2019 Chevrolet Blazer: What to check before buying

A "Shift to Park" message appears with the shifter already in Park, and the car will not fully shut off, lock, or stop chiming. Most reports here describe this fault, with onset anywhere from about 18,500 to 73,399 miles. Wiggling the shifter or cycling gears clears it at first, then works less often. Dealers usually replace the shifter assembly, and some owners see the fault return within two months. Thermostat failures also show up. One crash report describes the vehicle accelerating into a building after being placed in Park.

The same Shift to Park fault dominates, leaving the car stuck in accessory mode with doors that will not lock until the message clears. Several owners say repeat shop visits did not cure it. A second cluster involves a P0128 code with the temperature gauge stuck on cold, no air conditioning, and cooling fans running, sometimes unresolved after thermostat and sensor replacements. Scattered reports describe total power loss in heavy traffic, stalling and popping right after refueling, and a body control module that failed again after two dealer repairs.

Most reports in this category describe a cooling-system fault, not a steering failure. A "Steering Assist Reduced, Drive with Care" message appears alongside a P0128 code, a temperature gauge stuck on cold, a cooling fan on high, and no A/C. Dealers diagnose a sticking thermostat or coolant temperature sensor, with repair costs reported at $700 and close to $1000. Onset clusters around 40,000 to 59,150 miles. More serious reports describe steering that intermittently locks up, brakes applying by themselves, and a highway loss of power steering and brake assist.

A sticking thermostat is the main complaint, reported between about 30,000 and 59,945 miles. Symptoms include a dead temperature gauge, a recurring P0128 code, the A/C shutting off, and a steering assist warning. Owners say Chevrolet calls it a known issue, and some cars are out of warranty when it fails. Single reports also cover a failed starter and cracked flex plate that stranded a car at a red light, a leaking radiator, and a sudden loss of power that returned right after an injector replacement.

The brake pedal can turn hard without warning, leaving little stopping power. Both crash reports involve brake failure: one car ran a stop sign into a drainage ditch with an injury, and another rolled into a stopped semi after a mechanic-confirmed brake booster failure. Other owners describe brakes locking up at low speed on dirt roads and at a stoplight, and a stall at 30 mph with reduced engine power and service parking brake warnings. Two reports filed here actually describe the Shift to Park fault.

No air bags deployed in one crash report, even though another vehicle traveling at 50 mph or more struck the front quarter panel and the driver's head hit the side window. The opposite problem also appears, with both right and left air bags firing during a skid on black ice with no impact. A third owner describes an air bag service warning that comes and goes, more often in hot or cold weather, which the dealer could not diagnose after repeated visits. With only 3 complaints on file, no clear pattern is established.

Adaptive cruise control shuts off on its own, beeping and showing a temporarily unavailable message. In one case it kept failing after a front camera replacement and a software update. Separately, the engine can rev and the car jerk forward while slowing with a foot on the brake, and the dealer found no fault. Only 2 complaints are on file, so neither pattern is well established.

Factory tires draw two isolated complaints. One describes fast tread wear and a rear end that slid around corners, which the owner linked to a GM service bulletin on the original Michelin tires. An alignment fixed the sliding, but new tires were needed early. The other involves a Continental CrossContact LX Sport tire slowly losing air, which the owner tied to a federal tire recall campaign. The tire was replaced.