Chevrolet built the Trailblazer model between 2003 and 2006 with faulty parts within the instrument cluster. Over time, these failure-prone parts, known as stepper motors, simply wear out and cause gauges to move erratically, including gauges for speedometer, volts, fuel, oil pressure, water temperature, and tachometer.
If you think you may have this type of stepper motor failure, look for: “sticky” gauges, gauges that obviously misread, needles “stuck in” or showing peak readings, intermittent operation of some or all gauges, and therefore Generally, speedos that read about half and sometimes about twice the actual speed of the vehicle. Obviously, this situation can lead to potential speeding tickets and even safety issues if the driver is suddenly surprised by the incorrect reading while driving. Often times, fuel gauge issues have resulted in drivers being stranded alongside the road while trying to measure fuel with the odometer.
If your Trailblazer has any of these problems, you have four options. First, you may consider purchasing a used cluster from a salvage yard or “junkyard.” Be careful though, you will have to program the mileage to match the miles in your group and all used group sets will have the same potentially faulty parts and will eventually fail.
Second, you can take your Trailblazer to your local dealership or service center. They will replace the entire assembly, usually this costs between $ 400- $ 700. Unfortunately, despite the prevalence of the problem, there is no recall of the Trailblazer model at this time, so you will be responsible for the bill.
Third, you can get your Trailblazer instrument cluster repair from a professional speedometer repair specialist. This is often the best option for Trailblazer owners because it requires no reprogramming, no downtime, and the lowest overall cost of all the above options. Be sure to ask about shipping time, shipping cost, and job warranty as it varies greatly between service professionals.
And finally, if you like to do your own repairs and have some experience working on cars, you can do it yourself with the help of a good repair guide and the right parts and tools. Most of the necessary tools you probably already have, and removing the part from the vehicle is surprisingly easy. Removal only takes about 5 minutes and repair work can be done in 30 minutes to an hour if you take your time and proceed slowly.