1997 GMC Jimmy Engine Problems

TRANSMISSION FAILURE / REPLACED TRANSMISSION - UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE / REPLACED UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS - REAR WINDOW WIPER FAILURE / INOPERABLE AT THIS POINT - EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENTS WITH NO OLD PARTS AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE I CAN ONLY ATTRIBUTE TO SEVERELY POOR MANUFACTURING OF PRODUCTS, THERE WAS NO OPERATING MISUSE OR ABUSE. ALSO OTHER PARTS THAT HAVE FAILED AND HAVE SINCE BEEN REPLACED ARE THE: ALTERNATOR, FUEL PUMP, FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND COOLING SYSTEM FAILURES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10135766

Incident

Nov 15, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

THE TRUCK I HAVE IS 1997 GMC JIMMY 4X4 SLT MODEL I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN 2000 KNOWING IT WAS A PRE OWNED VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS THE VEHICLE WAS NICE BUT THE NEXT TWO YEARS I HAVE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLES SO FAR WITH THIS VEHICLE I HAVE REPLACED 1) IGNITION SWITCH THAT COSTED 700.OO 2) PULLEY 3) ALTERNATOR 4) HEATER CORE 5) COMPRESSOR FOR A/C IS GONE HAVENT REPLACED 6) FUEL PUMP IS GONE HAVENT REPLACED 7)WINSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO USUAL ON CLEAR DAYS BUT WHEN ITS STORMING THEY DONT WORK WHICH HAS RESULTED IN ME GETTING DRENCHED 8) TAILGATE DOENST WANT TO GO UP I HAVE HAD TWO YEARS OF PROBLEMS WITH MY TRUCK AND STILL CONTINE TO DO SO I PURCHASED MY TRUCK WITH 21,252 MI AND I NOW HAVE 70,329 MI I NEED BALL JOINTS WHICH I HAVE NOT REPLACED IN MY OPINION THIS IS THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNMED AND I BELIEVE EVER MADE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102287

Incident

Jan 7, 2002

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094282

Incident

Sep 10, 2004

Mileage

136,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. I WAS IN A BAD RAINSTORM LAST NIGHT AND HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE WE COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. SCARY - THIS IS A POTENTIAL BIG LAW SUIT FOR GMC IF ANYONE DIES IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS COMMON COMPLAINT. MY GMC MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THIS HAPPENS ON ALMOST ALL GMC JIMMY'S, YET THERE IS NO RECALL TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART TO DATE. TRANSMISSION - SLIPPED BADLY. I PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND SOMETIMES IT STILL SLIPS. THIS TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH THE JIMMY, AS WELL AS A FAULTY GAS GAUGE, FAULTY BALL JOINTS AND OXYGEN SENSORS. I DID HAVE TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSOR, BUT I CONSIDER THAT NORMAL REPAIRS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10088759

Incident

Aug 28, 2004

Mileage

68,000 mi

THE 1997 GMC JIMMY JUST SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS AT NO SPECIAL TIMES AND WITH NO IDENTIFIABLE CIRCUMSTANCES PRECEDING THE SHUTDOWN. THE ENGINE AND ALL CONTROL SYSTEMS SIMPLY STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND THERE IS NO RYHME NOR REASON FOR THE FAILURE. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN A SINGLE EVENING AND THEN GONE MONTHS BEFORE RECURRING. COMPUTER DIAGNOSES, NO CODES FOUND BY MECHANIC. SINCE IT HAS ALWAYS FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, USUALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE BECOMES A REAL CONCERN. LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAN EASILY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE JIMMY ALWAYS RESTARTS EASILY AFTER TEN SECONDS OR SO. OF COURSE AT 70-75 MILES PER HOURS THAT CAN SEEM LIKE A VERY LONG TIME INDEED. *LA

NHTSA ID

10080869

Incident

Sep 4, 2003

THE PAINT OF THE CAR IS CHIPPING, THE ELECTICAL IS NOT WORKING (BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS), THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT WORKING (MOTOR), AND THE FUSES KEEP BREAKING, AND THE SEAT BEAL BUCKLES ARE NOT WORKING AS WELL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10067541

Incident

Feb 27, 2003

A/C COMPRESSOR FAILURES OTHER- INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK DUE TO USE OF PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE (LOSS OF PEDAL/LEAL). REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER SHORT TIME LATER SAME PROBLEM AND DEALER REPORTED FAILURE OF ANTI LOCK COMPUTER AT COST OF $1200.00. REPAIR REFUSED AND AFTER A FEW WEEKS HAD THEM RECHECK MASTER AND THEY REPLACED THE UNIT. NO PROBLEM SEVERAL MONTHS LATER.

