Chevrolet Blazer Warning Lights and Gauges

dan83 · December 2006

:mad:

tidester · December 2006

Dan,

Patience! It's Christmas and many people are on holiday break.

Enjoy the rest of it.

tidester, host

repairdog · December 2006

Theres a ball in the fill neck that can hang up if someone tried to steal your gas with a hose. Also are you sure its empty cause the light is float triggered which maybe off so make sure its really not full - then if in CA or another state with those stupid fume gas pump nozzles the angle you fill at is critical or it keeps shutting off.

mk97blazer · January 2007

I have a 97 blazer with some light issues. The headlights like to flash sometimes. This causes people on the road to think i'm pretty much crazy. SOmetimes they don't work at all. and then sometimes they will work but my dash lights don't turn on with them. I've found that if I turn the switch slightly, it all works, but again sometimes it's flashes the headlights. Any ideas?
Is this something worth repairing? The car is pretty old so I don't want to put too much more money or time into it. but if it's something simple, i don't mind. thank you!

repairdog · January 2007

Auto headlight switches fail about $50 and also check the ground wires by the headlights and lucky you have the 97 with the known defective ignition switch (module) in the column that can cause almost anything.

5speedfiend · January 2007

I know I'm not the only one with this problem, but still haven't seen a definite solution to this problem in this forum yet! Here's my story: Truck was running great, then it suddenly died. Motor would crank over, but not fire up. Had towed to shop, hooked up to computer and told crank sensor was bad. Changed crank sensor and truck fired up with a bad miss on all cylinders. Checked computer again and said IAC was bad. Replaced that, no difference. Then proceeded to change cap, rotor, plugs, coil, ignition module, cam sensor, cleaned,but not replaced, EGR valve(VERY little carbon build-up plus no trouble code for it). Gave up and took to dealer who said injector's might be clogged and ran a cleaner through it that uses nitrogen to "pop" them clear. NO change. They said #2 and #4 were open, but all others were clogged. Said it be $1,000 to replace injectors. Took truck home and found a place that sent me a complete reconditioned assembly w/new pressure regulator for $219. Then put that one in and still no change. Took back to shop and checked fuel pressure, it was on low end of specs so I replaced that and still no difference. Oxygen sensors appear to work correctly as they are changing readings constantly. I'm at my wits end and do not wish to give up on it as the truck is in excellent shape w/240,000 miles(but only 40,000 on new GM long block that I had installed 2 years ago). Now keep in mind, after I changed the Crank sensor and IAC motor, the only code that shows up is random/multiple cylinder misfire. Anyone Have another idea?

repairdog · January 2007

My first guess would be the crank sensor they installed was defective or the specs were diff and if a GM dealer they should know this and a new crank sensor can cause a timing change. They can use their scan tool to check and set to zero again (dist has no adjustment and PCM set). Other item would be a possible crank sensor wiring/connector problem and you can order the pigtail and install - I had this happen to my 99. Those P0300 random misfires are a pain to resolve but look up P0300 on the obd-codes site and it gives you a full list of possible causes. Also GM makes a full injection replacement system for your 98up called MFI and it is cheaper and includes everything under there and if you do it rockauto site has it for under $200.

So, was the fuel pressure ever tested? Often a lean mixture can cause the random misfire at highr rpms. Hope the dealer checked that. When I reread you said after crank sensor bad miss so again was timing checked and did they pull plug wires and reconnect drivers side #1 and #3 wrong cause they go 3-1-5 on that side of cap?? Have to ask and easy to look at. Cap is marked. Then was the dist taken out of engine and possibly reinstalled a tooth off - runs like crap then.

bl00552 · January 2007

93 JIMMY / 130K / DAUGHTER DRIVING ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN. I TRY TO START IT NEXT DAY STARTER MAKES ONE THUMP NOISE BUT DOES NOT TURN ENGINE. OIL AND COOLANT LEVELS OK, REMOVED STARTER CHECKS OUT FINE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PERIODICALLY GOES ON THEN OFF. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ENGINE LOCKED UP? ANY SUGGESTIONS?

repairdog · January 2007

Could be locked up if you ran low on oil, overheated, timing chain broke or jumped, or had water in the oil from a lower intake leaking. Take the plugs out and see if it turns over and look at the plugs. Is the battery good - get it load tested. If the starter is good and the battery, look at the cables - positive to the starter and neg to ground. Then theres the ignition wire from the switch to the starter. Starter relay and fuses OK? Try a socket on the harmonic balancer main bolt and see with plugs out if you can rotate the engine internals that would be a positive test on beraings locked or not.

larenz71 · January 2007

I have an 86 blazer that runs strong,easy 80 on freeway rides smooths. After i start up and warms up i get a clapping not quite knocking sound. What are my options of to look at. I have been told few things mainly lifter adjustments, distributor , or cap. Other possibilites i'm sure.

