Chevy Blazer GMC Jimmy Maintenance and Repair

kshefve · July 2005

Add me to the list of people experiencing this problem. My 95 Jimmy began having this problem about just yesterday. I did recently have a front-end alignment done, so if in fact the vacuum line leak is the culprit, I suppose the alignment may have contributed to the leak. I too would love some help. The heat in Minnesota, although nothing like Texas, isn't going away any time soon. Thanks!

chaching · July 2005

Had same problems with my 98 jimmy. Same light situation and then wouldn't start. Started with just the clock light flashing once in awhile. Had the ignition replaced and fixed the problem. Only had 58,000 miles on it too. Your guess is probably right. Was on a warranty so can't tell you what the cost was.

dec4br · July 2005

I have a 1998 Jimmy that has the same problem with the noisy signal. I think the noise is coming from a flasher switch behind the Glove Box on Passenger side.
How do you get to it or do you know of a site with an illustration for location and part?

Thanks.dec

mikew1 · July 2005

Had the same problem "jerking away from a start" not to mention the rock solid brakes. Only realized I had a problem when I changed the front pads.
I spent 6 hours in 85% humidity changing my Power booster yesterday S10 with 167,000 miles - It sounds easy in the book. - It really is not for the faint hearted. Access to the bolts through the firewall is a pain - the top two are hidden behind the steering column. (when you have lost all knuckles and got all four nuts off) then the fun starts - trying to get the Booster out of the engine bay - what can I say - set aside a full day without interruptions. Having got the old one out, the new one is fairly easy to fit back in though.

Good luck. It is worth it in the end.

blazerlady · July 2005

My husband is looking at a 2001 Blazer, fully loaded, 33,000 miles on it. We've never had a SUV before; therefore, know next to nothing about them. I'm a little undsettled about this purchase because we don't know anything about them. I've been reading horror stories about Blazers, now even more unsettled. Can anyone provide any input, good or bad, into these vehicles. We would not be putting a lot of mileage on it. It will be the second vehicle for my husband. We live in Maryland and usually have fairly bad winters. Again, input, good or bad, would be so greatly appreciated. We don't want something that we're going to have constant problems with and have to throw a lot of money into.

Thanks!

nomogm · July 2005

I have had two experiences with my 1999 GMC Jimmy SLE 4X4 self engaging the 4 wheel drive at highway Speeds (70-MPH). The local and one other GM dealer claim it is caused by a defective Vacuum control valve on top of the transfer case. I have replaced the valve twice, the first was stuck-the second was not. The second failure damaged the Sliding shift collar on the R/F Axle. I would like to find a diagnostic procedure to confirm whether the transfer case electronic shift control module (in the transfer case) is faulty or if it is the electronic control module in the right kick panel. Any one had similar experiences

suzlee01 · July 2005

My ex-husband gave my daughter a 94 blazer. It has been sitting, and needs some work done to it. My husband is working on it. However, the fuel pump does not seem to be working. We are looking for the fuel pump fuse. The haynes manual just says that it is under the hood. Can anyone tell me where?
Thanks.

nfamous · July 2005

:mad: I just bought a 1996 gmc Jimmy for a second vehicle.
It already had an antifreeze leak. Turns out it was the water pump. Fixed that!
Eversence I fixed the water pump the truck will stall while in idle, park and will start revving itself up while being driven. I have not been able to use the vehicle for months and need to be able to diagnose the problem. I have been told it could be the mass air flow system , the Fuel injection system , or an electrical problem . Please help me

tcana6 · July 2005

I have a 2000 GMC Jimmy and when it gets hot outside, and the truck reaches about 250 which is in the middle of the gauge and about 5 minutes later it dies and you have to sit like 10 minutes before the car will even turn over. What could cause this???

jewls122760 · July 2005

We have a 99 chevy blazer. Since January it has been acting up, sometimes it will start and other times it wont, seems it wants to turn over at times. We have checked the battery, the alternator, the lights come on fine. We have heard that it could be something in the fuel regulator, how do we go about finding out what this could be? We thought maybe it could be the fuel pump. but have been told that it would not start at times and not other times if this was the problem. Please help if you know what this could be or have had same problem and got yours fixed.
Thanks

ugarph1982 · July 2005

I have an '00 Jimmy. I noticed a couple of years ago that one of the hub assemblies was starting to come loose (common problem 2WD). Finally, I found a good deal on one (< $200) and I installed it myself. It made quite a difference; the vehicle feels more steady and some of the rattling has decreased. However, I am still noticing a signficant jiggle in the front suspension if I ride over warped pavement or if I hit a bump. It still sounds like it's coming from the right side of the vehicle. I can also feel a little knock in the steering column if I move the wheel back and forth; however, I'm almost 100% sure that's it's not play in the steering gear box because the steering itself is not loose at all. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Does anyone have any idea of what might be causing such a rattle? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you,
Russell

ugarph1982 · July 2005

I had mine taken to the dealership when I first bought my "00 Jimmy (new) .... they said for my particular model (and many others) that there was no way to stop that ..... if you turn the climate control "off" it will blow hot air off the heater core onto your feet .... sounds like a crappy design to me .... the best thing to do if you don't want to use climate control is just to keep the fan on 1 and keep the temperature moderated to where it doesn't burn or freeze your feet; close the dash vents if air is still coming out of them (a pain in the butt, I know) .... Hope this helps!

