1997 GMC JIMMY Complaints

FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT INDICATE ACCURATELY AT LOW FUEL STATES. AS FUEL APPROACHES EMPTY (WITH 1/8 - 1/4 ACTUAL FUEL REMAINING IN TANK), GAUGE BEGINS TO ERRONEOUSLY INDICATE PROGRESSIVELY HIGHER FUEL QUANTITIES IN THE TANK UNTIL A POINT WHERE THE GAUGE IS INDICATING ALMOST FULL, WHEN IN REALITY, THE TANK IS ALMOST EMPTY. THE OBVIOUS IMPLICATION IS THAT A MOTORIST WHO IS NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION COULD BE LEFT STRANDED WITHOUT FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY AT BEST; HAVE BEEN THIS WAY FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW, BUT HAVE BEEN GETTING STEADILY LESS RELIABLE. WIPERS FAILED RECENTLY ON I-35S IN WACO, TX DURING RAIN SHOWER; ANYONE WHO'S DRIVEN THIS STRETCH OF ROAD DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TOLD HOW DANGEROUS A SITUATION THAT WAS. WINDSHIELD WASHERS ARE ONLY PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE (PASSENGER SIDE NOZZLE IS ALMOST TOTALLY INOPERATIVE); THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 YEARS NOW. HAVE TRIED BLOWING OUT LINE/NOZZLE WITHOUT SUCCESSFUL REMEDY; OBVIOUSLY PROBLEM LIES WITH SYSTEM DESIGN AND/OR FLUID PUMP. THIS PROBLEM IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, AND THE "BEAN COUNTERS" AT GM NEED TO START REALIZING THAT A RECALL IS LESS COSTLY THAN A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT. I UNDERSTAND (FROM PERUSING THIS SITE) THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM. THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLS ISSUED WHICH APPLY TO PREVIOUS MODEL-YEAR VEHICLES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM; OBVIOUSLY THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE 1997 MODELS AS WELL. PLEASE PRESSURE GM TO DO SO BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE BECAUSE THEIR WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL AT A CRITICAL MOMENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC JIMMY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN HE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HIS ARMS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS SENT TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN AND THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

97 GMC JIMMY UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE UNEXPECTEDLY, REPAIRED AND INSPECTED OTHER UPPER BALL JOINT FOUND IT WAS BAD AND REPLACED IT . 2001 GMC JIMMY UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE UNEXPECTEDLY, WHILE ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL BUT WAS ABLE TO KEEP VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY WITH THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND UPON TURNING ANY DIRECTION THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #01V200000, REGARDING THE SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - *NM

WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE I HAD MY 1997 GMC JIMMY IN CRUISE CONTROL. I TAPED TO BRAKE TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. AFTER RESUMING THE CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE BEGAN PICKING UP SPEED MUCH TO FAST. I AGAIN TAPPED THE BRAKE AND SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. I THEN HEARD WHAT SEEMED LIKE A FLAT TIRE, I BEGAN PULLING OFF OF THE ROAD. AS I LOOKED IN THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR I COULD SEE FLAMES COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE I SAID TO MY MOTHER THE PASSENGER "THE VEHICLE IS ON FIRE GET OUT" AFTER SHE OPENED THE DOOR THE FLAMES TORNADOED AND CAME INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND STARTED EVERYTHING ON FIRE. I THEN PULLED MY MOTHER OVER THE CONSOLE AND DRAGGED HER AWAY TO SAFETY, THE VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 20 SECONDS WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *NM

APPARENTLY THERE IS A SHORT IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF A HAIL STORM, SUDDENLY THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO A COVERED AREA, AND JIGGLE THE WIRES TO GET IT GOING AGAIN. NOW IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC, AND HE SAID THAT MANY JIMMY'S AND BLAZERS HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE WIPER MODULE REPLACED. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR IT YET, B/C APPARENTLY THE PART ALONE COSTS OVER $150. IF SO MANY OF THESE SUV'S ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN SHE PLACED THE GRANDDAUGHTER IN THE REAR SEAT THE BUCKLE WOULD NOT LATCH. SHE WAS ABLE TO USE ANOTHER BELT IN THE REAR . TWO DAYS LATER THE OTHER TWO REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES FAILED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND THERE WAS NO FREE REMEDY OFFERED. THE DEALER WAS GOING TO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT FOUND NHTSA RECALL 96V142000 DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE 1991 JIMMY. *AK

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON BOTH SIDES BROKE WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE BALL JOINTS AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SENSORS WERE REPLACED. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THERE WERE NHTSA RECALLS 01I018000 AND 01V200000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS DUE TO VIN. IN ADDITION, THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS AS WELL. THE LEFT DOOR BROKE OFF WHILE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE MALE JOINT OF THE DOOR BROKE WHEN SHUTTING THE DOOR. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION AND ANTI LOCK BRAKES WERE REPLACED. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SENSOR WAS REPLACED TWICE. *AK