both tied to Electrical System complaints such as smoking window switch panels.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer Ext?
EPA rates it at 15.5 mpg combined (14 city / 19 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,175.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.