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Chevy Blazer/GMC Jimmy

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Comments

  • rich105rich105 Member Posts: 1
    I own a used 1996 GMC Jimmy SLE 4-door. I've got 86,000 miles on it and it holds up very well. My only problem is that the A/C is beginning to fail and I recently had the tension pulley replaced (I'm glad it came off in the parking lot instead of the highway).

    A friend of mine has a Jimmy similar to my own but he's having problems with leaking oil, steering column and his radiator. I encouraged him to use Havoline antifreeze instead of Dex-Cool and take it to the dealer for the steering and oil leaks. I agree with the others posting their views about brown coolant; if I see chunks of gunk in my radiator I'd be worried, too. So far with the Havoline coolant the ruck runs cool and the coolant hasn't changed color on me.

    I take my truck on cross-country trips and I'd like to offer this bit of advice, use 87 octane! Not because it's cheap but it can stretch your mileage. I made the mistake of putting in 89 octane and found myself running the tank empty after 250 miles of mixed driving. With 87 octaine I can get nearly 350 miles average one one tank.
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    HANK: For a sample of warranty pricing, check out this site:


    http://www.gmwarrantycentral.com/


    For my '97 Bravada, I paid $1100 for 6 yr. 60,000 mile warranty. I've recouped all of my investment, and now am reaping the benefits, although I would rather not visit the dealership too often. Warranty items: alternator (squeaky), belt tensioner (squeaky), oil cooler lines (on my 3rd set - leaks at fittings!), rear hatch struts (weak), trans. dipstick & tube (rusted), upper/lower ball joints, pitman arm, idler arm (all worn), driver's door hinge pins/bushings (knocks over bumps), gage cluster (speedometer ticks), rear wiper motor (quit), rear washer (not connected), rear axle bearings (whine @ 50 mph), and shifter (loose button). I was surprised most by the front end work required at 46K, and the stupid, wimpy oil cooler line design that can't stay leak-free. I think my next set will be custom-fabricated by a race shop with more durable fittings. If someone was enterprising, they would create an aftermarket custom oil lines to rid the S-truck owners of this horrid design.


    keith24: see my oil cooler line story above.


    rich104: gee, another oil cooler line story? *lol* But seriously, as I've stated before, I run Dexcool (wait, it may be Prestone Long-Life) but I abide by a 2-3 year change interval.


    Steering leaks? Where? Oh no, another trouble spot...?


    I run 87 octane, and I can get 21 mpg if I keep it at 65-70 mph on a level highway, according to my last trip log.

  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    Found this link about Dexcool and whether it is linked to contamination in the cooling system. Have you checked your radiator cap lately?


    http://www.imcool.com/articles/anitfreeze-coolant/dexcool-macs2001.htm


    This link found at:


    http://www.s-series.org

  • jmaxejmaxe Member Posts: 198
    Overheating dimmer switch?
    I have a 2000 Jimmy with 15k and am very happy so far. But I recently noticed while driving at night that the dimmer control for the dashboard lights is so hot that it nearly burns my fingers when I touch it. This surely isn't right. Anyone else notice this on your Jimmy/Blazer?
  • badgerpaulbadgerpaul Member Posts: 219
    I've noticed it on my '99 Blazer. But then that's what it's designed to do.
  • autoreporterautoreporter Member Posts: 8
    I'm a reporter working on a story about the recent Ford Explorer and mid-sized GM SUV recalls. I'm looking for an owner of one of those vehicles to interview for a story. Please send e-mail to userf@cris.com if you are interested.

