Chevrolet Blazer grinding brakes problems

Filed Nov 8, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · OH

Several times now my Automatic Emergency Braking has kicked in, my car jerked me so hard that I just missed hitting my face on the steering wheel. This is the scariest thing in that moment, and it has happened when I have so much distance from the other cars so it’s very unexpected when it kicks in. Not to mention it makes like a grinding sound each time it happens. Again, this has happened several times before this last time. This is something that can easily turn in to a safety problem, not only does it make the car slide a little during this period—- but it also scares the person operating the vehicle because of the unexpected times that it happens. With no warning and safe distance between me and another vehicle it still happens.

Filed Aug 29, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · TX

Multiple warning lights on the vehicle stating the ABS brake system was not functioning, the letters brake showed by the gauges but it was not the parking brake because I put that on to check it and it was a different warning light. The lane assist was not functioning. In January I had the brakes looked at because they are squealing anytime you use them. The brake shop I took it to told me this is a known issue and the brakes are fine and that there was no way to stop the squealing because my brakes still had 80% of their pad. On multiple occasions when I’ve need to brake hard quickly the car had felt like it was shaking and the brakes didn’t feel like they were catching. Vehicle is currently at Vandergriff Chevrolet in Arlington Texas and has been there since August 25th.

Filed Jan 17, 2026 · Brakes · PA

On December 22, 2025, I purchased a brand-new Chevrolet Blazer EV SS from a dealership located approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes away from my home. Immediately after leaving the dealership lot, I noticed a grinding / grunting noise coming from the vehicle. This was not a minor rattle or normal “new car” sound—this was an alarming mechanical noise in a vehicle that had just been sold to me as new. Because the selling dealer is so far away, and because I was concerned about driving a potentially unsafe vehicle long distance, I took it to a closer Chevrolet dealer for evaluation. I first brought the vehicle to Ciocca Chevrolet in West Chester, PA. After assessing the issue, they advised me to open a ticket with General Motors (GM) because they believed there was a legitimate defect that required GM involvement. Shortly after that, I left for the Christmas holidays, but the issue did not go away and I remained extremely concerned that I had just bought a defective vehicle. When I returned, I took the Blazer EV to Del Chevrolet in Paoli, PA for a second opinion and a thorough evaluation. After keeping the car and spending an entire day assessing it, Del Chevrolet acknowledged the problem. Despite two separate dealers identifying and acknowledging the issue, I have been unable to get timely action toward a repair. I have been told that GM is requiring additional testing and, most importantly, that GM is not authorizing Del Chevrolet to order the necessary parts. The dealership has indicated they are essentially stuck waiting for GM approval, which means my brand-new vehicle is in limbo with no clear repair timeline. As of now, the vehicle has only about 140 miles on it. This is a brand-new car that developed a serious noise immediately upon delivery, and I have now been forced into a loaner vehicle. It is Jan 17th. The vehicle is still at Del Chevrolet service center. Del Chevrolet, Fred Beans Chevrolet and GM corporate are involved in resolving this issue.

Filed Dec 11, 2025 · Transmission · 157,236 miles · MS

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated with a grinding sound coming from the vehicle, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was jerking while driving and while accelerating from a stop. In addition, the contact noticed fuel leaking from the front end of the vehicle while the vehicle was parked at the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the START/STOP accumulator end cap had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 157,236.

Filed Sep 22, 2025 · Transmission · MI

The transmission in my 2024 Chevrolet Blazer is very noisy often making whining and grinding sounds and I experience rough shifting and transmission hesitation during acceleration or gear changes.

Filed Jul 21, 2025 · Driver assistance, Engine · CA

The first incident started on 08/16/2024, 2 days after buying the vehicle used from Dealership. I started getting notifications stating "Service-Front Camera not available" and sure enough, I no longer had a front camera, which then means I no longer have front collision alerts. Then I started getting the random notifications to drive carefully because drivers assistance has been reduced, and now my vehicle's fan will randomly run for up to 30 minutes after it has been shut off and even after a less than 2 mile drive to gas station and back home, it does this. Last item is the vehicle pulls to the right, and I have not hit anything nor has it ever been in an accident prior to my purchase, and my brakes squeal horribly, which shouldn't be happening condidering I haven't even driven the vehicle 5,000 miles in the year since I bought it !

