Problems · by component
1996 GMC Jimmy power train problems
29 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 GMC Jimmy cite power train, 7% of all 415 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
29
7% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“(1) THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE OF MY TRANSMISSION. (2) I CAME TO A DEAD END STREET AND HAD TO TURN AROUND, I PUT THE TRUCK IN REVERSE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. I MANAGED TO GET TURNED AROUND BY PUSHING THE TRUCK. THE TRANSMISSION WILL ALSO NOT SHIFT INTO THE SECOND OR OVERDRIVE GEARS. I CAN ONLY DRIVE IN FIRST AND THIRD GEARS. (3) I HAVEN'T REPAIRED THE VEHICLE.*AK”
“THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS STATED IN RECALLS 01I018000 LOWER BALL JOINT; RECALL 03V159000 WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, AND TRANSMISSION. RECALL NUMBER UNKNOWN. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT LOWER BALL JOINT DUE TO A CRACKING NOISE. WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE SNOW, THE CONSUMER WASN'T ABLE TO USE THE 4WD BECAUSE THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INTERMITTENT, A LOUD CRACKING NOISE HAD COME FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THAT THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSION WHICH HAD A LEAK AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. *SCC *JB”
“SECOND FAILURE OF BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ON 1996 GMC JIMMY 4WD - ACTUAL MILAGE 38,910. THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE NEW. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES - NO BETTER."A ROLLING NON-BRAKING NIGHTMARE TO DRIVE !! SECOND ALTERNATOR, 4TH BATTERY, RUST IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION,DRIVER'S POWER-WINDOW MOTOR @ 30,000 MILES HIS VEHICLE NEVER BEEN USED "OFF-ROAD.*AK IT IS DRIVEN BY AN OLDER WOMAN TO AND FROM WORK, SHOPPING, & PLEASURE.*AK”
“CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE IS ON ITS 3RD TRANMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK AND HOUSING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RUST FORMING ON THE TRANMISSION FLUID STICK, ALSO THE REAR AXLE SEALS WER REPLACED.*JB”
“TRANSMISSION FAILURE/HARD SHIFTS/GM SAYS NO PROBLEM HOWEVER I HAVE LOCATED COUNTLESS OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM,GM INSTALLED A NEW TRANS.AT 35000 MILES AND SHORTLY AFTER THE NEW TRANS HAS BEEN HARD SHIFTING CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE REAR DIF.,MY MAIN PROBLEM IS WHAT IS THE FIX!,IF I INSTALL ANOTHER TRANS WILL IT LAST,HOW ABOUT THE REAR DIF.REPAIRS,AT THIS TIME I CAN ONLY DRIVE ABOUT 4-5 MILES BEFORE TRANS ACTS UP,MY WIFE WILL NOT USE TRUCK THIS WAY AND THE $S ARE ADDING UP”
“CONSUMER EXPERIENCE NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE SKIPS, TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, CONSUMER CONTINUES TO STATE THAT THE CONNECTOR AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE WAS LOOSE, THE RPMS GO UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. *TT”
Showing 6 of 29 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.