repairdog · January 2007

How many miles on this oldie would guess lots. Could be anything so have to narrow done the exact sound and location. If its not there when you start it have to think not internal but exhaust related, but could be low oil pressure as oil thins. Tapping is lifters, slapping is piston, knocking is crank/rods, etc. Need more info on miles, outside temp, 2/4wd, etc and any work done recently.

bigmudpuppy · February 2007

I had the same problem with my 96 jimmy P0300.It would come and go. Found the problem. Some of my spark plugs were gaped at .070 instead of .060.The feeler gauge I was using allowed me to put the slop in the plugs. I am not saying that is your proplem but it was mine. :confuse:

thesandman7 · February 2007

I have a 2000 Blazer, 4wd, 4.3 engine. I love the little thing. 2 weeks ago, my wuife was driving to a meeting when it began to misfire. when she got home, it was misfiring so bad, the body was shaking. i checked the wiring, found the #6 plugwire busted. replaced wiring and plugs, same thing. replaced both o2 sensors, it cleared a bit but not much. had it fule pressure tested with gm equipemtn, regulator bad. replaced fuel regulator, cleared up a lot. fule pump new, filter new, air filter new, throttle body clean. replaced injectors 5 & 6. idels with a very slight occasional misfire. idel clears up at 2000rpm. put it in drive, back to bad idle. i test drove it and the misfire clears up at 3000 rpm. problem is, i can't drive at 85 miles an hour eveywhere i go. anyone with a similar problem that found a solution, i am all ears. thanks,
the sandman7

repairdog · February 2007

My first question is why didn't the shop that did all the work fix it right - go back - and don't pay them till they do. This could be many things and need the current codes and if none then have to use a scanner to find. Cap/rotor should have been done #1 thing. Then there are several sensors and controls that can affect misfire and idle. Look up P0300 random misfire and then idle control valve (advance or autozone have pics).

thesandman7 · February 2007

repairdog:

sorry, forgot to mention, i did all the work myself with help from friends. had a dealership mech test the fuel system, on his recommendations, i replaced the fuel system parts. had another mech friend from another gm dealership bring an OBDII system diagnostic tool. after half hour of diganostics and testing, all sensors read within correct tolerances and values. double changed the fuel filter, same thing. cleaned the crank sensor, same thing. the miss is annoying at idle but bad when in drive. when i rev it up to 3000-4000 rpm, it revs fine. no miss or sputter. let the idle settle, it settles fine but after a few seconds, the miss returns like a long lost friend that you never want to see again. i'm now leaning towards the distributor. i see no arch in the dark but that does not preclude the possibility of an electrical leak within. before i tear it down, does this distributor take a pick up coil? i've had experiences with bad pick up coils in HEI systems and these symptoms are similiar. this is not an HEI system but the newer EDI system. its bveen suggested that the timing chain may have jumped a tooth but then the misfire would be constant and it would not clear up at all. i'm still at a loss and running out of money. still open to suggestions.

repairdog · February 2007

Doubt its a timing chain cause it would always be rough and yours clears up at higher rpm. Again get a Standard or Delco cap/rotor first - easy to rule out. Is temp running normal so not running rich. Unplug the MAF sensor in the air intake and see if its better then clean with spray(not carb but MAF, Electric or brake cleaner OK). Coil is on the intake and the 1x2" black piece on the heat sink is the ignition module - either could cause but coil is only $30 - module $75 and not commonly bad. Scanner said crank and cam sensor OK so not them. Its a 2000 so are the air injection check valves on the exhaust OK - not rusted open (tap and rattle they are bad). NO vac line leaks look at drivers side under hood.

daveve3eay · February 2007

the beast works good i have a 94 chevy tahoe on one side blazer on other side says tahoe but it says s10 on ownership,,
4.3 vortec,overdrive tranny and 4 x 4, dash light were pretty when workin speedo works mph and kmh swithc works no battery side or oil pressure side lights i am stymied where is fuse is that the problem
this is the first for me posting i am stuck arghhhh the lights have gone out on my pretty dysfunctional dash board except for the speedo it works can u help me with a suggestion
Big Dave (ve3eay)London Ontario Canada :mad:

:confuse:

repairdog · February 2007

Digital dash often gets shorts or bad traces in the main circuit card that is the heart of the whole thing. Have to get it rebuilt and many online sites so go online and do a google on "94 blazer dogital dash" and you will get a bunch of info. Cold probably caused it to flex or expand/contract. Keep warm!

brucehayslett · February 2007

my husband is at his whits end says he cant get to the top bell housing bolts any info would be greatly appreciated thanks !!!

