YearToAvoid

2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 43 engine complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, 22% of all 193 complaints filed for that year. Owners report gas odor from fuel rail leaks, sudden unintended acceleration, turbocharger failure, and reduced engine power. Median mileage at failure was 48,482 miles; no related recalls are listed.

Engine complaints
43
22% of 193
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
48,482 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report a strong gasoline smell coming from under the hood, traced to fuel leaking from the fuel rail on the 1.3L engine.
  • Some drivers describe sudden unintended acceleration, with speed jumping unexpectedly while driving or while parking at low speed.
  • Several complaints describe reduced engine power warnings paired with a check engine or transmission light, often when accelerating above 65 mph or after highway driving.
  • Owners report turbocharger failure, including one case near 23,000 miles and another near the median mileage of 48,482 with loud clicking and rattling noises from inside the engine.
  • One owner reported the coolant control valve causing the vehicle to overheat and become stranded on the road.
  • A fire was reported after smoke appeared from the front end with no warning lights, and a separate crash was linked to unintended forward movement at low speed.

When 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer engine complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 23, 2020, latest Sep 7, 2026.

2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer engine complaints: complaints filed per month4Nov 2020May 2022Jul 2024Jan 2025Jun 2025Feb 2026Aug 2026
43 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2020 to Sep 2026; peak Mar 2026 (4).

Engine recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Trailblazer model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20141 (100%)
  2. 202143 (22%)
  3. 202222 (20%)
  4. 202319 (28%)
  5. 20249 (27%)
  6. 20253 (14%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer have?
NHTSA lists 43 engine complaints for the 2021 Trailblazer, which is 22% of the 193 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer engine?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this engine problem area on the 2021 Trailblazer.
At what mileage do engine problems show up on the 2021 Trailblazer?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 48,482 miles, though some owners reported issues much earlier.
What specific engine problems do owners report?
Owners describe gasoline odor from fuel rail leaks, sudden unintended acceleration, turbocharger failure, reduced engine power warnings, and one engine fire and one crash tied to unexpected movement.
How does the 2021 Trailblazer compare to other years for engine complaints?
The 2021 model year shows a 22% share of complaints in the engine area, compared to 20% for 2022, 28% for 2023, 27% for 2024, and 14% for 2025.

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.