1997 GMC Jimmy

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

DT: ON 5/24/05 CALLER WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON LEVEL GROUND ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE SPARE TIRE FELL OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE ONTO THE VEHICLE BROKE AND ALLOWED SPARE TO BREAK AWAY AND FELL ONTO THE HIGHWAY. *AK THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE CAUSED MANY PROBLEMS IN THE PAST AS WELL. THE WIPERS WOULD START AND STOP UNANNOUNCED AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED AND THE BLINKERS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF ON THEIR OWN. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A GENERAL PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CAR WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. EACH TIME THE CONSUMER FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH GAS, THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SMELL LIKE GAS AND FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THE GAS GAUGE DID NOT WORK. *SC *JB

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

FUEL PUMP ON 97 GMC REPLACED AT COST OF OVER $600. THIS IS SECOND FUEL PUMP FOR GMC JIMMY THAT I REPLACED...FIRST AT CRAWFORD GMC IN EL PASO, TX AT COST OF OVER $400 BACK IN 1997. THE DESIGN FLAW OF THIS FUEL PUMP IS THAT IT IS LOCATED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK AND THE GAS ACTS AS A "COOLING" FLUID FOR THE PUMP...GMC NOR CHEVY EVER MENTION THAT FUEL TANKS MUST BE MAINTAINED AT A MINIMUM OF 1/4 TANK OF GAS OR THE PUMP WILL OVER HEAT & EVENTUALLY FAIL...THIS ITEM SHOULD BE A RECALLED FOR POOR DESIGN, FAULTY ENGINEERING, AND POTENTIAL FOR "OVER-HEATING" INSIDE FUEL TANK! I CAN BE REACHED ANYTIME TO CLARIFY THIS MATTER AT 915-593-5144...CPT BURGESS. *AK

WE, AS THE PURCHASERS, DID NOT KNOW THAT THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE UNTIL WE WENT TO PUT GAS AND WERE STRANDED WITH A DRY TANK AND THE FUEL GUAGE READING HALF FULL. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR REPAIR IS $1,000. THE DEFECT WAS PRESENT AT THE MOMENT WE DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE DEALERSHIP LOT. I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS COMPENET AND ITS TENDANCY TO EASILY FAIL. I FEEL THIS IS DANGEROUS BEACUSE IF I RUN OUT OF GAS, THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN, SOMEONE COULD HIT MY VEHICLE CAUSING INJURY TO BOTH PARTIES, ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE MY TWO YEAR OLD SON. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 5 DAYS AND IT HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY FOR ALL 5 DAYS!*AK

PLEASE BE SURE AND CROSS-REFERENCE GMC JIMMY WITH CHEVY BLAZER!! THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED. I'VE HAD RELATED TROUBLE WITH THE FUEL GAUGE AND SYSTEM WITH NO FURTHER INFO FROM THE DEALER. THE LAST TIME IT OCCURED, I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. GOOD THING IT WAS A SIDE STREET AND NOT THE HIGHWAY. THIS TIME, IT WAS STOPPED AND FAILED TO START AGAIN. THIS SITUATION IS NOT ONLY RIDICULOUS BUT ALSO DANGEROUS. *AK

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

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE...UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS A SPUR OF THE MOMENT PURCHASE. ALTHOUGH USED, WITH ONLY 39,000 MILES, I THOUGHT I WOULD BE OK SINCE IT HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TILL 72,000. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, IDLER ARM, ALTERNATOR, BELT TENSIONER, IGNITION SWITCH, 4WD SENSORS, GAS GAUGE SENSOR, LEFT REAR AXLE SHAFT AND BOTH REAR AXLE BEARINGS. AT LEAST THESE WERE ALL COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, BUT NOT THE RENTAL CARS FOR ALL THE TIME THE TRUCK SPENT IN THE SHOP. NOW THE VEHICLE HAS 90,000 MILES AND THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT THE RECALL FOR THE BALL JOINTS DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY TRUCK (THE VIN # IS NOT INCLUDED), THE TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK IS RUSTED (I'VE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS BUT NO RECALL), MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS SEVERELY (ALSO NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS), AND I'VE ALREADY REPLACED (OUT OF POCKET COST OF $1700) A COMPLETE REAR END. I OWE MORE THAN THIS VEHICLE IS WORTH...BUT WILL NEED TO GET RID OF IT SOON BECAUSE I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY SON AROUND IN IT. MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT...