Transfer Case problems of the 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer - part 2

At medium to high speeds transfer case engages without warning.

While driving, the four wheel drive kicked in which caused the rear end of the vehicle to lock up.

Service 4wd light comes on, vehicle will automatically go into four wheel drive without the switch being turned. This causes the vehicle to jerk and it is difficult to steer at times.

While driving the vehicle at a speed of approximately 65-70 mph, I felt a surge as if the transmission was shifting. As this was happening I noticed the light next to the four-wheel switch selector knob was blinking above the automatic 4hi position. This has happened on occasion quite frequently. My wife who normally drives this vehicle says it happens several times during a typical 60-mile trip. This same thing happened a week after we starting leasing this vehicle back in April of 2002. I told the dealership about it and they said they couldn't find anything wrong. They said it's hard to find something wrong with it when it's not actually happening in front of them. It always tends to happen in the speed range of 50-70 mph. This issue has me concerned, especially while driving on snow, ice, or wet surfaces. I'm afraid it could jerk enough to throw us off the road. I've now realized, through the NHTSA web site, that many Trailblazer owners/operators have had similar problems and gm has done nothing to remedy the problem. I've always purchased gm since my father is a retired gm employee, but I'm now considering buying outside of the gm family. What good is the gm employee incentive/discount, when your life is at risk? apparently to gm, the cost of life is nothing compared to the cost of a recall. I'm considering getting out of the lease, no matter the cost, due to the lemon of a vehicle we now have. How many people will be injured and or possibly killed before gm decides to bite the bullet and recall their bread-winning vehicle? today (3-17-03) while in for normal service, I was told that the dealer reset the control module, which might fix the problem. I asked them about changing the switch and they said they have done this on some vehicles but prefer to start with resetting the module. Only time will tell. I hope the forecast is for dry weather!.

Update of complaint 10003216. Grinding noise in transfer case recurred while driving on freeway at 65-70 mph, with 4wd mode switch lights jumping back and forth between 2wd and 4wd. Stopped off freeway to call dealer, car would not move, towed to dealer. Told that the transfer case failed.

On 11/02 I had my vehicle at the dealer for service & it was brought up that the 4wd was turning on & off randomly. The service person mentioned that they have seen a handful of these & the computer in the vehicle was "asleep" however, they advised they couldn't check the problem because it was in working order at the time I had it in. They could only check the problem if it wasn't working. The last week of 1/03, I was traveling at highway speeds in 2wd. The vehicle automatically shifted itself into 4wd high, made a very loud sound & the lights on the dash changed from 4wd high to awd, & 4wd low. When I arrived home, all the lights on the dash for 4wd were out & have not come back on. The vehicle was turned off. When the vehicle was turned back on the following day, it was in 2wd & would not engage into awd or 4wd high or low. I contacted my dealer who set up an appointment to bring the vehicle in on 2/5/03 to have the 4wd checked out. On 2/4/03 I hit a patch of snow & ice with my rear tires. I was traveling approximately 40 mph on a 55 mph road. Due to the vehicle only being in 2wd & the awd & 4wd not working, the front wheels of the vehicle had no power & the vehicle went out of control & ended up in a ditch on the side of the road causing over $4000 in damage. Minor bruising injury to myself when my knees slammed into the dash. Body damage has been repaired & the service dept has confirmed that the computer was not working at the time of the accident in order for the 4wd to turn on. The computer has since been "reset" & the vehicle returned to me on 2/27/03. Again on 3/1/03 & 3/3/03, the vehicle was in 2wd traveling at highway speeds & randomly turned from 2wd to awd & 4wd. On 3/10/03, I advised the dealer again of the problem & the manager is going to speak w/the service dept to find out if there have been any other complaints of this nature. Again, the dealer said they couldn't do anything now for me as the vehicle is working at this time.

Power transfer case 4 wd, again today 2/5/03 my chevy Trailblazers 4wd locked up with knob in 2wd and the lights are on both 4wh-4wl stopped us abruptly skidding and throwing us forward, I had this car in the shop 1/31/03 for the same problem, and they told me they could find nothing wrong with it. I told the dealer and gmac that I donot want the car back this is the 4th time this has happened and me and my familly are very affraid when driving this car that it is dangerous and could injure us. Maybe it will take someone getting hurt or killed before they will by back this car. I am in fear at all times when I drive it but I have no other vehicle and cqant afford to buy another with this payment. Gmac please help.

The 4wd system switches between 2hi, a4wd, and 4hi modes on its own while the vehicle is in motion, the indicator lights on the rotary selector blink, there is a slight jerk felt in the drive train as the transfer case shifts, dealer can not remedy the problem. Itit has been in for service 4 time for the same problem.

Vehicle engaging into 4 hi, 4 low, and a 4 wheel drive spontaneously. While vehicle is in park and in 4 wheel drive, it has a whinning sound and will lunge when 4 wheel drive is turned off.

My service 4wd light has been a problem since January 2003. My 2002 Trailblazer has been in the shop for almost all of July. Chevy has refused to repurchase my vehicle stating that they are going to "fix" it under the warranty. It goes without saying that I am fighting this. Additionally, upon my return from a three week vacation in March, I found my Trailblazer completely dead. Chevy has not been able to to identify the problem.

The 4 wheel drive did not perform as designed, which resulted in an accident.

