322 of the
11,236 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Blazer
are about the steering —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2020.
Intermittent electrical defects are beginning to occur that impact the power steering or power brakes. After starting the vehicle, there are times either the power steering or the power brakes do not function. When the braking defect occurs, the engine warning lamp is displayed and indicates brake system control module. Sudden switch to manual steering or manual braking are a safety hazard. A couple ignition recycles eventually corrects the electrical defect and restores the vehicle to normal operations. Vehicle has been dropped off at dealership for warranty repair.
NHTSA complaint #11755877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving and steering reduced drive with caution notification and brake assist notification came on and then engine light and the temp gage went to cold and stayed there. My steering stiffened up making it hard to steer. This is a known problem with the Chevy blazers and it had to do with the thermostat needing replaced.
NHTSA complaint #11749661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine temp gauge stops working causing the air to stop working and the cooling fan to rev to highest rpm. Also a warning that the steering assist is reduced. Eng check light comes on with a code P0208. This a known problem with an extended service # (N242484760) but only if your vin is listed. All vehicles with this problem should be covered. This seem to be a common problem, as my co-worker is having the same issue. This should be a recall as the steering is affected.
NHTSA complaint #11743407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that while driving, a code appeared on the dashboard P0128. When the vehicle's engine was switched off, the engine cooling fan continued to run. Warning light stating the steering would be disable.; however power steering was not lost. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a thermostat failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000
NHTSA complaint #11740828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The temperature gauge does not work, it stays at cold. The heater does not work unless the car is moving. AC does not blow cold air at all. I get a message that says “steering assist is reduced. Drive with care”. There are a lot of people online with the same complaints on these vehicles
NHTSA complaint #11740247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Electronically controlled thermostat and sensor fail or get stuck at a much lower coolant temperature causing the dash to display the “steering assist is reduced drive with care.” It isn’t just a message, the steering is much harder to use potentially causing an accident. The ac completely doesn’t work causing potential for sensitive, elderly, or young children and pets to overheat inside, it’s significant risk of injury or death from the hot summer temperatures. The engine coolant temperature gauge is all the way down on C position which isn’t registering how hot/cold the engine gets potentially causing damage to the vehicle and a total loss of the vehicle entirely due to damage from the engine overheating. GM sent out letters to 2021 blazer owners which included a special coverage number N252508350 applying to people with this year having this problem and they have until 2036 or 150,009 mi to get the repairs made free of charge, they just bring the document with the special repair codes to the dealer and they fix it free of charge. After doing research online, this problem is affecting all years of the 2019+ blazers with the 3.6L V6 engine AND other known problems with other models and years of their other lineup of cars, it’s very widespread across their platforms. So what are people supposed to do when it isn’t the 2021 year? Pay an $800+ repair bill to GM when they KNOW it’s more widespread than just this year/make? This is a scam. I can’t even do the repair myself because I’m having trouble finding the correct parts online and not only that the repair is extensive, the whole top half of the engine needs to be taken apart just to get to the thermostat, we’re talking the airbox and intake manifold, all the plastic parts and shrouds and sensors covering engine, the fuel rail and injectors, pipes and clamps, engine coolant needs drained and refilled. It’s a major fix. I’m reporting this complaint to raise awareness and hopefully GM will do the right thing.
NHTSA complaint #11739939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
P0128CODE P0024 CODE SECOND Cam Shaft sensor failure Thermostat failure, stuck open Electrical issues from low battery power Failure to shift to park when shutting off vehicle
NHTSA complaint #11739711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle showed an error on the dash which stated "Action Required Steering Assist is Reduced Drive with Care" I tool the vehicle to the dealer I purchased it from McClusky Chevy at Kings Auto Mall in Mason Ohio. They informed me that the error code is C0460:58 and GM has a service bulletin 20-NA-215 which advises to replace the Steering Gear due to internal component interference. No one explained to me that this could cause catastrophic failure and lead to a crash before I left the dealership. They could not replace it as they said they do not have the part and it is on national backorder. Additionally they told me the repair would cost me $3,400. The vehicle has 42k miles on it and this repair is not under warranty as the warranty that would have covered it expired in March of 2026. I have taken the vehicle to a different GM dealer - Tom Gill GMC in Fairfield Ohio - they are waiting on the part and I have a case opened with GM regarding the costs. You would think that if there is a risk of a catastrophic failure which could cause harm to my self or someone else - the dealer would have an obligation to tell me so before i drive off. If not legally, certainly morally.
NHTSA complaint #11738765 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
P0128 code produced when scanned. Cooling fans on high. No ac. Steering Assist Warning. Had to replace the thermostat. ECM also replaced and caused the tire pressure sensors to fail and had to replace the tire sensors. There is a recall on models 2021 to 2025 but none on the 2020 for the thermostat. I have paid $3500.00 to have my vehicle fixed.
