1997 GMC Jimmy Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Jimmy years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 274 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 GMC Jimmy. That ranks 3rd out of 10 Jimmy model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is suspension (54 complaints, 20%), typically at around 76,500 miles. Complaints mention 23 crashes, 5 fires, 26 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 274owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 23complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 GMC Jimmy problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension problems | 54 | 20% | 76,500 | “ball joints” (56%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 51 | 19% | 116,000 | “stopping distance” (14%) | — |
| Visibility | 44 | 16% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 38 | 14% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 33 | 12% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 28 | 10% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 18 | 7% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 16 | 6% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 5% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | 4% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 4% | 133,613 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 9 | 3% | 68,250 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 3% | 117,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 6 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 2% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 2% | 153,225 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 GMC Jimmy recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles were built with a driver's seat belt buckle assembly that contains an energy-absorbing loop. Sustained loads of sufficient magnitude and duration on the belt in severe crashes could fully deploy the buckle energy-absorbing loop, introducing a total of 10 additional inches of webbing into the seat belt system. The free falling latch plate used in this system may allow webbing to dynamically distribute between the lap and shoulder belt as the driver's position changes during a multiple rollover event.
Risk: If the energy-absorbing loop fully deploys in a severe multiple rollover crash, it is possible that a belted driver may experience partial or even complete ejection from the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will replace the energy-absorbing seat belt assemblies with one that does not have the energy-absorbing loop. Owner notification began on august 8, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:exterior
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles, mini vans, and pickup trucks may develop a short circuit in the electric outside rearview mirror switch.
Risk: If this were to happen, it could result in an inoperative switch, heat damage to the driver's door, and/or ignition of components in the driver's door and a subsequent vehicle fire without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused jumper harness to the electric outside rearview mirror switch. Owner notification began on april 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or gmc at 1-800-462-8782.
Suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin, and in the district of columbia. Failure of an upper control arm ball joint assembly could occur due to corrosion.
Risk: This can result in impaired steering or steering loss, or a partial or complete collapse of the front suspension, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace both upper ball joints. Owner notification began september 4, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Seat belts
Problem: Vehicle description: extended cab pickup trucks equipped with 60/40 front bench seats and extended cab pickup trucks and 2-door utility vehicles equipped with manual locking recliner bucket seats. The outboard safety belt webbing on the driver's and/or passenger's seat can separate during a frontal impact.
Risk: If a separation occurred and there were secondary crash events or vehicle rollover, there would be no belt restraint of the occupant and increased injuries could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a protective cover over the recliner mechanism.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Seat belt webbing separation (EA97004) — opened Feb 28, 1997, closed Aug 5, 1997, led to recall 97V096001.
- Abs braking system (EA94038) — opened Oct 31, 1994, closed Feb 28, 2000, led to recall 99I006000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Nhtsa recall#03v117 regarding possible seatbelt failure and we notified our local gmc dealer but they have not responded.we are concerned of a possible catastrophe in the event of an accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 gmc jimmy. While driving approximately 10 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the front suspension. The steering was difficult to maneuver when turning the vehicle. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. An independent mechanic stated that the front…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 gmc jimmy. While driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled and restarted after numerous attempts. An independent mechanic stated that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The vin was unavailable…
Bad 3 vehickle auto accident on i-96 in michigan. A white car stopped or stalled in center lane of highway and was then hit by a green car and we hit the green car "head on" in the rear.. Air bags did not deploy with a direct head on hit at 65 to 70 miles per hour. My truck was a 1997 gmc jimmy. *tt
I was attempting to back out of my parking space at my work place parking lot and backed on to my spare tire. The spare tire cable broke due to corrosion. Luckily i was not on the highway going 70 mph and someone behind me run into it. I have owned blazers and jimmy's for the last 23 years and have…
Other GMC Jimmy years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Jimmy | 2 | 1 |
| 2003 Jimmy | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 Jimmy | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 Jimmy | 100 | 3 |
| 2000 Jimmy | 211 | 4 |
| 1999 Jimmy | 137 | 0 |
| 1998 Jimmy | 238 | 2 |
| 1997 | 274 | 4 |
| 1996 Jimmy | 407 | 6 |
| 1995 Jimmy | 499 | 6 |
See all GMC Jimmy problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
Similar GMC models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC Jimmy?
Owners most often report suspension, service brakes, hydraulic, visibility problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 54 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 GMC Jimmy?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 GMC Jimmy a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Jimmy model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.