repairdog · February 2007

Very tight - swivel and extension from underneath. With a trans jack securing the trans, remove teh cross member and lower slightly and you should be able to reach them. After that make sure the engine is stable with a block of wood/jack under the oil pan. Assume 2wd, but if 4wd transfer case comes out first. Tell him be careful thats heavy - if no trans jack rent one or get one at Harbor Freight tools or like place.

brucehayslett · February 2007

he has done all of that still cant see them and yes it is a 4 wheel drive ..he has been tols the body has to be raised is that true and if so how?? thanks in advance !!

brucehayslett · February 2007

you will think i am crazy but same thing kept happening to us we have a 98 blazer my husband was told its the gas cap ..it has to be put on tight seriously it worked if i put gas in the car and dont get it tight enough it comes on everytime!!!

thesandman7 · February 2007

thanks guys for all your suggestions. i finally figured it out. i jumped the distributor a tooth, ran like crap but stayed on. jumped it back with a slight offset, ran great. turns out the problem was with the distributor itself. turns out that the distributors on this model are plastic, all plastic. the rear hold down screw ear or slot for the cap was broken off setting the cap at a slight offset. that coupled with it being off by half a tooth or less caused the slight misfire(i'd replaced the intake gaskets and water pump in may of last year so since then its been running at an offset). instead of buying a new distributor ($100.00), i did the following.

the plastic hold down 'ear' was broken off leaving no solid thread for the screw to catch. i carefully super glued a flat washer, a star washer and a nut onto the bottom of the distributor making sure they all lined up. then i carefully replaced the distributor in the engine. using a small mirror so i could see what i was doing, i threaded the bolt thru the cap, washers and onto the nut, tightening firmly. been running great ever since (knock on wood)

again, thanks for the help, i am ever so greatful to find a site and people so willing to help. i just hope my suggestions help y'all out.
sandman

bowanna03 · March 2007

ignition switch causes this

repairdog · March 2007

FYI:
While called the ignition switch its actually the wiring and connector in the column and not the key/tumbler. Many GMs have seen a low voltage condition due to this and the PCM senses a low voltage and shuts the vehicle off but then restarts - usually at idle only.

cheryl13 · March 2007

Our Jimmy has 103,000. Have a few questions about some recent behaviors: first, it starts up normally in the AM or after a long park, but does not catch after a short shut off. Giving it a little gas seems to do the trick, but it's just "not right". Second, while cleaning snow off car this afternoon I noticed the daytime lamps/headlights went out. (They came on as usual when I started it up.) When I got in the car, the dash lights were also out. I had turn signals, radio and compass/degrees lights. After a few miles, the lights all came back on. Third, our heater is behaving intermittently. At last grease and oil, the tech closed a "door" that was pulling cool air into the car while at idle. Could the three be related? As an aside, our radio speakers are also intermittent. If the car has been sitting in the sun, the speakers will work, or after we've been on the road for half an hour or so, they'll work...otherwise, it's just the tinny sound. As annoying as all this sounds, we do like our car! Thanks for any info.

sharon821 · April 2007

I have an intermittent SES light in my 1996 Blazer 4X4 4.3. My mechanic shows a code of lean fuel. This week I had a tune up and oil change, and even though the SES light was on last week, the code wasn't stored. The truck has 198,000 miles on it and no reason to think I won't get another 100,000!! My mechanic looked at it again yesterday and cleaned the mass air flow sensor and put fuel injector cleaner in the vehicle. Last night, my SES light came on again. It will most likely shut off sometime today. This truck runs great, but when the SES light is on, it uses more gas and runs a little rougher than normal. It's frustrating!!! Anyone had a problem like this?

repairdog · April 2007

He did the correct thing and heres some info on it from the OBDII codes site.

A code P0171 may mean that one or more of the following has happened: The MAF (Mass Air Flow) Sensor is dirty or faulty. The use of "oiled" air filters (K&N, etc.) can cause the MAF to become dirty if the filter is over-oiled

There could be a vacuum leak downstream of the MAF sensor.
Inspect all vacuum and PCV hoses, replace if necessary.
Check for a dirty fuel filter and proper fuel pressure.

shantel1 · May 2007

This is my first Jimmy and I have 93,000 miles on it. I have a couple of problems. The engine light will come on sometimes for a couple of days or other times it will come on for a couple of hours and then go off. It is constantly doing this. My second problem is when I have driven the truck for at least 15 miles and then come to a complete stop, when it goes to shift into the 1st gear, the truck jumps(shifts)really hard. Does anyone have an answer of what these two problems may be.

repairdog · May 2007

Get the code read out free at most auto stores to tell you. Probably related to the secondary air injection which only 99-01 have and a secondary code type that after a set amount of NO bad readings resest itself - most are primary and require a code reader to reset. The trans needs a filter and fluid change and that usually fixes that shift problem - dirt gets in the TCC bore and hard shifts result.

gothsnob · May 2007

Wow, this is EXACTLY the answer I've been looking for! My '00 blazer's gas gauge is acting screwy, and I'm not sure of how much gas is in there (I've been keeping track via the mileage). I called a local dealer and he said it could cost either $80 to recalibrate it (whatever that means) or have to replace the gauge, etc. for $800!!!!

