lillylorenz2

Trailblazer knocking and power loss

I'm having serious issues with my 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer with a gasoline engine. It's got about 137k km on it. Lately, it's been knocking like crazy, especially when I accelerate. I've noticed a definite loss of power, and it jerks a lot when I try to speed up. Plus, there's some smoke coming out when I really put my foot down. Oh, and the check engine light is on, so I scanned it and there's an error code stored. Could this be bad? What should I do?

A 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer was experiencing severe knocking, power loss, jerking during acceleration, and smoke emission, with the check engine light on. The issue was identified as carbon deposits in the combustion chamber, causing pre-ignition and knocking. The recommended solution was to have a professional mechanic clean the deposits, which resolved the problem and restored the vehicle's performance.

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4 comment(s)

Sounds rough! I had a similar problem with my Trailblazer, though mine's a bit newer. The knocking and loss of power sounds a lot like detonation. Have you checked for any build-up in the combustion chamber? That can cause problems, including pre-ignition which leads to knocking. Is it throwing any specific codes?

Deposits in the combustion chamber, huh? How would I even check for that? Is that something I can do myself, or am I better off taking it to a mechanic? And how does that even cause knocking? Is it like, mini explosions happening at the wrong time?

Yeah, deposits can cause issues. It's tricky to check yourself without the right tools. Basically, carbon builds up and creates hot spots, causing the fuel to ignite prematurely. As for fixing it yourself, it depends on your comfort level. Honestly, given the symptoms, I'd recommend taking it to a trusted workshop. They can properly diagnose it and clean things out, or at least tell you what needs replacing.

Thanks, that's helpful advice! I took it to my local shop, and you were spot on. They said it was carbon deposits causing the knocking. They cleaned everything out and it's running like new again! Cost me about 425€, but totally worth it to have my Trailblazer back. Thanks again!

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CHEVROLET

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TRAILBLAZER