Filed Jun 17, 2025 · Brakes, Engine · CA

I am reporting a serious safety concern involving my 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, which experienced brake failure while driving, without any warning lights or diagnostic alerts from the vehicle’s onboard system. This created a highly dangerous situation for myself and others on the road. Prior to this incident, I brought the vehicle to the dealership after consistently hearing squealing or screeching noises when braking. The issue was dismissed and attributed to a change in federal regulations limiting the use of copper in brake pads—without any further inspection. This resulted in a missed opportunity to diagnose what appears to be a deeper mechanical failure. After the brake failure, service technicians discovered that the vacuum pump had failed, which impacted braking performance and also caused engine damage. While I’ve since learned that GM has acknowledged vacuum pump failures in several vehicles manufactured between 2014–2018 (via formal recalls), the 2021 Chevy Blazer is not currently included in those campaigns However, the symptoms and outcome I experienced are strikingly similar to the documented defects in older GM models. The lack of early diagnostic detection, coupled with dealership dismissal of clear warning signs, signals a potential emerging safety defect in this newer model that may not yet be officially recognized. Given the safety-critical nature of the braking system and the failure of both mechanical and procedural safeguards, I strongly urge the federal safety agency to investigate whether this issue is more widespread in recent GM models, including the 2021 Blazer. Other consumers may be at risk without knowing it.

Filed May 14, 2024 · Engine · VA

The starter and flex plate failed (cracked) on the vehicle while on the road due to the auto start stop feature. When I stopped for a red light, the car made a loud grinding noise and would not restart leaving me stranded in traffic. The 2019 Blazer has the auto start stop feature which cannot be disabled and likely results in excess wear and tear. GM updated the 2020 model to allow the function to be disabled. GM has a number of technical bulletins highlighting both starter and flex plate issues, the first being in 2020. Both the starter and flex plate failures were verified by Reeder Chevrolet in Knoxville TN. I've asked for the flex plate to be provided when repair is complete. There were no warnings via check engine lights or any strange noises prior to the failure.

Filed Sep 12, 2023 · Brakes · FL

The breaks make a squealing noise all the time which is concerning. I was told by Beaver Chevrolet that this is normal as the breaks were changed in newer car models. They have made a squealing noise ever since I bought the car brand new. I took the car into Beaver Chevrolet approximately 4 months ago and was told that they were unable to replace the breaks because they "weren't squealing bad enough". They did spray my breaks down, however they told me that once I hit 36,000 miles if the issue was still occuring (which it will be) that I would have to pay to have the breaks sprayed. The issue persisted and the spray they used only lasted a few days. Typically breaks should not squeal unless they have gone bad, which isn't the case here. I find this issue to be a safety hazard as how are customers supposed to know when their breaks actually do go bad if they squeal all the time. The issue was reproduced, but it is unclear what their standard is for determining the actual noise to breaking ratio.

Filed Mar 28, 2023 · Brakes · UT

On March 23, 2023 ABS Extended Stopping Distance on snow / slush surface proceeding downhill on a 4 lane highway (7200 South Wasatch Blvd. Midvale Utah). Other vehicles around me were stopping without issue. I noticed my ABS brakes were making the (typical operating sound a type of grinding) and I wasn't stopping. I changed lanes twice to provide for more stopping distance and eventually stopped in the left turn lane within 2 feet from rear-ending other cars had I remained in the inside lane. Located Investigation EA94-038 noting 10,000 complaints, 2000 accidents, 600 injuries. Chevrolet Safety campaign 99I006000 addressing a PCM coding change and replacing the Kelsey Hayes ABS actuator unit. Chevrolet at 800‑222‑1020 declined to say whether this recall was in force, was a valid recall or had ever existed.