1997 GMC Jimmy Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1997 GMC Jimmy, 20% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 76,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “ball joints” (56% of reports).
- 54suspension complaints
- 76,500median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 18%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ball joints: mentioned in 30 of 54 complaints (56%)
- Upper lower: mentioned in 12 of 54 complaints (22%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 16 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 54 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 5 an injury.
GMC Jimmy suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Jimmy | 14 | 14% | 50,500 |
| 2000 Jimmy | 39 | 18% | 58,321 |
| 1999 Jimmy | 26 | 19% | 50,000 |
| 1998 Jimmy | 25 | 11% | 70,000 |
| 1997 Jimmy | 54 | 20% | 76,500 |
| 1996 Jimmy | 49 | 12% | 80,000 |
| 1995 Jimmy | 19 | 4% | 145,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
1997 gmc jimmy battery drain. After vehicle sits for a couple hours it will not start. Has new (not rebuilt) alternator, starter, battery. Still won't start most of the time. Battery drains completely if vehicle sits overnight. As soon as i jump the vehicle, it starts immediately. Nothing i do will…
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 gmc jimmy. While driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle flipped over on its passenger side. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the upper and lower ball joints failed, which caused other damage to the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 GMC Jimmys have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about suspension for the 1997 GMC Jimmy (20% of the 274 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 GMC Jimmy suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 76,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1997 GMC Jimmy?
The most frequent phrase is “ball joints”, in 30 of 54 complaints, followed by “upper lower” (12).
Other 1997 GMC Jimmy problems
See all 1997 GMC Jimmy problems or suspension problems across all Jimmy years.