1997 Gmc JIMMY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
211 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
75,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 57 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 211 complaints (13.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 40 | 19.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 21 | 10.0% |
| Steering behavior | 15 | 7.1% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 4.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 4.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 7 | 3.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint | 29 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 19 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 19 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 18 |
| Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 10 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | 10 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 8 |
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint: 29; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 19; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 19; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer: 18; Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint: 10; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor: 10; Electrical System: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 20 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 14 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 12 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 20; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 12; 150,000 and above: 4
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 154 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 36 |
| 2001 | 34 |
| 2002 | 36 |
| 2003 | 48 |
| 2004 | 24 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2000: 36; 2001: 34; 2002: 36; 2003: 48; 2004: 24; 2005: 15; 2006: 5; 2007: 1; 2008: 4; 2009: 3; 2010: 1; 2011: 1; 2014: 2; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Upper Ball Joint leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 40 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 21 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10002246 · 2003-01-07 (January 7, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANY REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND NO HAZARD LIGHTS. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002246 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017357 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)
THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032609 · 2003-08-12 (August 12, 2003)
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AGAIN...SHIFT WITH GAS PEDAL...LET OFF ON GAS & LET RPMS DROP TO ALLOW TRANS TO SHIFT. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY NO LONGER SERVICE TRANSMISSIONS, TOO MUCH HASSLE - WILL SELL ME A NEW ONE FOR $2500 PLUS LABOR @ ANOTHER $900 TO $1200...LIMITED TO ONLY 6 MONTHS OF COVERAGE! I KNOW OF AT LEAST 10 OTHER BLAZAER AND JIMMY OWNERS AT FORT BLISS THAT HAVE HAD SAME TRAMSMISSION PROBLEMS. AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE OPENED TO RECALL THIS TRANSMISSION. I CAN BE REACHED ANYTIME AT [phone removed] TO FURTHER CLARIFY MY CONCERNS...…
Owner-reported narrative. 97,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032609 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10080601 · 2004-07-08 (July 8, 2004)
IGNITION SWITCH HAS FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN PAST 4 YEARS (10/2000 & 8/2003). WHEN IT FAILS, THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO SHIFT PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND/OR STALLS. THIS CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY GM TECHNICIANS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO POOR DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND MFG QUALITY.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 64,212 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080601 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000917 · 2003-01-10 (January 10, 2003)
1997 GMC JIMMY - STEELING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW RATE OF SPEED AS APPROACHING A CURVE IN ROAD. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE IN THE STEERING AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY VEERED OFF ROAD AND CRASHED INTO TREES.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,187 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000917 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015183 · 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S BALL JOINTS. MR THE CONSUMER HEARD A SOUND COMING FROMT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AREA. THE RADIATOR, POWER STEERING PUMP, OIL COOLER LINES AND ENGINE ALL LEAKED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015183 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045946 · 2003-11-11 (November 11, 2003)
VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD, I WAS GOING SIXTY MILES PER HOUR AND VEHICLE JUST STALLED OUT, GOING TWENTY MILES PER HOUR AND VEHICLE STALLS OUT. HAVE HAD IT HOOKED UP TO COMPUTER AND CANNOT BE DIAGNOSED UNLESS IT IS HAPPENING AT TIME OF DIAGNOSIS. THIS IS A DEFINATE SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU ARE GOING DOWN ROAD AND VEHICLE JUST STALLS OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS A CONSTANT OCCURRENCE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10045946 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005505 · 2003-02-08 (February 8, 2003)
97 JIMMY. ELECTRICAL IGNITION FAILURE. 5X AT LEAST. DRIVING ALONG AND , FOR NO REASON, ALL POWER CUTS OUT COMPLETELY. DRIFT TO SIDE OF ROAD, STOP, AND VEHICLE USUALLY STARTS AGAIN EITHER RIGHT AWAY, OR IN A COUPLE MINUTES. [XXX] DANGEROUS. 2 DIFFERENT GMC DEALERS DON'T HAVE A CLUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 119,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021194 · 2003-06-07 (June 7, 2003)
SHORTLY AFTER ADJUSTING THE FRONT PASSENGER POWER SEAT CONTROL I NOTED A TRAIL OF SMOKE FROM BENEATH THE SEAT AND THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. I IMMEDIATELY OPENED THE FUSE PANEL AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE MAIN FUSE. THE UPPER MAIN BUSS THAT CONTROLS THE POWER SEAT MOTORS, POWER DOORS, AND ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WAS SO HOT THAT I COULD NOT TOUCH IT WITHOUT BURNING MY FINGERS. I HAD TO USE A PEN KNIFE TO REMOVE IT. NO OTHER FUSES WERE AFFECTED. FOLLOWING REMOVAL OF THE FUSE MY TURN SIGNALS, EMERGENCY FLASHERS, AND REAR STOP LIGHTS ARE ALL INOPERATI…
Owner-reported narrative. 122,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021194 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032507 · 2003-08-08 (August 8, 2003)
THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10032507 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10032610 · 2003-08-12 (August 12, 2003)
FUEL PUMP ON 97 GMC REPLACED AT COST OF OVER $600. THIS IS SECOND FUEL PUMP FOR GMC JIMMY THAT I REPLACED...FIRST AT CRAWFORD GMC IN EL PASO, TX AT COST OF OVER $400 BACK IN 1997. THE DESIGN FLAW OF THIS FUEL PUMP IS THAT IT IS LOCATED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK AND THE GAS ACTS AS A "COOLING" FLUID FOR THE PUMP...GMC NOR CHEVY EVER MENTION THAT FUEL TANKS MUST BE MAINTAINED AT A MINIMUM OF 1/4 TANK OF GAS OR THE PUMP WILL OVER HEAT & EVENTUALLY FAIL...THIS ITEM SHOULD BE A RECALLED FOR POOR DESIGN, FAULTY ENGINEERING, AND POTENTIAL FOR "OVER-HEATI…
Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032610 at NHTSA ↗