Vehicle in for service 6 times. Vehicle purchased in oct 01. First instance was Jan 2002. Was driving the vehicle at approx 65-70 mph in a4wd. Vehicle shifted down into 4lo causing loss of power & control. Service 4wd light came on. Vehicle would not come out of 4wd until it had been parked & shut off. Mode switch on dash was replaced following incident. One week later, vehicle shifted into 4hi while driving in 2hi. Mode switch was again replaced. August 2002, problems were again experienced as 4hi and 4lo lights would flash simultaneously. Dealer replaced transfer case shift module. Nov 2002 when switching into a4wd, no lights would illuminate. Vehicle was taken back to dealer. Automatic transfer case update was installed. Five days later while in a4wd, lights flashed for 4hi. Shifting was completed. While stopped at a stoplight, 4lo light began flashing. When pressing gas loss of power was experienced. Lights continued to flash until vehicle was put in neutral. Vehicle shifted to 4lo. Each time shifting was completed there was a jerk in the rear of vehicle. Service 4wd light came on. Vehicle would not shift out of 4lo until turned off. Dealer test drove for several days & could not duplicate problem. Upon picking up the vehicle was told that they hoped whatever was causing the problems would completely fail & make the needed correction obvious. Upon leaving the dealership in 2hi, within 2 miles, 4hi light began to flash, shifted down & service 4wd light came on. Returned to dealership without turning off or parking so that they could see the exact state. Ran a test & indicated that the switch had malfunctioned. Switch was replaced on site. We have been in contact with Chevrolet's customer service. It is only a matter of time before a serious incident occurs as a result of their product's malfunction. Mechanic at the dealership said they are increasingly seeing similar problems with the 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer & numerous other mechanical problems.

Consumer states at 55 mph the vehicle transmission switched to all wheel drive. Consumer states there was a tremedous loss of power, tossing consumer like a rag dog. Dealer has not been contacted. Please provide any further information. Ph.

While driving at freeway speed, 65-70 mph, a grinding, ratcheting sound was heard from the drivetrain and the lights on the transfer case switch moved back and forth from 2wd to 4hi and 4low. After the vehicle was towed to the dealer, they first completed the recall #01065 to reprogram the transfer case. When they road tested the car they could not duplicate the earlier complaint of grinding metal. The service advisor indicated that the recall probably corrected the problem. My question is, what did all that metal grinding noise do to the longevity of the transfer case, and what if it fails after the 3 year, 36 month warranty?.

I purchased a new 2002 chevy Trailblazer in the spring of 2002. As early as the fall of 2002 the vehicle began to randomly/automatically change from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive. The switch was not touched and was in 2wheel drive, but the light for 4 wheel drive was on and the car was in 4 wheel drive. This usually would occur on the highway at a high rate of speed. I mentioned this to the dealership, but they stated they could not recreate the scenario. Two months ago, the transmission on the vehicle needed to be replaced at 29,000 miles. I believe this was due to the automatic changing of 2 to 4 wheel drive. I demanded the dealership correct the issue. I have had the vehicle in to their shop four times since to have the same problem corrected, and it continues to happen. I am concerned for the safety of my wife and family ans this vehicle is used to transport them around. Is there any recourse for me regarding this situation. I no longer feel safe driving this car.

Vehicle complaint.

On four prior occassions, my 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer has automatically engaged into 4 wheel drive from two wheel drive. The switch indicator remained in "2 wheel hi" but the flashing led was also indicated on the "4 wheel hi. " this latest incident, which occured on a snow covered road while I was making a left hand turn, caused me to temporarily lose control of my vehicle without damage. The other three incidents' also occured while I was driving the vehicle.

On 12/13/01, consumer had recall 01v283000 remedy performed on the transfer case. On 1/6/02 while driving approximately 15mph in 4-wheel drive mode, the back end of truck started to "kick" out to the left and right. Consumer lost control of vehicle resulting in a collision. On 11/26/02 while driving with 4-wheel drive engaged, the 4-wheel drive indicator began acting erratically switching from 4-wheel low to 4-wheel high. Dealer acknowledged that problem exists. Ts.

Consumer is having diffuculty shifting vehicle from 2 wheel drive to 4wd as well as 4hi, vehicle has been in for service on 3 occasions and dealer can not remedy the problem, consumer feels this is a transfer case problem.

The vehicle failed to engage into 4-wheel drive. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer. The mechanic will be doing a diagnostic test to determine the problem. Please provide further details.

Consumer stated while vehicle was in 4-wheel drive mode, the transfer case on 4hi and 4lo lit up, and the service 4wd light in the instrument panel also lit up, consumer manually turned the switch from a4wd setting to 2hi and back to a4wd, and the a4wd and light lit up alone, the service 4wd light went off when the ignition was switched off, and did not come on when the vehicle was started again.

Consumer states vehicle experiences a chronic problem where the 4wd system switches between 2hi, a4wd, and 4hi modes on its own while the vehicle is in motion, the indicator lights on the rotary selector blink, there is a slight jerk felt in the drive train as the transfer case shifts, and the service 4wd light illuminates, dealer can not remedy the problem.

4-wheel drive failed causing vehicle to go from 4-wheel drive to 2-wheel drive without changing the selector. Dealership is unable to duplicate the problem, so they can't fix it.