    Thanks
  • hooverdomehooverdome Member Posts: 1
    A word of warning to anyone who lives in upstate South Carolina: DO NOT buy from, or have your SUV or any other GM vehicle serviced by, Dick Brooks Chevrolet Oldsmobile Cadillac in Anderson. I had a situation where they outsourced a rear end repair that they originally misdiagnosed to a transmission shop, claiming they didn't have a qualified tech to do the work (not sure how they would've handled this if it had been a factory warranty repair that they can't outsource). Despite their having done the outsourcing, when issues came up (e.g. expediting parts for their "partner", the transmission joint), they washed their hands of the entire deal, saying that they had "closed their work order" and it was an XXX Transmission issue now. They refused to support me in dealing with Warrantech, a third party extended warranty company which you also want to avoid at all costs. Long story short, I haven't seen my 1996 Blazer LT in twenty days. For what it's worth, this is the second drive train problem in a month, we've had major air conditioning problems, and, oh, I'm out of breath...Don't go to Dick Brooks unless you already had plans to go postal. They care nothing about the customer and offer a lack of service with smirk.
  • lsdiamantelsdiamante Member Posts: 2
    I was going to buy a 2001 Chevy Blazer Xtreme until i heard from a guy that works at a dealer that they are already discontinuing them. Is this true? Please reply by email as i am not in the town hall very often at all
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    What was the transmission problem? Just had my '97 Bravada at the dealer for replacement of the valve body to fix a common problem with slamming from gear-to-gear during upshifts.
  • wallygatorwallygator Member Posts: 1
    Well, I would like some advice as to where I could take my 96 Jimmy for a little paint job since there are numerous little nicks and spots on my hood and along the bottom edge of the car. All I really want is to cover up those little spots in my red paint. Anyone know the best place to get it done? Thanx.
  • megasuvownermegasuvowner Member Posts: 64
    ya might wanna update this to trailblazer/envoy board, since the blazer isnt even in production anymore and they are all redesigned.
  • joker1220joker1220 Member Posts: 1
    I wish I would have known of this site before I bought my blazer.. bought a 99 blazer in the summer of 2000,a prior axis rental suv.it looked great,white,23000 miles,overhead console,ad,center console,many extras.$17,900.it ran perfect for awhile,so far the pass seat handle broke,windshield leaked(had to be replaced) IDLER ARM REPLACED,REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER HOSE BROKE,NOW WITH 59,OOO MILES,THE FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES A POPPING SOUND WHEN I TURN THE STEARING WHEEL,THE BLINKER MAKES A CKICKING NOISE,WITHOUT IT BEING TURNED ON(NO LIGHT,JUST THE NOISE)&NOW MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT,NO REVERSE&WHEN I GO FORWARD IT HESSITATES AT 3000RPM FROM 1ST TO 2ND.
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    They are still going to make the blazer along with the trailbalzer. The blazer hasnt been taken out of production
  • nutty4nutty4 Member Posts: 1
    We are thinking of buying a 1994 Jimmy with 100,000 miles on it from a family member. Does anyone have any thoughts on this year car and in your experience will it last a while longer or are we asking for trouble. Thanks in advance for your help.
  • apprteachapprteach Member Posts: 2
    I have just paid $1300.00 for the replacement of the fuel injector assembly and fuel injectors on my 1997 4-wheel drive Jimmy. The truck only has 85,000 miles, and has been well cared for. Has anyone else had this problem and did I get took on the price?
  • vlkohanskivlkohanski Member Posts: 17
    85,000 miles is about right for that unit. It isn't anything you did. It wasn't very durable. From other posts I've seen, they deteriorate on average between 60,000-100,000 miles.
  • spoomspoom Member Posts: 85
    Good thing you got the valve body fixed,Poisondartfrog - or you would have ended up like joker1220. Joker, I believe you will find that you actually lost 2nd and reverse, and I'm guessing you heard a pop when it happened and a grinding noise when you accelerated which went away shortly. There is a part in your tranny that looks sort of like a 6" hole saw with a bevel cut gear shaft for a shank. That shank probably broke off. It is engaged by planetary gears for reverse and the drum potion is locked in for second. The whole tranny will have to come out. How do I know this? It was explained to me for only $1475.
    ¿spoom
  • bhillebhille Member Posts: 3
    My father in-law has a 1998 Blazer LT 4 door that has a hard tranny shift from 1st to 2nd. It also seem hard into other gears, but 1 to 2 is the worst. He is off warranty. I saw Spoom post...I'm guessing that's what happens if you ignore it? Poisondartfrog, how much was the valve body job?

    Thanks,

    Brian
  • robbmdrobbmd Member Posts: 3
    I have a '97 Blazer with a rusty transmission fill tube and some rust on the trans dipstick... Has anyone out there ever heard of this problem?? HELP!

    Also, does anyone know what the service requirements for Blazer transmissions are??? Has anyone ever had their trans serviced?

    Any info on this topic would be great!!!
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    Another GM design goof - either the windshield washer leaks water onto the dipstick, which has a lousy seal, allowing water into the tranny, or the seal at the base of the tube allows (rain) water in. Regardless, this is a re-occurring problem. The replacement cost as follows:

    Dipstick Tube - P/N 15735192, retail list $9.16
    Dipstick (Indicator) - P/N 15033544, retail list $5.44
    Seal - P/N 1259475, retail list $1.53.
    Labor - 2.8 hrs., or 181.50

    Including the 1 qt. of ATF, total cost $199.17 + tax.

    Note: the dealership did not change (flush) the tranny after this replacement. Since I didn't want rust particles trapped in the tranny or in the filter, I promptly changed the fluid/filter adterwards.