NHTSA ID

10070661

HEATER STARTED TO FAIL AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES, NO HEAT AT ALL BY ABOUT 80,000 MILES. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE HEATER CORE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED; ALSO HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043141

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

Mileage

50,000 mi

VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY OVERHEATS DUE TO CORROSION IN ENGINE THAT PLUGS UP THE RADIATOR HEATER CORD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10039989

Mileage

36,000 mi

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 1 UPPER BALL JOINT AND TWO LOWER ONES , I WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT MATCH FOR THE RECALL LISTED ON YOUR SITE. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BOTH OF MY OIL COOLING LINES THAT STARTED LEAKING BADLY, THIS IS PART OF THE TOWING PACKAGE OFFERED BY GMC. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023025

Incident

May 26, 2003

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING, AND THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10019860

Incident

May 14, 2003

THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10017357

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S BALL JOINTS. MR THE CONSUMER HEARD A SOUND COMING FROMT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AREA. THE RADIATOR, POWER STEERING PUMP, OIL COOLER LINES AND ENGINE ALL LEAKED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10015183

Incident

Mar 3, 2003

THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD RISE AND FALL QUICKLY IN AN ERRATIC MANNER. UPON INSPECTION THE RADIATOR WAS FOUND TO BE FULL OF A THICK REDDISH SUBSTANCE. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE RELATED TO THE DEX COOL COOLANT. HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE IS A TSB THAT INSTRUCTS THE MECHANIC TO FLUSH AND REPLACE THE FLUID. MY COMPLAINT IS WITH THE OEM FOR NOT INFORMING ME OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT. IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN OF THE PROBLEM, THEN I WOULD HAVE HAD THE SERVICE PERFORMED BEFORE DAMAGING MY COOLANT SYSTEM. THE DAMAGE COST ME ABOUT $2000 IN REPAIRS TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR, WATER PUMP AND SENSORS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010593

Incident

Mar 7, 2003

Mileage

52,000 mi

REDDISH LIQUID LEAKING FROM UNDER ENGINE AND ENGINE APPEARED TO BE OVERHEATING, TEMPERATURE NEEDLE GOING ALL THE WAY UP, THEN DOWN, BAD SMELL. MECHANIC TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES BEFORE DUE TO DEX-COOL USED WHICH GUNKS UP THE COOLING SYSTEM. WATER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE DAMAGE FROM THIS STUFF. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED FROM THE PEOPLE FROM GMC WHO APPARANTLY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA ID

10003003

Incident

Jan 1, 2003

THE DEALER KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECTS TO THIS VEHICLE AND REFUSED TO FIX THEM AFTER RECEIVING 3 SEPARATE ESTIMATES. 2 DAYS AFTER I REPEATEDLY WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THESE SAFETY HAZARDS THE DEALER CONTINUED TO REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS AND I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. THE DEALER COMPLIANCE BOARD HAS A CURRENT CASE AGAINST THE DEALER AND HE HAS ONLY AGREED TO TAKE HIS VEHICLE BACK. THE DEALER HAS REQUESTED THE DAMAGE FROM THE MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT NOT BE FIXED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DAMAGE PRIOR TO THE SALE WAS SO EXTENSIVE FROM WATER OR FLOOD DAMAGE THAT THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY RUINED. IT WILL NOT PASS EMISSIONS. MY FEAR IS THAT THE NEXT UNSUSPECTING CONSUMER WILL BE DECEIVED BY THIS DEALER AND THIS VEHICLE AND I BELIEVE THE NEXT PERSON WILL NOT BE AS LUCKY. I SHOULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE, WHICH MAY ALSO INDICATE THAT THEIR IS ALSO SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THERE MAY NOT EVEN BE AN AIR BAG IN THIS VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT STATES THERE IS ONE. THIS DEALER WILL GET THIS VEHICLE BACK AND I AM SURE THAT INSTEAD OF SELLING IT AS A SALVAGE VEHICLE HE WILL AGAIN SLAP A PRICE TAG ON IT AND RE-SELL IT IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT FIXING IT. DT

NHTSA ID

770359

Incident

Oct 24, 2002

COOLANT HAS FAILED AND IS GELLING UP IN ENGINE. GM HAS STATED THE COOLLANT SHOULD LAST 5 YEARS OR 100000 MILES. THE COOLANT SYSTEM NOW NEEDS AN ACID FLUSHH AND REPAIR PARTS WHICH WILL COST $440. GM STATES THIS IS M=NOT A FLAW , BUT THE DEALER STATES THAT IT IS ONLY OCCURRING IN THE JIMMY AND CHEVY S-10 VEHICLES. THEY HAVE RECEIVED A SEREVICE BULLETIN ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

763450

Incident

Jun 25, 2002

MY CAR BEGAN LEAKING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL IN FRONT OF AND BEHIND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. MY LOCAL DEALER SUGGESTED I BRING THE CAR IN TO BE INSPECTED. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A BADLY LEAKING OIL COOLING LINE. THEY SAID THE PARTS FOR THIS REPAIR ARE ON A 7-10 DAY BACK ORDER BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS SO COMMON. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM IN VEHICLES OF MY CLASS, BUT GMC HAS NOT RECALLED OR SENT OUT A SERVICE NOTICE. I AM REALLY GLAD THAT I NOTICED THE LEAK WHEN I DID. I WAS ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY FROM LEAVING ON A TRIP. I AM 7 MONTHS PREGNANT AND WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR ME TO BE IN, HAD THE OIL LINE BLOWN. I HAD NOTICED APPROXIMATELY 12 DRIPS OF OIL ON MY GARAGE FLOOR WHERE I PARK THE CAR, OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS. THAT WASN'T MUCH OIL COMPARED THE THE GRAPEFRUIT SIZED PUDDLES NOW LEAKING FROM MY CAR. I THINK THAT GMC IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD SEND A SERVICE NOTICE TO THEIR PATRONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

