IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Jimmy years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50–25K
825–50K
2350–75K
1575–100K
15100–150K
2150K+
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
What owners actually said
238 reportsWHEN WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON INTERMITENT WIPE THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY JUST KEEP WIPING AS IF THEY WERE ON LOW/NO INTERMITENT. WHEN I TRY TO TURN THEM OFF, THEY JUST KEEP ON GOING FOR A GOOD 10 WIPES, OR SOMETIMES EVEN MORE. VEHICLE HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT. *AK
WINDSHIELD WASHER MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PART WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY BEFORE HE TOOK OWNERSHIP. *JB
I HAVE 86,000 MILES ON MY 1998 JIMMY AND DROPPED MY GRANDDAUGHTER OFF AT THE MY OTHER DAUGHTERS PLACE, THE KEY TURNED OFF NO PROBLEM. I DROVE TO WORK AND COULD NOT TURN THE KEY TO THE ACC OR OFF POSITION AND COULD NOT GET THE KEY OUT. I CHECKED THE WEBSITE AND NOTICED THAT THIS HAPPENED TO A COUPLE OF OTHER OWNERS WHO ENDED UP…
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I HAVE 86,000 MILES ON MY 1998 JIMMY AND DROPPED MY GRANDDAUGHTER OFF AT THE MY OTHER DAUGHTERS PLACE, THE KEY TURNED OFF NO PROBLEM. I DROVE TO WORK AND COULD NOT TURN THE KEY TO THE ACC OR OFF POSITION AND COULD NOT GET THE KEY OUT. I CHECKED THE WEBSITE AND NOTICED THAT THIS HAPPENED TO A COUPLE OF OTHER OWNERS WHO ENDED UP PAYING OVER $700.00 FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH INCLUDED REPLACING THE IGNITION MODULE AND REPROGRAMMING. THIS HAPPENED AT A TIME WHEN I AM GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE, MY OTHER DAUGHTER IS IN THE HOSPITAL AND MY FATHER IS HAVING HEART PROBLEMS, SO IT REALLY IS INCONVENIENT AND WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON, HAS CHANGED MY ATTITUDE REGARDING GMC'S. I USED TO SWEAR BY THEM, NOW I AM THINKING OF LOOKING AT OTHER DEALERS. I HAD THE HEAD GASKET BLOW ON THIS MODEL, WHEN THEY REPAIRED IT, THEY DROPPED A BOLT DOWN INSIDE THE PISTON, WHICH THEY DID NOT CATCH UNTIL IT CRACKED THE PISTON, WHICH DELAYED ME GETTING MY VEHICLE BACK. THEY MISDIAGNOSED A CONTROL MODULE THAT WOULD SOUND LIKE THE SIGNAL KEPT TURNING ON BY ITSELF, THEY REPLACED MY BRAKE PADS STATING THAT GOODYEAR INSTALLED THEM WRONG, BECAUSE THEY KEPT SQUEAKING. I PAID $200.00 TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AND THEY STILL SQUEAK. THIS WAS DONE AT JIM LUPIENT IN ST. LOUIS PARK. THE TECHNICIAN AFTER REPAIRING THE ENGINE FORGOT TO TIGHTEN THE AIR INTAKE CLAMP DOWN AND IT VIBRATED AGAINST THE AIR-CONDITIONING HOSE, WHICH CUT A HOLD IN THE HOSE AND DRAINED ALL THE FREON. WHEN THEY REPAIRED THE HOSE, THEY DID NOT EVACUATE THE LINES, SO THE AIR-CONDITIIONER SOUNDS LIKE IT GURGLES AT STARTUP OR WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS.*AK
EVERYTIME I START MY VEHICLE, ALL THE PANEL LIGHTS COMES ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THE VEHICLE HAS A BAD WIRING PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAVE TROUBLE CRANKING MOST TIMES AND THE COMPRESSOR HAS DIED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE ENDS UP IN A FATAL ACCIDENT.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR PROBLEM. WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM. *AK
DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLLER BOARD, 1998 GMC JIMMY. THIS ITEM WAS RECALLED ON ALL SIMILAR SUV'S FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND ENDED IN 1997. MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THOSE NOTED IN THE RECALL FOR THE PREVIOUS MODELS. INTERMITTENT FUNCTIONING OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. OFTEN THE WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE AT…
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DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLLER BOARD, 1998 GMC JIMMY. THIS ITEM WAS RECALLED ON ALL SIMILAR SUV'S FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND ENDED IN 1997. MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THOSE NOTED IN THE RECALL FOR THE PREVIOUS MODELS. INTERMITTENT FUNCTIONING OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. OFTEN THE WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE AT ALL. WIGGLING THE SOCKET CONNECTOR ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WILL RESTORE FUNCTION FOR SHORT DURATIONS (1 TO 2 DAYS AT MOST).*AK
WHEN WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON INTERMITENT WIPE THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY JUST KEEP WIPING AS IF THEY WERE ON LOW/NO INTERMITENT. WHEN I TRY TO TURN THEM OFF, THEY JUST KEEP ON GOINGFOR A GOOD 10 WIPES, OR SOMETIMES EVEN MORE. VEHICLE HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SOMETIMES WHEN ITS DRY OUT. NEVER WORK WHEN RAINING OR DAMP. RECALL STOPS AT 1997 FOR GMC JIMMY, BUT I HAVE A 1998 AND HAVE PROBLEMS. RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE 1998 AND ANY OTHER YEARS THAT HAVE PROBLEMS. YOU WOULD THINK THAT GENERAL MOTORS WOULD HAVE SOLVED THIS PROBLEM A LONG TIME AGO. IT SEEMS AS THEY ALMOS…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SOMETIMES WHEN ITS DRY OUT. NEVER WORK WHEN RAINING OR DAMP. RECALL STOPS AT 1997 FOR GMC JIMMY, BUT I HAVE A 1998 AND HAVE PROBLEMS. RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE 1998 AND ANY OTHER YEARS THAT HAVE PROBLEMS. YOU WOULD THINK THAT GENERAL MOTORS WOULD HAVE SOLVED THIS PROBLEM A LONG TIME AGO. IT SEEMS AS THEY ALMOST DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY. *LA
Official recalls
298V053000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.