shc · July 2005

4 wheel drive is for dirt or snow or anywhere the wheels can slip. do not use 4 wheel drive on pavement. sc

avonderlinde · July 2005

njapf- how did you make out with this issue (rear hatch not opening) - I have read a few links on other sites, and supposedly there is a plastic part in the assembly that is apt to break (it connect the solenoid to the latch mechanism). Unfortunately (to me) this is all hypothetical because I cannot figure out how to get inside the rear hatch inside panel - I have a 1999 Blazer, with a rear lift gate and lift hatch (i.e. both the rear door and rear glass hatch lift up to open). 1. do you have the same configuration? 2. how did you get inside the door (if you did)? any help would be appreciated, and if you are still looking for a solution, I have a link to pictures that shows what is wrong. thanks

ugarph1982 · July 2005

I see a lot of negative things about the Jimmy/Blazers on this site, and I have some complaints of my own. However, I thought I would just make a positive note about mine. I have a '00 Jimmy (2wd 2door SLS) .... I bought it brand new at the end of 1999 with 37 miles on it. It now has 124000 miles on it and I have not had to do ANY brake work! As a matter of fact, I looked at the rotors and pads the other day and they look like they have barely any wear on them! Has anyone had the same luck with them? Russell

jeffhawn · July 2005

I have a 1996 Jimmy SLE with the 4.3 Vortec and 198,000km. After recently replacing the ignition coil, MAP sensor, rad, thermostat, thermal clutch on the fan and other various and expensive parts to keep this money-pig running; it has developed a severe new problem. When driving with the A/C on, the fan will fully engage with a roar, the temp will drastically drop and the tac will begin to dance all over the gauge, then ALL the warning lights on the dash will begin to randomly blink like Christmas lights; followed by the engine completely shutting down [on the highway or city streets] It fires up instantly when you try to restart, and will do some from neutral while coasting. My mechanic had it for two days and replaced a rusty battery terminal and the EGR valve, which has only made the problem WORSE. This situation now occurs with the A/C off. I think it is an electrical problem, but nothing is coming up on the computer, nor visible in the engine. Has anyone experienced this or have any idea what the hell is wrong? Is it a ghost or something?? I'm seconds away from driving it off a bridge........

klarnard · July 2005

Where can I get this screen and how does it mount. My daughter has a 93 and she can't find the gasket with the screen anywhere?

auto9999 · July 2005

Dear Sir,

Although a Blazer/Jimmy can be of a long life, your message makes me feel that a usage of 10 years and 200,000 miles may be when a Blazer/Jimmy can be retired. Having said that, I wish you and your Jimmy the best of luck.

Please let us know if your Jimmy becomes strong again to hit the road.

rjorge3 · July 2005

Hi gang, my wife and I bought an used 1999 Jimmy SLT with 58k 1 1/2 years ago. We paid $9,000 back them for the truck which was below market value at the time and it was in pristine condition. But I need to hear from you guys is these trucks are good for the long haul.

We were quite happy until it started to give us problems (or maybe is just wear and tear?????. Nine months ago we had to replace the Transfer case (almost 2k). Then last week I took the truck to the dealer (which I am always afraid since they always "find" other problems that need to be fixed) to check the 4Low setting which turned out to be ok. But as I've mentioned before the found the following problems which they said is normal wear and tear?????

1) Need to replace driver side door hinges since the door drops a little when you open it--------------cost $170

2) Need to replace Front and rear oil cooler lines---------------cost $240 and $221 respectively

3) Front and rear pinion seal need to be replace-----------------$99 and $111

4) Exhaust Seals -----$275

5) Oil Line Adapter Seals need to be replaced----------$66

6) Coolant low intakes is leaking-------------------$850

The truck has now 78,000 and my wife only drives it 6 miles per day on average. The mechanic told me that he own the same truck and after I make those repairs I can count on the Jimmy to last us a very long time. I don't mind spending the money if it is normal wear and tear. But I dont want this to become a money pit.

Have anyone ever experienced the above mentioned problems?

Are these normal wear and tear problems?

Are those prices fair if anyone of you have fixed the same problems, please share with us the priced paid for the service.