    There is a service bulletin for rusty dipstick:

    Service Bulletin Number: 990730004A
    Bulletin Sequence Number: 608
    Date of Bulletin: 9910
    NHTSA Item Number: SB6089191
    Make: OLDSMOBILE TRUCK
    Model: BRAVADA
    Year: 1997
    Component: EQUIPMENT:TRANSMISSION FLUID INDICATOR
    Summary: A CONDITION WITH A RUSTY TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR /
    TRANSMISSION OIL FILLER TUBE. *TT

    I service my transmission every 30K with Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. The synthetic is more tolerant of high temperatures from high-speed driving, climbing hills, pulling a boat, etc. I have also added an external tranny cooler as additional insurance.
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    So I pulled out my Bravada repair file and prices are as follows:

    Valve Body: The GM replacement valve body is P/N 24217868, retail list is $476.30. You will receive a $50.00 credit as a core charge return for the old one. Labor was 1.8 hrs, or $129.60. With 11 qts. of ATF and a GM filter ($37.38!!!), the total outlay is $620.01 + tax.

    In addition, the slamming upshift caused the SES light to go on, which stored a P1870 code.
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    Don't ignore it! The slamming will beat up not only the tranny, but also the transfer case, U-joints, rear end, etc. Until I got to the dealership for the fix, I would move the shifter to '2' position at stops, which will start the truck out in 2nd gear, to avoid the harshest upshift (1>2). It somewhat kills the acceleration, but the slamming is not as abrupt.
  • robbmdrobbmd Member Posts: 3
    What does it take to service your transmission? Do you drain the old fluid by removing the transmission pan? Do you need any new seals to do the service correctly? How about a transmission filter... do Blazers have transmission filters that are easy to replace? What is the recommended service schedule for Blazer transmissions?

    Thank You for the info!!!
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    The service kit is no more than a new filter and pan gasket. I've used Fel-Pro brand available at Advance Auto Parts (about $12).

    Typically, to service the transmission you'd drop the pan to drain the fluid and replace the filter. To remove the pan, the gear change cable must be unbolted from the shift arm on the tranny, and then the cable must be disengaged (unclipped) from its bracket, and pulled back towards the rear of the vehicle to get access to the two 10 mm. socket head bolts holding the bracket and the pan. Remove the reminder of the pan bolts. The filter is accessible once the pan is removed. I clean the pan, including the square magnet (which is there to hold and trap small metal particles until it can be cleaned), and use gasket remover to get rid of any of the old pan gasket. Reverse the procedure for installation. Note: I find it a good idea to re-check the installation torque of the pan bolts after a week or two of driving; on the occasion I have a found a few had loosened up, but I re-torqued them and they were good to go.

    You'll remove 5-6 qts. of the total 11 qt. capacity, as the torque converter cannot be drained unless the tranny is flushed. A 30K maint. interval I believe is sufficient to renew the fluid properties, and is cheap insurance compared to replacing the transmission. Haven't had a tranny failure following this schedule on any of my past and present vehicles.

    GM states a fluid change every 100K miles for "normal" service.
  • abc246abc246 Member Posts: 305
    I just had the line replaced from the remote oil filter adapter to the engine, under a GM good faith repair (truck has 45k miles and no warranty left). I called the auto BBB to complain and GM contacted me. I was too late for the auto BBB (you have to be in manufacture warranty when you submit complaint), but GM offered to fix it anyway. I was shocked.


    I think we all should complain to NHTSA,

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/ivoq/default.htm


    This is a safety problem. If the hose breaks and engine locks up in a intersection someone could get killed. This may force a recall.

  • losman1losman1 Member Posts: 1
    Anyone else have problems with brake light fuse blowing? So far the we've taken the Jimmy to the dealer 2X to fix this problem. We've also had to take it back for transmission line leaks, finish pieces falling off, malfunctioning CD player, popping noise when we turn left....
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    Any chance you have the trailer tow package? If so, and you haven't connected the wire ends to a socket, the wires may be shorting against the frame... happened on my '97 Bravada, except the turn signal circuit would short out, which is also connected to the shift interlock switch. Now that was annoying. It would short out and then I couldn't shift out of Park!
  • bhillebhille Member Posts: 3
    I've had intermittent problems with my wipers on my new 2001 Jimmy. After using the wipers when I turn the truck on the wiper will go half way up the window and stop. You can turn on the wipers and the function normally. Turn the wipers off again and they return half way up the window. If you turn the truck off then restart it, the wipers will return to normal. I thought it was strange but not a big deal. Then while using them the other day, they were going up and down then started only going up half way and back down. Then as strangely as it started that, it went away and started working again. Anyone else experience this? Any have a fix? My dealer just looks at me like I'm stupid.

