20th Dec 2007, 15:00

I know, I know---Just so you know, I'm a professional cooling system expert (Radiator-A/C Shop). DO have your system flushed, but only at a rad shop that will do each component separately, reverse then forward with high pressure air and hot water mix system (Zoo-Gun they'll know). Have a new quality 195 stat installed with GREEN anti-freeze only. Have exterior condenser core and radiator pressure washed at the same time. Please do not re-install Dex-Cool. Intake gaskets, radiator, heater, and water pump are all affected by original dex-cool long life(???) coolant. Do regular maintenance; flush and fill in 2 years time and deal with any leaks if and when they occur. Your heat will be outstanding and cooling and A/C operation will improve. Changing parts is not the answer, any fool can do that. Deal only with a professional specialty shop (TRUST ME); this goes for all post-1994 G.M. Vehicles.

5th Jan 2008, 04:21

Just spent the last 2 hours reading these postings on the 97 Blazer. My cheeks hurt cause I've been laughing so hard! Or was I crying? Hard to tell any more cause unfortunately-I own one of these POS's. Have had it since 94 and been working on or waiting on more pieces and parts like the majority of you. Had 75K when I got it, now has 97K so I don't drive it that much. Can't. I'm always fixing something on it. I thought I had the biggest lemon out there??? A couple of you have mine beat-hands down. This is better stuff than a night out at a comedy club!!! Shame on GM for letting this happen! Currently working on a tranny that doesn't shift. Started with the tranny harness- no such luck-next was ALL of the solenoids- sorry net yet-now 2 techs say it's the ignition switch/harness. I can't take much more!!!??? Seems the next step is to take her out in the desert and give her a proper Indian burial... set her ablaze then walk away! Yes officer, it was in my driveway when I went to bed last night! Good luck to the rest of you poor saps who own one of the biggest most worthless bucket o' bolts out there---L8R---Unhappy Chevy lover. Oh by the way, my other car is a 76 Vette that I've done a frame off resto on and I still don't have as much in it as I do in this Blazer!!!

1st Feb 2008, 18:49

I have a 99 Chevy Blazer LS with 125,000 miles. After I bought the truck from a well known dealer, I got my first oil change within 45 days. I then found out I had a muddy substance in my coolant system. I had it flushed on two different occasions. Since then, I have seen my truck on a flat bed at least 5 times in the 5 years I had it.

I got front and rear brakes, rotors... yet it still sounds like a bus is hitting it's braeks. The front brakes were done at one place and the rear done at another, so why am I still hearing the loud irritating noise, because both of the mechanics said it was fine. That was over a year ago. It never stopped squeaking.

Since the summer of 2006, I had the thermostat, radiator, heater core, alternator (fixed 2 times), water pump and now it's being serviced for the intake manifold. I drive less than 3 miles daily and it begins to over heat.. yes, less than 3 MILES away from my job, my family, the stores... so why or why must I go through this?

This was my first truck, but not my first American vehicle. I never purchased foreign because I want to support our manufacturers. I beginning to want foreign these days.

12th Jun 2008, 23:02

1997 Blazer key will not turn on ignition, seems to be locked. Any ideas? Thanks.

4th Jul 2008, 02:35

I agree with you on these vehicles having more problems than anyone should reasonably have deal with. The dealers want $80.00 an hour and from what I am reading in these posts, they don't seem to do much more than guess at which replacement parts to change any better than me.

So. I choose to do the semi- easy stuff myself. I've put in a new transmission, new alternator, new radiator, new heater core (that was a real pain to change) new multi-function wiper switch, new head gasket, new water pump, new front axle differential, new gas tank, new sending unit/fuel pump, new fuel delivery & return lines, new ICM module... and now to find out what this problem is... Ignition switch on steering column then after that, the next part will be the computer... rebuilding this crapbox piece by piece.

Transmission 1836.00

Alternator 98.00

Radiator 178.00

Heater core 82.00

Multi-function switch 150.00

Wiper motor pulse circuit board 30.00

Head gasket replacement 648.00 /450.00 labor -- 198 parts

Water pump replacement 183.00 1/2 price from original quote

Differential & transfer case replacement -

4x4 switch - oil change - fix door hinge 1361.00

New gas tank - fuel pump, fuel lines & filter 1115.94

Basic Tune-Up 300.00

Ignition Module 132.00

Ignition Switch 98.00

2nd fuel pump install 1036 (less than 3 months after above install)

GRAND TOTAL = $7247.00

WOW!!! I didn't realize how much I actually sunk into it up till now when I added up the slips... Holy Cow! I'm sick!

I bought a brand new Toyota P-U in 1987. I drove it 334,000 miles and the only replacement part I ever got for it was an alternator... and the light came on to tell me I was in need of replacement... I did change wear and tear parts... brake pads, mufflers. and the like.. but, the tranny, drive train, radiator, starter, distributor, engine all original.. no valve jobs... nothing!

Ironic thing... I just sold it tonight and they loaded it on a flatbed tow truck... my wife started crying when it was leaving the driveway... LOL

Although I also still have a 2003 Silverado 4 door crew cab 6.0 I will not buy another GM ANYTHING! The wife just got a 2008 Toyota Rav 4... I feel confident that it will be trouble free for many years... I can't afford to keep GM service department employed...

30th Jul 2008, 14:52

This car has given me problems from the start. Bought it used in High School for $1200, with about 150,000 miles on it. It sat in a garage so I put about $600 into it from the beginning. It had a coolant leak... I had to refill the coolant about once every two weeks. Then the fuel pump went out ($1200), I went out of state for school and my stepfather ended up replacing the alternator and some other stuff ($1000), and I just had to pay another $1500 to replace the radiator. My mechanic is my cousin and I trust him to not cheat me... and every time I send that truck in to get looked at I end up paying because somethings leaking pretty bad here or there. Def. not buying another GM product.