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 end needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 210,000.
1997 GMC Jimmy suspension problems
54 complaints (20% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 75,000. 7 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 54
- of this car's complaints
- 20%
- typical mileage
- 75,000
- crashes
- 7
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Front: control arm: upper ball joint29
- Front: control arm: lower ball joint11
- Front: control arm7
- Front3
- Front: control arm: upper arm2
- Rear1
- Multiple axle1
- Front: wheel bearing1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
GMC Jimmy suspension problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 GMC Jimmy suspension
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Suspension: front: control arm: upper ball joint
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 01V200000 · Recall details
What 1997 GMC Jimmy owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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 help.vehicle has done this for8years and I can't fix it so I don't even put license it anymore. I can't sell it because nobody wants a broke down car. It still looks and drives great. I would like gm to fix it. There are also other things that appear to be factory defaults like front suspension and more I won't go into now.
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 manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number 01v200000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint), although the failures were similar. The manufacturer further stated that they were not liable for the repairs. The failure mileage was 51,402.
97 gmc jimmy upper ball joint broke unexpectedly, repaired and inspected other upper ball joint found it was bad and replaced it . 2001 gmc jimmy upper ball joint broke unexpectedly, while on highway at 65 MPH could have been fatal but was able to keep vehicle under control.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, there was excessive play with the steering. The vehicle was inspected by an independent repair shop who replaced the front upper ball joints which corrected the problem. The manufacturer was alerted.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, there was a squeaking noise from the front suspension and upon turning any direction the steering wheel was difficult to steer. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. There was a the federal safety agency recall, #01v200000, regarding the suspension. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the VIN. The manufacturer was alerted. Updated 9/13/2006 -
Dt:the contact stated the upper and lower ball joints on both sides broke while driving in a parking lot. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealership, where the ball joints and the anti lock brake sensors were replaced. Contacted the manufacturer, there were the federal safety agency recalls 01i018000 and 01v200000, but this vehicle was not included in the recalls due to VIN. In addition, this vehicle experienced several other problems as well. The left door broke off while in the driveway, the male joint of the door broke when shutting the door. Also, the transmission and anti lock brakes were replaced. The anti lock brake sensor was replaced twice.
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.
While driving at any speed the vehicle would pull to the right. The vehicle was taken to an independent shop, and the mechanic determined that ball joints needed to be replaced. *ak *sc
While driving and turning to the left upper ball joints broke, and the wheel fell off. Dealer notified.
Questions about the 1997 GMC Jimmy suspension
Does the 1997 GMC Jimmy have suspension problems?
Owners have filed 54 complaints about the suspension of the 1997 GMC Jimmy, 20% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 1997 GMC Jimmy suspension problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 75,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1997 GMC Jimmy suspension?
Yes, 1 recall: 01V200000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the GMC Jimmy have bad suspension?
The GMC Jimmy model years with the most suspension complaints are 1997 (54 complaints), 1996 (49 complaints) and 2000 (39 complaints).
Other 1997 GMC Jimmy problems
Brakes 54Visibility 44Engine 38Transmission 33Electrical 28Fuel system 18Steering 18Airbags 16Lights 16Body 11Acceleration 8Seat belts 6Tires 5Wheels 4Locks 2Seats 2
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1997 GMC Jimmy?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history