    Thanks,

    Brian
  • johnnyboy64johnnyboy64 Member Posts: 1
    Anyone have a clue? I've got a 2000 Blazer LT w/ 20,000 miles on it. When I make right hand trns, I get a major loud hum (and subtle vbration) This is much worse at highway speeds. Bringing it for service, but I want to be prepared. Could it be an "unbalanced drive-shaft."
  • carbinicarbini Member Posts: 1
    We bought a brand new loaded 2000 Blazer LT last May, loved it. By about July we couldn't figure out what was going on. Can't believe this is "normal" according to the 27 different service departments we've taken it into. After about 10-15 minutes of running the Blazer, an enormous amount of heat starts entering the passenger compartment, it just envelopes the entire cab, and I'm talking hot. We have the climate control system and they tell us to keep it turned on and set it for any temperature we want, that should take care of the problem. Give me a break here, what kind of fix is that? Talk about wasting gas...Is this a known problem with the 4300 Vortec engines? Anybody know of or have had this problem taken care of? Hate to drive this thing when it's above 75 degrees, we're talking nonstop air conditioning, not my idea of a good time.
  • badgerpaulbadgerpaul Member Posts: 219
    Since vehicles with A/C don't have any other type of floor ventilation, like the old pull open vents on the kick panels, if you want to keep the cab cool you do need to run the A/C. With modern A/C compressors that cycle on and off, the increased gas consumption is negligible, especially when you factor in the increased drag created by driving with the windows open.
  • ahlinahlin Member Posts: 30
    99 Blazer 4wd LT Am thinking about purchasing the extended warranty through GM Major Guard. Cost would be 1450.00 for 5 year 75000 miles.Any comments, etc? Good deal? Do you feel this would pay off in the long run? Warranty is supposed to be "bumper to bumper"
  • hengheng Member Posts: 411
    Same thing here with a 2000 Jimmy. Its not the engine but how the dash and ventilation system is designed.

    I lot of engine heat leaks up through the defroster vents. Its probably from the heater core. If its above 70F and the sun is out, I either have to open the windows or turn the AC on.

    Also when you park the car, the heat continues to leak up through the defroster vents. The car's interior actually heats up after I park the car inside my garage.

    A friend with a slightly older Blazer says the same thing. But it sounds like you have a more severe case. I would get into the ventilation system to make sure the flapper door to the heater core is closing.

    Good luck
  • abc246abc246 Member Posts: 305
    We all have the problem. This is another GM design flaw. The only work around I have been able to use is to keep the control on full dash, either A/C or vent. If you use off or floor or any other position you will get HEAT even on COLD.

    Dealer says this is normal. Yea right! Someone who wrote the software was cold I guess. Both auto and manual control has body computer intervention. FYI, my 2k Silverado does not do this, so I guess they can program it right if they want.
  • sciencegeekssciencegeeks Member Posts: 1
    My well maintained '96 Blazer had an engine implosion at a mere 67,000 miles..apparently the main bearing failed and within about 20 seconds the engine was dead.

    GM refuses to split the cost in spite of their admission that "much more use is expected from our 4.3L engine"....I'm still trying to bargain with their semi-literate customer relations department.

    Anyone with similiar experiences??

    Well, off to look at toyota products.
  • rruddrrudd Member Posts: 1
    I have been looking at getting an SUV. I have been having problems trying to find one that is sporty and yet has room without costing an arm and a leg. I am now looking closely at two different Chevy Blazers and am becoming frightened at all of your postings. The two I am looking at is a 2dr. 98 Jimmy and a 4dr. 98 SLT Jimmy. I am very careful about safety and against putting a ton of money into repairs; already done that too many times. Do you have any suggestions on what to look for before buying a Jimmy or should I run away and relook at leasing a new SUV and suck up my price complaints?
    Thanks.
  • gator_engineergator_engineer Member Posts: 2
    If you can find a 1999,2000,2001 you'd be better off. Consumer Reports says they are
    better as far as reliability. I own a 97 Blazer and have had numerous problems with it.
    Fortunately I bought an extended warranty for it for about 1200 bucks. The warranty
    was definitely worth the money.
  • richard84richard84 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 96' 4wheel drive blazer. When making tight turns, I get a clunk in the front end. this started happening at about 70.000. Also when braking hard I get the same clunk. Has anyone else experienced this?
  • hattrick16hattrick16 Member Posts: 16
    Does anyone know if a '92 Jimmy has a clearcoat? I want to Zaino the truck and I need to know which Zaino to buy.

