REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE, 194,XXX MILES, 2003 CHEVROLET BLAZER LS 4.3 AUTOMATIC, 7 5/8 3.42 REAR. *TR
2003 Chevrolet Blazer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Blazer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Blazer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
49 reports with mileage · 28 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
12 reportsWE BOUGHT A 2003 CHEVY BLAZER IN JULY 2006 WITH 18,700 MILES. WHEN IN CRUISE CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION WILL DOWNSHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR INSTEAD OF 3RD GEAR TO MAINTAIN SPEED UP A SLIGHT INCLINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. *NM
I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 04, 2005. I HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP PLENTY OF TIMES BUT THEY ARE NO HELP AT ALL. THE VEHICLE HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN I IT TO THE MECHANIC BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ANY HELP EITHER. I HAVE TRIED MANY T…
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I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 04, 2005. I HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP PLENTY OF TIMES BUT THEY ARE NO HELP AT ALL. THE VEHICLE HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN I IT TO THE MECHANIC BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ANY HELP EITHER. I HAVE TRIED MANY TIMES TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO HELP SINCE IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN A YEAR SINCE I BROUGHT IT BUT THEY JUST TOLD ME YOU BROUGHT IT SO IT'S YOUR PROBLEM. FOR THAT REASON I WANT TO CANCEL THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 04, 2006. I HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP PLENTY OF TIMES BUT THEY ARE NO HELP AT ALL. THE VEHICLE HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ANY HELP EITHER. I HAVE TRIED MANY TIM…
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I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 04, 2006. I HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP PLENTY OF TIMES BUT THEY ARE NO HELP AT ALL. THE VEHICLE HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ANY HELP EITHER. I HAVE TRIED MANY TIMES TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO HELP ME SINCE IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN A YEAR SINCE I BROUGHT IT BUT THEY JUST TOLD ME THAT I BOUGHT IT SO IT'S MY PROBLEM. FOR THAT REASON I WANT TO CANCEL THE PURCHASE OF MY VEHICLE. *JB
2003 CHEVY BLAZER TRANSFER CASE CONTROL MODULE PROBLEM CAUSING IT TO HAVE TROUBLE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS SHIFTING TO AND OUT OF 4 LOW, AND IT WOULD NOT GO INTO 4 HIGH. WH…
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2003 CHEVY BLAZER TRANSFER CASE CONTROL MODULE PROBLEM CAUSING IT TO HAVE TROUBLE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS SHIFTING TO AND OUT OF 4 LOW, AND IT WOULD NOT GO INTO 4 HIGH. WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN HILL IN THE SNOW, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND STOPPED AGAINST A GUARDRAIL. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BUMPER AND VALANCE PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TRANSFER CASE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED AGAIN. *JB
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *BF THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SHIFTS UP AND DOWN AND SURGES WHEN CLIMBING HILLS WITH A LOT OF CORNERS. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD OTHER FAILURES WHICH INCLUDED THE A/C AND TRANSFER CASE LEAK. *NM
2003 BLAZER LS 4X4, 29,000 MILES, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR IN FEBRUARY 2004 WITH 21,000 MILES ON IT. IT CURRENTLY HAS 29,000 MILES. *AK CRUISE CONTROL AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINT WE HAVE OWNED THIS BLAZER FOR 5 MONTHS. IMMEDIATELY WE NOTICED THAT WHEN THE BLAZER HAS THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, FRE…
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2003 BLAZER LS 4X4, 29,000 MILES, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR IN FEBRUARY 2004 WITH 21,000 MILES ON IT. IT CURRENTLY HAS 29,000 MILES. *AK CRUISE CONTROL AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINT WE HAVE OWNED THIS BLAZER FOR 5 MONTHS. IMMEDIATELY WE NOTICED THAT WHEN THE BLAZER HAS THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, FREQUENTLY WHEN TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WANTS TO DOWNSHIFT TO THIRD GEAR IT WILL INSTEAD SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. THE DOWNSHIFT RED-LINES THE ENGINE TO 5000 RPM. IT HAS DOWNSHIFTED FROM 4TH GEAR TO 2ND GEAR AROUND TWO DOZEN TIMES IN 7,000 MILES. AND RECENTLY IT HAS DOWNSHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR WHEN THE BLAZER WAS NOT ON CRUISE CONTROL -- JUST WHEN THE DRIVER IS DRIVING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE. SOON AFTER PURCHASE OF THE CAR WE RETURNED IT TO CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN RENO, NEVADA, TO HAVE THEM FIX THIS PROBLEM. THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT FROM 4TH TO 2ND GEAR. SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRES AT 30,000 MILES, WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO CHAMPION CHEVROLET, TO HAVE THEM FIX THE DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM. SERVICE ADVISOR CHUCK BROWN TOLD US THAT THE CAR WAS ROAD TESTED AND OPERATES NORMALLY. HE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE OVER-REV SITUATION IS NORMAL. WE HAD A 1995 BLAZER WHICH WE OWNED AND LOVED FOR 8 YEARS AND 200,000 MILES AND NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY TYPE OF DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM. WE FEEL THIS SITUATION IS DANGEROUS. FOR INSTANCE, WE ARE DRIVING ALONG ON CRUISE CONTROL ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY GOING 60-70 MPH. THE BLAZER TRIES TO MAINTAIN ITS CRUISING SPEED WHILE GOING UP A VERY GRADUAL HILL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS TO 2ND GEAR, THE RPM REVS UP TO 4500-5000. IMMEDIATELY THE DRIVER HAS TO UNEXPECTEDLY TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER PASSING A TRUCK, THE "SHOCK" BY THE DRIVER TRYING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE "INCIDENT DATE" BELOW IS ONLY A ESTIMATE AS TO THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED.
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE FAILED. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ENGAGED FROM PARK TO REVERSE AND SURGES. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE OWNER WAS SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE TWO HOURS DRIVING CLASS. *NLM
CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED LOUD THUMPING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK IN ONE GEAR FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ALSO, FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN GAS WAS IN THE TANK IT COULD REGISTER FULL O…
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CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED LOUD THUMPING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK IN ONE GEAR FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ALSO, FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN GAS WAS IN THE TANK IT COULD REGISTER FULL ONE MINUTE AND HALF FULL THE NEXT MINUTE WITHOUT MOVING THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
Official recalls
104V132000 · Equipment:other:labels
Mar 18, 2004
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SOME OF THESE VEHICLES INCLUDE INCORRECT STATEMENTS ON ONE OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 4, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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