Thanks so much in advance for your responses.

alcan · July 2005

Right here. You'll need Adobe Reader to view the application page:

http://www.tomco-inc.com/

majv62 · July 2005

Our mechanic charges $18 per OBD scan. The last time I went in (chronic Engine Light on/off) they said it was one of 3 possible things. However, they said "IGNORE IT". Ugh! :mad:

So I would like to revisit Jon's original question. Which OBD will work best with the '98 Jimmy? I see some on eBay, etc. Also, is the Jimmy fully OBD II compliant?

Thanks.

alcan · July 2005

If you mean which scan tool will work best on your Jimmy, here are some good options:

http://tools.batauto.com/index.php?crn=104&action=show&show_products_mode=cat_click

All passenger cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. and Canada since 1996 are fully OBD III compliant.

rivercard · July 2005

Recently I replaced the positive side battery cable terminal. I now longer have the power problems that I was experiencing but now my heater wont turn off. No matter what setting I put it on I get heat. If i turn on the A/C its BLAZING heat. Can someone please help me? Summer in San Diego might not be as hot as most other places but Im sure I dont need the heater stuck on.

jeffhawn · July 2005

It would be safe to say "it has given me a long life", however, I have only owned the vehicle for 5 months.......hence my mental state over the matter.

lverc · July 2005

I had a similar problem with my 91 s10 blazer. I converted the A/C 134a so I could work on the A/C myself. After a fresh charge and proper A/C readings it still blew hot but I noticed some of the air felt hot and some felt cooler in spots. What I found was that the
temp control, a lever that moved up and down, was disconnected inside the dash. So the
temp control was actually set to Hot no matter where the lever was. A piece of plastic broke and the "cable'" just moved around without actually doing anything. Sort of like a bicycle brake line the inner cable did not move inside the tube. It was blowing Hot and Cold at the same time, all you really felt was the hot. I manually changed the "cable" by pushing it into the tube and Voila ICE COLD A/C.

I don't know what your controls are like but you might be blowing Hot heater air and Cold A/C air at the same time.
Good luck!

majv62 · July 2005

The link brings me to a "#1 BAT Picks" page.

It has AutoTap software, a BAT Coffer cup, stickers, license plate... etc.

Are you refering to the AutoScan software? What I really want is a handheld device which I can plug in, get a list of codes and messages, and then clear the non-critical alerts from the computer.

Thanks.

jasontampa · July 2005

Greetings. My father has a 2000 GMC Jimmy, with a balky air conditioner. When he starts the car for the first time each day, the A/C blows perfectly cold. He drives for a while, gets to wherever he's going, and shuts the car off. When he restarts the car, the A/C isn't cold at all -- and doesn't get cold until the car sits overnight. Then the process repeats itself.

Anybody have any ideas what's going on -- or what to check?

Thanks!

alcan · July 2005

Any cheap code reader will give you stored trouble codes. If you want to actually repair the vehicle instead of throwing parts at it based on trouble code numbers, you'll need to access datastream, the data which the engine control computer is seeing. That way you can make an intelligent diagnosis and strategy based repair. The AutoTap units are rated very highly, but my personal unit is this one:

http://tools.batauto.com/index.php?crn=205&rn=1409&action=show_detail

kenney · July 2005

My 2002 Blazer just started making this noise. It seems to be coming from the rear
of the truck. I checked the tire on the back, it is secure. I checked the tach, it
does not lose rpms. I towed a boat and thought it was the trailer, but it still making
the noise about every 60 seconds or comes and goes. The noise sounds like the tire on back door closing, but not as loud. I also checked the exhaust system, it
seems okay.

majv62 · July 2005

Thanks. I appreciate your advice and feddback.

rivercard · July 2005

Thank you for your advice and time. I'll check it out.

89blue · July 2005

My Jimmy will not stay running. When I drive home from work, park, then want to leave again, it will not keep running. It seems like a fuel problem. Like it isn't getting enough. When I get it to run enough to put in park, it jerks alot. Usually after it runs for a while it does fine. What could this be?

89blue · July 2005

richlee · July 2005

Have a 1996 blazer. The dashboard vents DO NOT blow air and I hear slight hissing noise. HOWEVER, the lower vents blow air just fine. I switch from A/C to no A/C and it's the same. Blows air at the lower leg area vents but none from the dashboard vents. I tried looking for loose hoses but cannot find any.

