2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV: What to check before buying

Unexpected hard braking is the main problem. The car stops abruptly at low speed or in reverse, reacting to things like trash cans or a manhole cover, and occupants describe being thrown into seatbelts and headrests. One report cites a concussion. A second pattern is loss of power braking: the pedal sinks to the floor with a "brake assist failure" message, sometimes cleared by restarting. One filing reports this four times in the first 450 miles. Owners say dealers and GM offer no lasting fix. One rear-end crash occurred with no safety system activating.

The rear parking brake engages on its own while the car is moving, bringing it to an abrupt stop. Sometimes a "Service Parking Brake" message appears; other times there is no warning. It happens in reverse at low speed and while driving, and occupants in one report sought treatment for back, neck, and whiplash injuries. Most filings center on waiting for a recall repair, with owners told parts are not yet available and the wait running too long. One owner left the car at the dealer pending a buyback.

The car loses power or shuts off while driving, often after "Service high voltage system" and reduced acceleration warnings. Reports place these failures early, between 400 and 2,200 miles, and say software updates did not cure them. Other complaints describe the instrument cluster and infotainment screens going black at speed, brakes and power steering cutting out, and the parking brake engaging unexpectedly. Turn signals also misbehave. Parts such as a power module and a right rear signal module have sat on back order, one for more than a month. One crash involved a rollover with an injury.

Glossy dashboard surfaces reflect onto the windshield in sunlight, making it hard to see pedestrians, animals, and objects ahead, especially to the right of center. Most complaints in this category describe this glare, and it appears on nearly every sunny drive. A second pattern is wipers that stop working without warning, including in heavy rain and on the interstate, with the washer sprayer failing too in one case. The wipers usually return after the car is shut off and restarted. No warning lights accompany the wiper failures.

Automatic emergency braking engages hard with nothing ahead, both in parking lots and at highway speeds of 55 to 65 mph. Drivers describe sudden speed drops of 15 to 20 mph, stops partway into traffic lanes, and adaptive cruise control braking forcefully on an empty lane. False triggers show up most at dawn, dusk, and near shadows or overpasses. Several occupants report whiplash and back pain, and the main risk is being rear-ended. Dealers have called the sensors too sensitive, and many owners have switched the system off.

One-pedal driving does not work in reverse even though the owner's manual says it should, so the car lurches backward instead of creeping. That can surprise drivers and endanger people standing behind the car. Another report describes displays going blank while driving, a grinding noise inside the dash, unavailable climate controls stuck on high defrost heat, and vibration on smooth roads, with the car held at the dealer for parts on back order. Only three complaints are filed here, so no broad pattern is visible.

The turn signal stalk snaps back too hard when it cancels after a turn, briefly flashing the opposite signal and misleading drivers behind. Engaging the right signal can also be difficult. Separately, the right rear LED tail lamp fails: it stops lighting with the headlamps or brakes, the turn signal flashes fast, and a lamp failure warning appears. One dealer reported GM had no fix and told it not to attempt repairs. A dead brake light on one side raises the risk of being rear-ended.

Driving range falls far short of buyer expectations, with one owner averaging about 125 miles on roughly 70% of a charge and seeing range drop sharply in cold weather. In another case the car would not accept a fast charge, and the dealer found the battery physically damaged even though the owner recalled no impact and the car showed no other damage. Only two complaints are on file in this category, so no broad pattern is visible yet.

Rear suspension noise escalates into a loud failure caused by broken fasteners on the rear strut. In the reported case it surfaced around 1,850 miles, the dealer strongly advised against driving the car, and the repair stalled for weeks awaiting GM inspection and approval. The other filing here is really about brake concerns and recall work, from an owner afraid to drive the car. With only two complaints, the strut fastener failure is the one concrete suspension problem on record.