8th Feb 2010, 18:43
From a fellow/previous owner of a 99 Blazer, you have my sympathies. We bought ours thinking it was a good investment; how wrong we were. We paid over 20 grand with taxes in 2002. 2 years later and another 10 grand in repairs, we sold it for a mere 2500... This one of of GM's best looking/comfortable/good handling money pit lemons!! My advice, sell it ASAP...
19th Feb 2010, 18:06
Have a 1997 Blazer. Having trouble with the key not turning to the lock position, and releasing the key. Any comments?
20th Mar 2010, 05:19
That happened to me too. It's a security feature. Check your battery, once the battery gets to dead, the key locks in the ignition until you put in a new battery or charge up the one you have, then the key should come right out. Does it start up fine? If so, how is the battery readout?
3rd Apr 2010, 06:55
I bought my '97 Blazer 4 door 4X4 LS from a friend of a friend for $500 back in 2007. When I got it, the reverse was gone; I had the tranny rebuilt for $1,800. The brake line running to the rear brakes had a leak; I fixed it myself at no cost because my father and I re-did all the brake lines on his 1992 S-10 (still had brake line and connectors left over).
Since then I had a bit of an accident; hit black ice, slid off the road into the frozen dirt at about 70 kilometers. After that I checked everything over to find out that my ball joints on my driver side had about 2 inches of play. Had all 4 ball joints replaced (upper and lower) with lifetime warranty ball joints. My father taught me when you have to replace anything on your vehicle, DON'T replace it with factory garbage; get the best you can so you don't have to replace it for a long time.
When I got my Blazer, it had 252,000 kilometers on it; now it has 268,000 kilometers, and in that time I've done:
Coolant system flush, 2 oil changes, front brake pads rotors and calipers, air filter, fuel filter. Just the other day I did the plugs and plug wires, which I believe might have been original (plugs and wires were AC Delco), which I think are what come from factory, runs way better now with faster throttle response.
I've also taken apart all the dash switches and cleaned them, as well as the window switches, so everything works fine. I would just like to say everything that people keep complaining about is avoidable or preventable.
I never let my gas tank get below 1/4 tank, so I've never had to do the fuel pump yet. I am planning on getting a new tank and sending unit, so I will replace it while I have it out.
As for all of the ball joint problems, I have this to say: get the lifetime ball joints. I paid around $380 for all 4; well worth it. I'm assuming that everyone keeps buying the OEM replacements (garbage); those people should also take a close look at how they drive their vehicles as well.
As for all the brake complaints of premature wear of pads and rotors or drums and shoes... again DON'T buy the cheapest stuff you can, get the BEST you can because they're your brakes, and again look at how you drive. I like to let off the gas and let the engine and tranny slow me down first before I even touch the brakes. I checked my front brakes yesterday when I had to take off the front wheels to do the plugs and plug wires through the wheel well. They were still just as thick as they were when I put them on 2 years ago, and I drove from Niagara Falls, Ontario to Edmonton, Alberta with a U-Haul trailer.
So PLEASE stop complaining about Blazers being money pits or lemons; factory parts are cheap, but that's why you can buy the Blazer for around $35,000. So remember; when replacing those parts do it with quality ones; they cost more but last a lot longer than buying cheap ones you have to replace more often. I don't know about you, but I'd rather pay a large amount once, than a small amount 5 or 6 times that add up to be more than one large one in the end. Right?
14th Apr 2010, 10:24
I have to disagree with the last post. You bought yours for 500 bucks and fixed it up. When I and many others out there bought them new or nearly new, I paid 18,000 plus taxes for my old 99 in 2002, and I look after my stuff. It had a number of problems, many of which were not cheap, that were reoccurring over and over, and I never used it off road.
27th Apr 2010, 21:58
OK here's the thing, do you do your own work? If you have to pay to get anything done, then of course it won't be cheap.
Parts are another thing; like I said, don't buy cheap replacement parts.
I do most of my own work, but if there is something I can't do, then I research how to do it and what's involved, then I get the parts I need, and then I take it to a garage and get it done, after which I inspect the work myself to see if they are pulling a fast one on me; not everyone is honest.
8th Feb 2010, 13:45
Well, I have had Chevy trucks all my life, and could fix most problems myself with ease. Old Chevy's don't die.
But not until I had this 97 Blazer given to me. What a headache this was.
1. Before I could even drive it, I had to replace the ignition switch, about 170.00 later.
2. Minor body work, rocker panel driver side, 200.00 later.
3. Truck will lose its power like no gas pressure at all. It will idle fine, but when you step on the gas, it will die. It could be anything from fuel pump to electrical or fuel regulator, haven't figured it out yet. Fuel pumps for this monster are about 290.00 plus tax in Canada.
4. The rear end is vibrating, or hum noise, sounds like it might be a bearing.
I have an 86 Blazer full size, but the floor is gone, and in the midst of repairing it.
I can't wait to get rid of this thing, from what I have read from other users, it's an electrical nightmare.
But get this, the inside is nice and comfy; a little tight, but sound and clean, and the radio sounds good.
I just want to drive the darn thing a few miles without problems. My old truck, other than the floor gone, I can't kill it. It will always start, has never failed me.
I can't wait to see what goes next.
Wish me luck.