760572

Incident

Apr 11, 2002

ENGINE CRANKS FINE BUT FAILS TO START. ONCE STARTED IT WILL CONTINUE TO START UNTIL IT SITS FOR 2 HOURS OR MORE. DEALER FOUND NO CODES STORED. THIS PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FOR 7 MONTHS.*AK

NHTSA ID

758423

Incident

Aug 12, 2001

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHEN IDILING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND HAS REPLACED FUEL INJECTORS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK THE HEATING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO HEATING CORE FAILURE. THE A/C WAS NOT BLOWING WARM AIR. THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AREA BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE VEHICLE LEANS TO THE LEFT DUE TO TORSION BAR OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT AXLE SEALS WERE LEAKING. TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING. BACK WINDOW HAD AIR LEAK. THE REAR WIPER STICKS DUE TO WIPER MOTOR FAILURE. FRONT END MAKES CLUNKING NOISE DUE TO BALL JOINT FAILURE. THERE WAS CLUNK NOISE WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR DUE TO REAR D-SHAFT AND U-JOINT FAILURES. THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED. THE THROTTLE STICKS. THE SERPENTINE BELT FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ID

8002671

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

ENGINE COOLING LINE TO FILTER AND COOLING LINE TO RADIATOR ARE LEAKING, DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8002286

Incident

Jan 16, 2002

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED SMOKE IN THE ROAD AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WHEN HE OPENED THE HOOD, THERE WERE FLAMES ENGULFING THE ENGINE, CONSUMER THEN CLOSED THE HOOD AND MOVED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT (10-89-383). *YD

NHTSA ID

563962

Incident

Oct 12, 2001

WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS AND WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE OR OVERDRIVE. ALSO, TRANSMISSION FLUID BECAME THICK. *AK *TT CONSUMER STATES NOW SHE IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIATOR LOSING COOLANT. *SLC

NHTSA ID

899485

ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN LEAVING SIGNAL LIGHT, TURNING OR CHANGING DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. ALSO HAS OCCURRED WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CANNOT MAKE IT HAPPEN, IT JUST HAPPENS WHENEVER IT WANTS TO HAPPEN. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED; 816911, 863413, 825902, 730158, JUST TO LIST A FEW. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS. IN ONE INSTANCE, IF I HAD NOT BEEN AWARE OF THE POSSIBLITY OF THIS OCCURING I WOULD HAVE PANICED AN D BEEN BROADSIDED! AS IT WAS, I WAS ABLE TO STEER HARD RIGHT AND PARALELL THE TRAFFIC THAT WOULD HAVE HIT ME IF I HAD STOPPED!

NHTSA ID

752717

Incident

Sep 29, 2001

TRANSMISSION HAS A HISTORY OF "SHIFTING HARD" BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND, ESPECIALLY WHEN WARM. DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, MECHANIC NOTICED A "RUSTED TRANS DIP STICK". THOUGH PROTESTED BY GM AS A DEFECT, EXTENDED WARENTY COVERED. I HAD TO GO ELSEWHERE FOR TRANS FLUSH, DEALER DID NOT HAVE EQUIPMENT. PROBLEM PERSISTS THROUGH 2000. TRASMISSION OVERHEATED ON HWY CAUSING OVERFLOW AND SLIPAGE. DEALER FOUND "RUST IN RADIATOR" AND "DEBRISE IN TRANS". HAD TO REPLACE RADIATOR/FLUSH ENGINE AND TRANS. AT MY EXPENSE 1/2001. NOW, WITH WARMER WEATHER, TRANS. OIL IS "VARNISHED" AND SHIFT HARD BETWEEN 1 & 2ND AGAIN JUST 5000 MILES LATER. ENGINE LITE ON. FOUND MULTIBLE SIMULAR COMPLAINTS AT HTTP://WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM/G/GM_TOC.HTM. GM IS NOT RECOGNIZING WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN EXPENSIVE, CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION AND ASSOCIATED COOLING COMPONENTS. I AM NOT PREPARED TO SPEND ANOTHER $1-$2K ON A $30K THAT HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR WHEN GM KNOWS ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS. I CALLED GM CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SENT LETTERS TO GM DIRECTORS AND GOT NO INTELLECT OR SYMPATHY ASSIGNED TO MY CASE. PLEASE READ THE WEB SITE, THERE ARE MANY CASES OF 1995-1997 JIMMY/S10/BLAZERS WITH THE EXACT SYMPTOMS.*AK

NHTSA ID

744124

Incident

Jan 1, 2000