    Thanks for your help
  • hattrick16hattrick16 Member Posts: 16
    I have a '92 Jimmy 4 x 4...with a clunk in front end. I brought it to one mechanic and he couldn't figure out the problem. Then I tried a GMC dealer. They changed the torsion bar mounts, replaced lower ball joints, and replaced front brakes. It got a little better, but is still there.
    Hope this helps
  • rogerm4rogerm4 Member Posts: 10
    Have a 98 blazer as 4wd. Just spent $600.00+ on replacing rear brake rotors that had corroded! only have 30,000 miles on it. was out of warranty by a few months, dealer said to take it up with chevrolet. dealer advised they did have problems with the material in the brake rotor. anyone else with this problem? also had to replace remote oil filter lines at 29000 hi, now have a "popping" noise under hood when running from 55 to 70 mph. looks like I have a bad blazer
  • poisondartfrogpoisondartfrog Member Posts: 102
    I've replaced rotors on my '97 Bravada, @ 38K (front) and 46K (rear), and I have now almost 54K miles. I did the brake job myself, and I replaced the rotors because they started to warp (they were thinner than service limit).

    The pads were only worn halfway from their original thickness, which leads me to believe GM used a hard compound pad (come to think of it, my wheels never accumulated much brake dust).

    I used NAPA pads and rotors as replacements. The pads generate brake dust, but I'd rather wear the pads than go through $82 (frt.) to $110 (rr.) rotors every 40K miles.

    Oil lines - I'm on my 3rd set. Supposedly, GM has re-engineered the lines recently, we'll see...

    The popping noise under the hood could be one of three things. 1) faulty hood hinge. I've heard they can be shimmed to prevent the pop. 2) if the popping noise comes from the footwell, it could be the driver's door hinge pins and bushings need replacement; 3) ball joints - upper, lower, or both.
  • abc246abc246 Member Posts: 305
    I had the same thing happen. Dealer refused to cover damage. Dealer told me that I must have used truck to pull boats from salt water!!! Not! Just typical GM junk.

    I told them not to fix it. I brought the truck home and after 5 hours of sanding they look just OK. I brought truck back to dealer for the parking brake not holding. When dealer found out that he was not getting my money for new rotors he replaced them under warranty.

    FYI. I would not let GM dealers fix your truck if they do not cover it under warranty. This will force dealer to go after GM if they want the business. Lets face it anyway, we do not want GM junk parts twice!
  • abc246abc246 Member Posts: 305
    The parking brakes on Blazers do not work well. If it does not hold bring it back to the dealer if it is under warranty. There is a test in the owners manual on how to test it. Since this test was in the manual they had to. It still does not hold in reverse after three trips to the dealer. Typical GM junk!
  • homer61388homer61388 Member Posts: 54
    My niece is looking at these three vehicles. All are 2001s. They are carry over models and are either going to be replaced or remodeled for 2002. She is getting a great deal on all three. But her main concerns are which one is the most reliable, which is the safest and which performs the best. All have leather, a V6, but the mountaineer has a V8 and the Cherokee has an inline-six, power seats and a 4 wheel drive or All wheel drive system. I've heard that a Cherokee with the 4.0 has been proven to run for a while without complaints. But she just wants a safe, reliable, good performer who can haul around cargo and towing applications and not get winded or run out of steam. The Mercury has the advantage because of the V8 I imagine though. These deals are not going to last long so if you have comments or suggestions, which will help her make a decision, please write back. Thanks!
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    My rear passenger side brake was squeaking on my silverado (00) at 17K miles. They turned the rotors and replaced the pads last week. Service advisor/shop foreman told me they are cheaply made.

    Also winter salt season didnt help

    Ryan
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    all work covered under warranty
  • morgenvamorgenva Member Posts: 1
    I have also been having a bad problem with heat coming in the Blazer floor vents even when all is off or set to cold. Only way to beat it: air conditioning. The constant heat cooks the feet and makes it very uncomfortable. Been to the dealer 2X and get same message: "Expect vent air, nothing broke". Very frustrated...this must be a model problem...not sure what to do next.
  • abc246abc246 Member Posts: 305
    Try the panel position too. I use it with no heat from the floor. Any other comb but A/C dumps heat out (more so with windows down). Dealer says no fix for it.
  • bassgeekbassgeek Member Posts: 1
    I had a similar right-turn-clunking problem with my 1993 4WD at 100K miles. Sound came from directly below driver's feet. Clunked at lateral movement into turn, then an 'unclunk' after straightening out of turn. No clunk during braking. In fact, clunking only happened going into turn/curve with foot off of brake. Mechanic replaced torsion bar mounts and thought he fixed it, but clunking was evident the next day. A massive greasing got rid of it.
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