1989 Chevrolet Blazer problems & reliability
38 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Chevrolet Blazer. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
5 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Chevrolet Blazer vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 4 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 7 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 16% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 16% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 11% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 8% |
| Seats | 3 | 8% |
| Steering | 3 | 8% |
| Tires | 3 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 5% |
| Visibility | 2 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Brake and fuel lines rotted away fuel leaking lost of brakes and brake fluids gas tank rusted and leaking fuel floor rusted away seats broke loose of mounts”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Sep 29, 2017
“I have a 89' s10 blazer that has had the front fan detach, I replaced the water pump and radiator (due to the fan coming of it cut into the radiator) and the serpentine belt. After fixing the problem it occurred again. I searched the internet for any information and found on your website that there was a safety recall…”
Electrical System · filed Jan 12, 2007
“Dt: the consumer stated the tread on driver's side tire came off, but the tire stayed in act. The trim for the wheel well tore, and the exhaust was pinched , nearly closed. The tire was taken to firestone and they checked it. The mechanic stated it should not have happened. They were given the customer service number…”
Tires · filed Aug 11, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA94029 · opened Jul 29, 1994 · closed Jul 31, 1996
- FIRE IN DASH/INSTRUM.CLSTR
Preliminary Evaluation PE94050 · opened Jun 27, 1994 · closed Sep 14, 1994
- HIGH IDLE FLARE
Engineering Analysis EA92015 · opened May 22, 1992 · closed May 28, 1993
- HIGH IDLE FLARE
Preliminary Evaluation PE92001 · opened Jan 7, 1992 · closed May 22, 1992
- HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE91057 · opened Mar 6, 1991 · closed Jul 12, 1991
Technical service bulletins
5 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Chevrolet Blazer.
Pop snap noise in the front suspension when braking. *mr
02015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Diagnostic information for intermittent transmission downshift, slip, busy/cycling tcc or noisy cooling fan. *tt
990730016A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2002
Water leak at the a/c recirculation door (install new hood hinge seal). *tw
GM561204 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
End gate latch rattle (install revised striker). *tw
GM161514 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
Front door side glass binding/track disengagement. *tw
9310A343 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1993
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1989 Chevrolet Blazer in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1989 Chevrolet Blazer?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.