← New search

1998 GMC Jimmy

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

68 reports with mileage · 170 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports3 fire reports12 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

15 reports
Clear category filter
134,000 miles · Sep 9, 2008
Air BagsCrashInjury

FRONTAL ACCIDENT TO MY 1998 JIMMY AT 35 MPH. EXTENSIVE FRONT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NO AIR BAG CODES EVERYTHING WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. BOTH POLICE OFFICERS AGREED THAT WITH THE TYPE OF ACCIDENT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. BECAUSE OF NO DEPLOYMENT I WAS INJURED AND HAD TO GO…

Read full complaint

FRONTAL ACCIDENT TO MY 1998 JIMMY AT 35 MPH. EXTENSIVE FRONT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NO AIR BAG CODES EVERYTHING WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. BOTH POLICE OFFICERS AGREED THAT WITH THE TYPE OF ACCIDENT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. BECAUSE OF NO DEPLOYMENT I WAS INJURED AND HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF MY INJURIES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241611

100,000 miles · Aug 31, 2005
Air BagsPower TrainService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

DT: THE FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY WORK. THIS WAS OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS AND LATER STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. CONSUMER DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AFTER ACCELERATION FOR A PERIOD O…

Read full complaint

DT: THE FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY WORK. THIS WAS OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS AND LATER STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. CONSUMER DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AFTER ACCELERATION FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS, AND THEN IT SHIFTED INTO GEAR. THE ABS WAS DELAYED WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE. THE BRAKES LOCKED, AND THEN THE VEHICLE SLID. THE BRAKES PADS WERE REPLACED EVERY THREE MONTHS, THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE RIGHT CONTINUOUSLY, AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED A YEAR AGO BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IN JANUARY 2004 THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, IT STRUCK A PARKED CAR AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 30 MPH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS WAS FRONT IMPACT. THE CONSUMER HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE VEHICLE. *AK.

NHTSA ODI #10134865

Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 25-35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY INSURANCE COMPANY TO CALL NHTSA.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10063418

Mileage unknown · May 13, 2003
Air BagsCrashInjury

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 1998 GMC JIMMY. I T-BONED A LITTLE VOLKSWAGEN GOING APPX. 35 MPH. NEITHER MY DRIVER SIDE OR MY PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AFTER 15 MPH. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED IN 2002, AND I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT ANY RECALLS OR ANY THING. I FELT THAT TH…

Read full complaint

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 1998 GMC JIMMY. I T-BONED A LITTLE VOLKSWAGEN GOING APPX. 35 MPH. NEITHER MY DRIVER SIDE OR MY PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AFTER 15 MPH. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED IN 2002, AND I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT ANY RECALLS OR ANY THING. I FELT THAT THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. INSTEAD I ENDED UP SMACKING MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10018609

99,000 miles · Feb 10, 2003
Air BagsCrash

1998 GMC JIMMY WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT 6:35 A.M. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2003. THE VEHICLE IMPACTED AN EMBANKMENT AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, CAUSING IT TO ROLL TWICE AND EVENTUALLY REST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.

NHTSA ODI #10005598

Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45MPH IN RAINING CONDITIONS, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON TO FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. OWNER'S MANUEL STATED THAT AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AT SPEED OF 18MPH. *AK

NHTSA ODI #874653

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2000
Air BagsEngine And Engine CoolingCrashFireInjury

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, IT T-BONED A 1988 DODGE, DAKOTA AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK AFTER COLLISION, THERE WAS AN ENGINE FIRE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #872554

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2000
Air BagsCrash

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD TRAVELING 40MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING TOWARDS CONSUMER WITH HIGH BEAMS ON, BLINDED CONSUMER'S VISION . CONSUMER, IN RETURN, HIT A VEHICLE ON A SIDE STREET THAT WAS COMING OUT INTO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #860121

Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING BEHIND A HUGE TANKER TRUCK CONSUMER STARTED TO PASS THE TRUCK AND LOST CONTROL. IT WAS SNOWING, AND VEHICLE WENT OVER AN ENBANKMENT, AND SLAMMED INTO CONCRETE HARD ENOUGHT TO BEND THE FRAME. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858708

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2000
Air BagsCrashInjury

WAS DRIVING 30MPH WHEN AN OBJECT APPEARED IN THE ROAD. AVOIDED OBJECT, BUT HIT TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT WITH THE POLE, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. BOTH DRIVER/PASSENGER WERE BELTED. DRIVER HIT STEERING WHEEL & BROKE NOSE IN TWO PLACES. PASSENGER HIT HANDLE ABOVE AIR BAG & LOST SOME FRONT TEETH. EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT. VEHICL…

Read full complaint

WAS DRIVING 30MPH WHEN AN OBJECT APPEARED IN THE ROAD. AVOIDED OBJECT, BUT HIT TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT WITH THE POLE, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. BOTH DRIVER/PASSENGER WERE BELTED. DRIVER HIT STEERING WHEEL & BROKE NOSE IN TWO PLACES. PASSENGER HIT HANDLE ABOVE AIR BAG & LOST SOME FRONT TEETH. EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRABLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #857348

Official recalls

2

98V053000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm

Mar 9, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE OR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE. ONE OR BOTH OF THE ATTACHING NUTS FOR THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM ARE UNDER TORQUED. THIS CAN ALLOW THE ATTACHMENT BOLT TO LOOSEN AND SUBSEQUENT BREAK RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RETIGHTEN THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM NUTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION.

97V218000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Nov 24, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE PIPE CAN OCCUR CAUSING A SLOW BRAKE FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. IF THE BRAKE PIPE BREAKS, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.