How many miles can a Chevy Blazer last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Blazer, that’s, of course, a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Chevy Blazer lasts between 200.000 – 220.000 miles. A Blazer needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.28 times per year, with a 15% chance of the problem being severe. Furthermore, Chevy Blazer owners spend an average of $700 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll first explain in more detail how many miles a Chevy Blazer can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a Blazer costs per year and which production years are most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Chevy Blazer Last?
To answer this question of how many miles a Chevy Blazer lasts, we did some research through autotrader.com and got the detailed statistics that we will explain thoroughly below.
About 90% of the Blazers on sale are below the 45k mile mark because most of them are the newer models and why aren’t there that many older models, you ask? Well, they have all died and have gone to heaven. We expected to see a number close to 9% as they have been around for such a long time, yet only 5.18% could cross that 150k mile mark.
| Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
| Cars With 150.000+ | 5.18% |
| Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 2.00% |
| Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 3.38% |
| Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 89.42% |
The Blazers had many problems in the past, and their reputation was not that good, and it’s one of those lucky ones who have been revived after it was discontinued, despite its poor performance.
Now that the older ones have gone to heaven mostly and the 5.18% that we get is due to some of them still breathing among the ones out there before 2005. The ones below 100k miles will mostly be the newer ones as they didn’t have much time to cross the 150k mile.
When we were looking at the newer ones, the highest mileage was about 80k miles.
1756 out of 1801 are the 2019 and above models; now the question is, why are people selling it soon after buying it? Is it posing major problems? Well, that’s exactly what we are answering here. We have a rigorous set of tests that ensures whether or not the Chevy Blazer is a good option, and we will know if it’s not reliable.
How Reliable Is A Chevy Blazer Compared To It’s Competitors?
To know how reliable an SUV is, it must compare the results with its competitors and see where it stands. The data turns out to be against the Blazer in all aspects. There is a valid reason for that.
When a vehicle is relatively new, it’s a fact that the majority of them wouldn’t have higher miles, but at least some should have had a higher mileage that could suggest that this SUV is reliable indeed, but in the case of the Blazer, we didn’t see that either.
Because most of the Blazers out there are the new ones in 2019, it’s not easy to know the precise reliability ratings. Still, we can have a pretty accurate conclusion of the database after analyzing the data based on the overall performance.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Chevy Blazer | 1891 | 98 | 5.18% | 260000 |
| Chevy Tahoe | 11515 | 1378 | 11.97% | 340000 |
| Ford Expedition | 4642 | 545 | 11.74% | 290000 |
| GMC Yukon | 6311 | 728 | 11.53% | 280000 |
| Toyota Sequoia | 1243 | 436 | 35.08% | 380000 |
| Chevy Traverse | 10876 | 564 | 5.18% | 367000 |
| Toyota Highlander | 12777 | 971 | 7.60% | 329000 |
| Ford Explorer | 22876 | 1158 | 5.06% | 397000 |
| Honda Pilot | 10095 | 987 | 9.78% | 376000 |
| GMC Acadia | 10499 | 585 | 5.57% | 266000 |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 1550 | 50 | 3.22% | 250000 |
Even though the highest mileage seen in the latest models is around 80k miles, this highest mileage on average for a 2-year-old SUV is actually not that bad. It’s just a matter of time before the percentage crossing the 150k miles will greatly increase.
How Reliable Is A Chevy Blazer Compared To Other Chevys?
It’s important to know where does the Chevy Blazer stands when being put against its own brethren. This data will also show how reliable the Chevys are in general, and at the same time, we will be able to see how much of a difference it will make if we go for a different offering by Chevy.
Let’s look at the comparison of Chevy Blazer with Chevy Tahoe, which is the best SUV offered by Chevy, and it’s considered the 3rd best in the world. More than 10% of the Chevy Tahoes on sale have crossed the 150k mile mark, and the highest average mileage is seen to be 300k+.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 38.318 | 888 | 2,32% | 280.000 |
| Chevrolet Impala | 5.649 | 715 | 12,66% | 320.000 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 13.007 | 675 | 5,19% | 280.000 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 13.664 | 1.373 | 10,05% | 330.000 |
| Chevrolet Volt | 1.189 | 6 | 0,50% | 180.000 |
| Chevrolet Cruze | 9.788 | 348 | 3,56% | 250.000 |
| Chevy Traverse | 10876 | 564 | 5.18% | 360.000 |
| Chevrolet Cobalt | 489 | 134 | 27,40% | 280.000 |
| Chevy Blazer | 1891 | 98 | 5.18% | 260000 |
This data suggests that a Tahoe will live a lot more than a Blazer would, and if both of them had about 200k miles on the clock and if we were to pick one, then the obvious choice would be Tahoe because it would still have much more life left compared to the Blazer.
If we were to look at the comparison between the Chevy Blazer and Chevy Traverse, then Traverse would win by a good margin. Even though both of them have the same percentage crossing the 150k miles mark, the thing that makes a huge difference is the highest mileage they can go on average.
Traverse has seen 360k miles on average, while the Blazer has seen 260k miles on average. That’s a 100k mile difference.
How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
It’s important to know how much it’ll cost to maintain a Chevy Blazer. Our research showed that there had been tons of issues with the Blazer in the past, and people had complained a lot on different forums about how bad they are in terms of reliability, and it’s no wonder that they discontinued it in 2005.
Despite the fact they had problems, Blazers had been quite popular in the distant past and had made a name for itself and gathered a considerable following, which is probably why the enthusiasts have been given another go at the Blazer. If you are looking at the older models, you should not; they would cost you a lot on maintenance and repairs.
