Problems · by component
1997 GMC Jimmy engine and engine cooling problems
36 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 GMC Jimmy cite engine and engine cooling, 13% of all 288 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
36
13% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TRANSMISSION FAILURE / REPLACED TRANSMISSION - UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE / REPLACED UPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS - REAR WINDOW WIPER FAILURE / INOPERABLE AT THIS POINT - EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENTS WITH NO OLD PARTS AVAILABLE AT THIS POINT. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE I CAN ONLY ATTRIBUTE TO SEVERELY POOR MANUFACTURING OF PRODUCTS, THERE WAS NO OPERATING MISUSE OR ABUSE. ALSO OTHER PARTS THAT HAVE FAILED AND HAVE SINCE BEEN REPLACED ARE THE: ALTERNATOR, FUEL PUMP, FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND COOLING SYSTEM FAILURES. *JB”
“THE TRUCK I HAVE IS 1997 GMC JIMMY 4X4 SLT MODEL I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN 2000 KNOWING IT WAS A PRE OWNED VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS THE VEHICLE WAS NICE BUT THE NEXT TWO YEARS I HAVE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLES SO FAR WITH THIS VEHICLE I HAVE REPLACED 1) IGNITION SWITCH THAT COSTED 700.OO 2) PULLEY 3) ALTERNATOR 4) HEATER CORE 5) COMPRESSOR FOR A/C IS GONE HAVENT REPLACED 6) FUEL PUMP IS GONE HAVENT REPLACED 7)WINSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO USUAL ON CLEAR DAYS BUT WHEN ITS STORMING THEY DONT WORK WHICH HAS RESULTED IN ME GETTING DRENCHED 8) TAILGATE DOENST WANT TO GO UP I HAVE HAD TWO YEARS OF PROBLEMS WITH MY TRUCK AND STILL CONTINE TO DO SO I PURCHASED MY TRUCK WITH 21,252 MI AND I NOW HAVE 70,329 MI I NEED BALL JOINTS WHICH I HAVE NOT REPLACED IN MY OPINION THIS IS THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNMED AND I BELIEVE EVER MADE. *AK”
“WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. I WAS IN A BAD RAINSTORM LAST NIGHT AND HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE WE COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. SCARY - THIS IS A POTENTIAL BIG LAW SUIT FOR GMC IF ANYONE DIES IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS COMMON COMPLAINT. MY GMC MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THIS HAPPENS ON ALMOST ALL GMC JIMMY'S, YET THERE IS NO RECALL TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART TO DATE. TRANSMISSION - SLIPPED BADLY. I PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND SOMETIMES IT STILL SLIPS. THIS TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH THE JIMMY, AS WELL AS A FAULTY GAS GAUGE, FAULTY BALL JOINTS AND OXYGEN SENSORS. I DID HAVE TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSOR, BUT I CONSIDER THAT NORMAL REPAIRS. *JB”
“THE 1997 GMC JIMMY JUST SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS AT NO SPECIAL TIMES AND WITH NO IDENTIFIABLE CIRCUMSTANCES PRECEDING THE SHUTDOWN. THE ENGINE AND ALL CONTROL SYSTEMS SIMPLY STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND THERE IS NO RYHME NOR REASON FOR THE FAILURE. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN A SINGLE EVENING AND THEN GONE MONTHS BEFORE RECURRING. COMPUTER DIAGNOSES, NO CODES FOUND BY MECHANIC. SINCE IT HAS ALWAYS FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, USUALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE BECOMES A REAL CONCERN. LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAN EASILY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE JIMMY ALWAYS RESTARTS EASILY AFTER TEN SECONDS OR SO. OF COURSE AT 70-75 MILES PER HOURS THAT CAN SEEM LIKE A VERY LONG TIME INDEED. *LA”
“THE PAINT OF THE CAR IS CHIPPING, THE ELECTICAL IS NOT WORKING (BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS), THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT WORKING (MOTOR), AND THE FUSES KEEP BREAKING, AND THE SEAT BEAL BUCKLES ARE NOT WORKING AS WELL.*AK”
“A/C COMPRESSOR FAILURES OTHER- INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK DUE TO USE OF PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE (LOSS OF PEDAL/LEAL). REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER SHORT TIME LATER SAME PROBLEM AND DEALER REPORTED FAILURE OF ANTI LOCK COMPUTER AT COST OF $1200.00. REPAIR REFUSED AND AFTER A FEW WEEKS HAD THEM RECHECK MASTER AND THEY REPLACED THE UNIT. NO PROBLEM SEVERAL MONTHS LATER.”
Showing 6 of 36 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.