I checked out the ebay store you mentioned, and he's in Florida?? Even better! Thanks again for posting that info!

lineman052 · May 2007

repairdog · May 2007

I'm confused as the sender and pump are one unit so check that out before you buy. The Delso pump has been updated to fix the sender but no help from GM.

mthosier · May 2007

We had every thing check and it pass we took it to Aamaco and it pass everything .we change the gas cap and the light still not off .we keep the jimmy every well taken care off .oil changes runs like a new truck .but that light still stays on .how do i go about turning it off myself please help driving me crazy?

repairdog · May 2007

What was the code?
Free read at Advance or AutoZone.

maasy13 · May 2007

fhamerica · June 2007

I have had a Flawless 2001 2WD Chevy Blazer 2 Door 4.3. Recently like a clock work I had Fuel Pump and most recently Intake Manifold Gasket go bad and truly a mayor Labor intensive job due to top engine parts disassembly.

After the fact I have noticed my temperature rise after turning the Air conditioner on, when idle or stuck in traffic.

Hopefully someone may have some idea of what could cause this. I love my Chevy, is been good to me and is still looks new at 118,000 miles!

Any comments will be greatly appreciated.
Rob

tidester · June 2007

The air conditioner will put an extra load on the engine and may cause it to heat up. The fact that your engine gets hotter while idling suggests that you may want to replace your (radiator) thermostat.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

repairdog · June 2007

The thermostat should have been done with the intake and get a new radiator cap - Stant one. With these done and the coolant 50% Dex, the temp should be running at 195 and never go over 210 (gage dial straight up). If it does make sure the water pump is good (no leaks) and the fan clutch works (good sign of this is when hot and has sat alittle while and you start it you will hear the fan lock up and push lots of air - if it totally free wheels when hot it trash).

fhamerica · June 2007

Thanks. There is only one Thermostat right. Just making sure...

fhamerica · June 2007

Thanks. I am going to flush Radiator and make sure I refill with 50% Dex. Mostly it stays withing those parameters but when I get into traffic the arrow goes past the 210 and I turn the air conditioner off to be save. But I am now in the right track thanks to the advise. Highly appreciate it.

repairdog · June 2007

Yes, only one under the upper rad hose on the intake.

repairdog · June 2007

Get the new cap and see if thats it and save yourself some work - most shops can figure 50% (I hope).

thesweetrosslg · June 2007

I have been steering at this thing all day i dont understand i am having the sam eproblem i also smeel the fluid its burning
i cant find the dammmmm thermostate
is it possible for someone to find a diagram and show me where it is at exactly is it easy do i have to drain the fluid if so how do i do that ?

thanks

fhamerica · June 2007

This definitely helped some. The gauge does not go as far right past the center as before. Now I have to assure on two points that members recomended! Like the Water Pump leak and the Clutch Fan.

fhamerica · June 2007

My Air conditioner works fine only on high blow. What could be the possibilities here based on past experiences. Any comments will be appreciated.

thesweetrosslg · June 2007

Mine will start out for the first 10 minuts after warm up to just one mark below 210 then after a little whyll it will run a little past but wont go higher then 240 atleast on the amount i drove it since it did start to over heat the other day please help
i cant figure out how to get to this thermosstate i know its only like 10 or 15 dollar part but i cant figure out how to do it thank you please helpp

ross.g

thesweetrosslg · June 2007

dose anyojne know if that radiator stock leak stuff realy woks or anything i am thinking of heading up to the store to pick some up i just dont wana clog anything els up in it
or mess it up in any other way
also i was told that i have to find out what typ of radiator i have for the difrent kidns of stuff they have do these 97 jimmys have aluminum or copper radiators ?

thesweetrosslg · June 2007

i just took the jimmy to the mechnic he spent about 40 minuts looking and checking it out he cant find anywhere that is leaking but when i pull in the driveway and open the hood i here and can see it bubbling from presure in the blastic resivour
and i can see it leaking and it looks like more then just walker from the ace
and they ran it and he iddled it on and off for like 20 min uts and the temp didnt rize up highten 210 and now i drive to the store i buy a new rad cap couse there is no presue or low on it they sayd
and when i pull on my street the temp start rissing almost to 220 and then i get out and see it leak wtf is going on with this help please

repairdog · June 2007

Dash switch, b;ower motor (more common) or the blower resister that controls speed mounted up underhood in the air box (marked).

Chevrolet Blazer Warning Lights and Gauges

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