The latest models have been good so far, and we haven’t seen any major issue in them; it seems that the Chevy has finally done justice to its name and has delivered a good SUV.
| Model Year | Annual Maintenance Cost |
| 1997 | $700 + Repairs |
| 1998 | $700 + Repairs |
| 1999 | $700 + Repairs |
| 2000 | $700 + Repairs |
| 2001 | $700 + Repairs |
| 2003 | $700 + Repairs |
| 2004 | $700 + Repairs |
| 2005 (later on, it was discontinued) | $700 + Repairs |
| 2019 | $300-$400 (est) |
| 2020 | $300-$400 (est) |
| 2021 | $300-$400 (est) |
The Blazers had been known for their problems, and the older ones will be prone to major problems that will have a major impact on your budget. So it’s better to go for the latest ones which will be less expensive to upkeep compared to other Chevy vehicles.
Chevy Blazer Common Problems
It’s important to know about the common problems that the Blazers are known for so you can better judge one while looking in the used market or what to expect from the latest models and the common issues that can happen with them. When you are aware of these common problems, you can easily inspect a Blazer and would be able to judge whether or not it’s in good condition.
NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.
Erratic Gauge Operation
This is a common problem that has a totally unrelated cause/culprit. It’s the ignition switch that has gone out, which is now causing these erratic functions. The general cost of diagnosis is about $100, and if the diagnosis does reveal the culprit to be the ignition switch, you would have to spend about $330 on replacement.
Door Lock Actuator Fails
This is also one of the common problems that you will see in a Blazer. The door locks might become slower, or they might stop working altogether. It mostly happens in the earlier models, pre-2001. If you have this problem, then it will cost you about $250.
Coolant Leaking Onto The Passenger Side
This problem is common in the late 90s models where the heater core gets damaged due to wear and tear and thus starts leaking coolant. This coolant then travels inside the dash and comes outside onto the passenger footwell. The heater core would require replacement, and that would cost you around $1000.
Water Pump Goes Out
Given how old this vehicle is, the earlier models would be giving you a lot of problems that would give a fatal blow to your wallet. The water pump would require replacement if it hasn’t been replaced before. The coolant will start leaking, and the engine temperature will keep on rising. This water pump replacement is going to cost you around $550.
Also read: The Oil Type, Weight, And Capacity Of A Chevy Blazer
Is a Chevy Blazer A Smart Buy?
It was smart to buy a Chevy in the past, but now those really old models are talking to the skies while the late 90s models and the early 2000s aren’t reliable at all, and you would only be wasting money on repairs and maintenance. The best bet is to go for the latest ones that came out in 2019 onwards.
These will still have their warranty intact, and you will have a carefree experience. The only downside to buying the earlier production models,i.e., the 2019 ones, is that they would have those early production mistakes, and so many things would still be under the process of refinement.
2021 onwards would be the best in reliability and comfort as they would have had that gradual refinement made to them. But still, the earlier production models wouldn’t be a bad choice as you would get lower prices and the warranty would still be intact; on top of that, buying used means you wouldn’t have to face depreciation, as much as the 1st owner had faced on its value.
A Chevy Blazer would depreciate about 45% in 5 years, which isn’t that bad considering some vehicles depreciate around 70% in 5 years.
Are you in the market for this Chevy? Don’t forget to check out our extensive list of the largest Chevy dealers per state!
Chevy Blazer Maintenance Schedule
It’s important to know how to maintain your Blazer properly. If you have it regularly maintained, you won’t have to spend thousands of dollars on major repairs. So let’s dive into the maintenance schedule that your Traverse needs.
Before/On Every 7,500 Miles
- Change the engine oil
- Change the oil filter
Before/On Every 15,000 Miles
- Inspects the brake rotors
- Inspect the brake pads
- Check for any leaks
- Inspect the driveshaft boots if there is any grease leak or damage
Before/On Every 20,000 Miles
- Check the fuel hoses
- Replace the air cleaner filter
- Relevel the rear axle oil
- Check the transfer oil level
- Check the brake hoses for any leaks
- Inspect the coolant hoses for any leaks
- Check the exhaust system
- Inspect the suspension components for any damage
- Check for any clogs or leaks in the PCV system and the EGR valve
Before/On Every 40,000 Miles
- Check the transmission fluid level
- Check the drive belt condition
- Inspect the rear brakes and the rear wheel
- Inspect the ball joints for any damage
- Check for any oil leaks
- Check the electronics for any short circuits
Before/On Every 60,000 Miles
- Inspect the spark plugs and replace them if necessary
- Inspect the ignition coils and replace them if necessary
- Inspect the fuel injectors and replace them if necessary
- Inspect the fuel line for any leak
- Check the fuel pump
- Have a complete engine diagnosis to check for any misfiring cylinder
- Inspect the wiring harness of the ignition system
Other Maintenance Tips
Normally, the manufacturers suggest changing the engine oil at around 10k miles, but that’s too good to be true; you should change the engine oil on/before 7-7.5k miles to make sure that the engine remains healthy for a longer period of time.
Another important thing is to use high-quality can of petroleum in your fuel tank regularly; it will help keep the internals clean and save you a lot of dollars on expensive service for the engine internals, like the throttle body EGR cylinder heads, etc. To keep your SUV protected from rust, you have to make sure that it doesn’t retain mud on it for more than 4 days because mud contains moisture, and when moisture is there with iron, you make rust, and you wouldn’t want that, so keep your SUV clean, it will keep it rust-free.
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!