NHTSA complaint #11738607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am contacting you regarding my 2020 Chevy Blazer with approx $55,580 Miles. the vehicle is experiencing multiple issues consistent with the know thermostat problem reported on many 2020 Blazer, including the P0128 code, cooling fans running at high speed and "steering Assist Reduced" warnings. The Steering wheel has now become hard to turn while driving, creating a serious safety concern for me and my family, I m [XXX] old and yesterday in mother's day) while I was driving on the expressway with my grandchildren in the vehicle, the steering suddenly became very had to turn and I was almost involved in an accident, This situation was extremely alarming and poses a significant safety risk. PLEASE review many complains from owners who have experienced the same dangerous issue involving the "steering assist Reduce- Drive with Care", warning, sudden stiff steering thermostat malfunction, loss of A/C, and overheating symptoms. I urge Chevrolet and the appropriate safety authorities to investigate this issue and take immediate corrective action to avoid loss of human life. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11737156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Steering assist reduced drive with care display, air conditioning turned off, stop and start disabled, temperature monitor at cold, fan blows hard Why my 2020 model was not covered under the special coverage N252508350 NHTSA ID# 11024390
NHTSA complaint #11735752 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Re: Vehicle Safety Defect Complaint – 2023 Chevrolet Blazer To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting a formal safety defect complaint regarding my 2023 Chevrolet Blazer. This vehicle has exhibited multiple system failures that present a serious risk to driver safety and public roadway safety. The vehicle was purchased new on July 20, 2023. Beginning on April 21, 2025, at approximately 27,610 miles, the vehicle developed a progressive defect initially presenting as oil-related issues. Despite multiple repair attempts, the condition worsened and required a full engine replacement in January 2026. Following the engine replacement, the vehicle continued to experience critical safety failures, including engine stalling, reduced engine power warnings, and electronic stability control (ESC) alerts. On April 26, 2026, the vehicle experienced a driver assistance system malfunction in which it attempted to steer off the roadway. I was forced to manually disable the system to maintain control of the vehicle. On April 27, 2026, the vehicle exhibited a fuel system failure, including fuel leakage and fuel odor, along with multiple simultaneous warning indicators: • Reduced Engine Power • Service ESC • Steering Assist Reduced / Drive with Care • Power assist driver system disabled This combination of failures presents both a fire hazard and a loss-of-control risk. Additionally, I was informed by the dealership that a high-pressure fuel line, a one-time-use component, was not replaced during the engine installation. This raises concerns regarding improper repair and continued unsafe operation of the vehicle. The vehicle has undergone multiple repair attempts and a major powertrain replacement, yet continues to present serious safety concerns. Due to these ongoing issues, I do not feel safe operating this vehicle. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this matter for potential safety defects that may impact other vehicles of the same make and model.
NHTSA complaint #11734585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A/C quit working, "Caution Power steering assist ....working, temperature gauge reading zero ( far left side of gauge. PF62F Code set. Repair shop says very common. $800 To repair due to removal of plenum and other component including water temp sensor and thermostat while your there. $100+. 63k miles on vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11733563 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My engine coolant temperature sensor failed. Replaced it and still not fixing the issue. This takes my steering assist away as they are all interlinked? I have seen on forms this is a common issue. This has the potential to blow up my engine, I’m not sure how this is not a recall with so many 2020-2026 blazer owners having the same issue.
NHTSA complaint #11732623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle makes a clunk noise when the vehicle is in motion and i press on the accelerator it also makes a little jerk. This mainly happens @ low speeds and on a incline hill. There some type of oil or grease stains where the cv axle goes into transmission. ive felt my vehicle with less power and pulls to the left. Took the vehicle to chevrolet and they said they couldnt duplicate the issue or the oil leak.
NHTSA complaint #11731998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2020 Chevy Blazer RS 3.6L V6: having intermittent issues with ‘check engine’ light activating and giving code P0128 - indicating “Coolant Thermostat (Coolant Temperature Below Thermostat Regulating Temperature)”. Symptoms include: - Temp gauge drops to reading “C” (cold), - AC blows warm/hot air, - Dash displays message, “Steering Assist is Reduced, Drive with Care”, - Radiator (electric) fans run full speed. It seems that the computer is interpreting the engine coolant temperature sensor drop as a ‘stuck open’ thermostat, thus the indicated code. However, at the same time it also appears to assume a bad coolant temp sensor, and failsafes to disable the AC and set the radiator fans to max to avoid potential overheating. The problem with this is that this can occur after driving for some period that the engine is suitably warm, then I can pull off the road, disconnect the battery for a few minutes, and everything goes back to normal operation. A broken thermostat would not behave this way. * This happened in Mar 2025 - after disconnecting the battery about 5-6 times over about a 1wk period the code cleared and we were able to pass inspection. The issue did not reoccur until about the same time this year. It has been recurring periodically since. * After reading numerous postings on this issue, with numerous different vehicles that have this engine and computer, I have no faith that the dealership will provide a solution other than charging me to replace the thermostat, and ending up with the same problem a few weeks later.
NHTSA complaint #11731894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
| Issues first appeared recorded on 3/9/2026, while odometer read 49,663 miles. Check engine light was caused by error codes P0128 and P01F0. This causes the following issues: * Check engine light to appear on the dashboard. * Engine temperature gauges to be unreliable at times or completely non functional at others, as it will constantly read the engine temperature "Cold". * Air conditioning unit to become unreliable at times or completely non functional at others, and only blow hot air. * Radiator fan will be stuck running at max speed despite current engine temperature. * A "Reduced Steering Assist" message will periodically appear on the dashboard. * A "Service ESC" message will periodically appear on the dashboard. * Remote start will becomes non functional. | Car was taken to a license Chevrolet dealership and had full thermostat housing and thermostat sensors replaced. Dealership confirmed all replaced parts are working correctly and as intended. After picking up the vehicle from the dealership, and driving car for roughly 30 miles, the check engine light appeared on the dashboard again causing all previous issues to return. | Several other Chevy Blazer 2020 owners have complained of the same issue online, and in forums such as: [XXX] . | INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11729613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shift to Park issue: Known issue where the car fails to recognize it is in Park, preventing it from shutting off. Electronics: Potential blanked-out display screens, USB port issues, and malfunctioning cameras. Steering Assist: Restricted, temperature gauge goes to cold and radiator fan blows hard. I have to unplug negative cable to battery and reconnect and everything goes back to normal.
NHTSA complaint #11729329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.