Faults:
2nd owner, bought 12 years ago.
Hard to work, on no room under the hood or underneath.
Couldn't get transmission filter changed due to the cross bars underneath, so they just changed the fluid, sucked it out.
A tough engine, but very forgiving. Had an oil leak for 2 years, drove it hard with 2-3 quarts low some times not realizing.
It has remote oil filter under the hood on the fender, of all places, with 2 lines running to oil pan and crankcase that leaked at connection underneath. Finally fixed, the mechanic was real mad, GM left no room without any mechanics in mind. He had to lift off the motor mounts to fix underneath. I guess GM also wasn't thinking about a drivers side front collision, that would dump all the oil out when the oil lines broke when the fender pushed in from a wreck. Thankfully that has not happened to me.
No problems at all with transmission.
No problems with the brakes or rotors. Replaced the front pads only once and don't ever remember replacing the rear shoes in 125,000 miles, but must of had to at least once you would think. Rotors never needed turned.
Internal engine and transmission OK on this GMC. Everything else has broken... 3 fuel pumps in less than a year... dealership covered cost of 2nd & 3rd one under warranty. Distributor pick ups, compressor, several alternators, batteries, 1 starter, 2 heater cores, 1 manifold gasket, constant emission problems O2 sensor, 2 EGR valves... I replaced 2nd one. EGR caused the catalytic convertor stopped up. Gunning the engine down the road to blow out the blockage in the convertor caused a long trail of thick black smoke which my kids got a kick out of. Not me.
Put the Jimmy in the garage for a year and a half when I bought and then sold a newer chevy pick up. Dragged it out of the garage on a flat bed wrecker and spent $2500 over the next few months on mechanical repairs that I had put off for years. Door hinges, new shocks, ball joints and idler arm. Replaced 2 catalytic convertors and finally just cut it off to solve that problem. But the exhaust fumes are real bad, real bad with the messed up fuel injectors running the combustion way too rich or lean and way too hot, causing muffler discoloring, and one day it will probably just melt off.
The CD player hasn't worked since 1998. Positioned right over an A/C vent, it must have got frostbite. I'd have to run the heater so it would work for a while. Wasn't comfortable to do in the summer.
Dash lights went out over the middle of speedometer, so I wasn't ever sure if I was going 55 or 75 until I got it fixed.
The switch in the steering column for the wipers has been out for years. The wipers go on all by themselves or won't turn off after turned on. Really embarrassing driving down the road on a sunny day with your wipers constantly on. I've already tried replacing the circuit board in the wiper motor. A used wiper motor for $20 will come in handy one day if this energizer bunny original wiper motor ever runs out. So I have to either shut the engine down in neutral while driving and do a restart sorta like a flame out in an f-14 or just pull over to pull the fuse. Now I just keep the fuse pulled until it rains. Problem solved.
Noth power window motors have gone out, both outside door latches have broke, the rear window electric latch won't release, which is a bummer. The outside key latch is no help since the tailgate is from a used Oldsmobile Bravada that I put on, which didn't have a key, and the rear glass window is from a Chevy Blazer. All after getting rear ended.
I assume this GMC has a driver's side air bag... it's never gone off, but I haven't had a front end collision. So it's the one thing that hasn't just started going off on its own. One of these days I may run it into a wall to find out.
At least the used parts are interchangeable, that's one good thing!
I figured since I've owned this Jimmy S-10 SLE (Blazer) for 12 years that I'd have a lot to say and I think I did. I'm finally looking to upgrade to a 1998 - 2001 Chevy Blazer or GMC Jimmy. Why not look for something else? I have the inside scoop on what breaks down.