I do hear the fan working and it does blow air at the lower sections.
any ideas? thanks

richlee · July 2005

hi - were you able to find out what the problem was? i just encountered the same. I checked the hoses and all seem to be ok. I hear a slight hissing sound when it's on. not sure if you have the same. please let me know if you have any add'l info. thanks

fasfan · July 2005

Sounds like the same problem I had with my 94. Almost. My problem was it would run fine and then the check engine light would come and at low idles it would stall and lose all power. If I shut it down for a while it would start up and be fine for a while. Error code was 32. I replaced the EGR valve and had no further problems in that area. Had an unrelated problem with it not starting when hot.

fasfan · July 2005

Bought a 97 Blazer. No trailer connection, but had a bundle of wires where one was. I am looking to put a new connector on there and found that I have too many wires. There are 8 wires. I cannot find any info on the net telling me what those 8 might be for. Anyone have any idea? I was thinking trailer brake but isn't that 7?

ddcollins · July 2005

I have a 1998 s10 zr2 that is doing the same thing. Could some one please help me as well?

thanks

nealh1 · July 2005

Hi,

I have a 2000 GMC Diamond edition. Would not trade it for anything.
Great car.

nealh1

auto9999 · July 2005

In case you did not make a decision yet I wanted to put in my 2 cents. I have a 2000 Blazer 4WD Trailblazer trim bought new which now has 50,000 miles on it.

I too have experienced some of the troubles found in this forum. This vehicle is not the most reliable vehicle and chances are you will nickel and dime to maintain your vehicle. Fortunately I have purchased the manufacturer's extended warranty 6 year/60,000 miles so my out of pocket expenses have been minimal so far.

Good thing for a buyer is that the used car price of Blazer seems to be lower than other mid-size SUVs, which would leave you some money for possible future repairs and maintenance. Good luck on your decision.

puzzledinohio · July 2005

I have recently encountered some problems with my jimmy. It started out as hard to start in the morning. Now when run for a while it starts sometimes, not always though. I have replaced a battery and the coil. I am stumped on what the problem is. Any suggestions out there?

puzzledinohio · July 2005

It wont start at all now.

turbo5 · July 2005

Yeah, I think I might be having the same problem. I got a 93 Jimmy with 96k on it.
whenever it sits for about 8 or more hours(usually the mornings), it has trouble starting. when it finally does start a cloud of white smoke shoots out of the exhaust. This leads me to believe that oil is getting into my fuel somehow and is burning off when it finally starts. are you losing any oil pressure? i am but can't find where the hell its going.probably a leaky valve . let me know if you find anything out. dcblake69@yahoo

puzzledinohio · July 2005

I dont get any smoke when it did start. I was reading through these forum questions and may be leaning toward the throttle body but I am not sure. Do you have any chilton manulas or anything to go along with your jimmy? :confuse:

grumpy7110 · July 2005

I have a 96 blazer 2 yrs ago I had a problem braking and the mechanic replaced the Power Booster. Again yesterday its like pressing my foot against a brick wall to stop. My brother said to ask about a vacuum leak? or does it sound like the power booster again. I am in philly pa...being a single mom of 3, I cant afford another $800.00 mechanic bill...any info would be greatly appreciated!!!
( we bled the brakes to make sure but still the same thing)

stever · July 2005

Check out Stop here! Let's talk about brakes too.

Steve, Host

helmetgov · July 2005

My 94 Blazer was running fine on Friday, but Friday night there was no power from the transmission. I checked the trans fluid which was low, so I put a quart in and it started to run fine for 4 blocks. Then the same thing happened again, no gears worked. I turned off the car and started it back up and it worked for a couple of blocks. Please tell me this won't cost a fortune!

ohler · August 2005

My Jimmy is @ 125K. There is a rattling coming from the left side as I turn at speeds of 35+. Rattling has been getting worse over the past 2 weeks. No sound when turning slowly.
The front left tire was leaking air and was pulling the car to the left. Tire was patched. Can also feel tire rotation within the car at high speeds, like when accelerating onto the highway.
Brakes, pads and rotors were replaced last year. I just sunk $1500 into the 4 wheel drive system in March, $1500 last August for brakes. I'd really like to not pay alot again to get this fixed. Any advice would be appreciated.

rambo41 · August 2005

I have a new 2005 Jimmy from day one this vehicle shakes as soon as I hit the 100-110 kmh speed...It has been in several times and the problem can not be figured out...They have replaced all 4 tires checked the drive shaft , tranfer case, rear end and other things....There are 8 vehicles just at the dealership with the same problem and 7 more at another in town ..I was wondering if anyone else has this problem with their 2005 Jimmy....Thx.. :confuse:

zazo73 · August 2005

I am having the same problem with my 2001 Jimmy. It seems as though every time it gets hot outside (90 degrees and up) the car stalls. It does act like vapor lock, and gets progressively worse the more I drive it. I've been reduced to not driving at all on hot days. I've tried premium fuel and fuel injector cleaner, but nothing has worked. If you come up with a solution please let me know. Thank you!

Chevy Blazer GMC Jimmy Maintenance and Repair

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