1997 Chevrolet Blazer LS from North America - Comments

I had the same problem with my driver side window except I could hear mine slipping. It would roll down about an inch the start slipping and if I pushed a little it would roll down the rest of the way, but I would have to pull it back up. It's a shame these Blazer's have so many problem's because they are nice looking vehicle's. I've already replaced the ball joint's and I'd recommend anyone to buy Moog balljoints when replacing those because they will last forever if you keep them greased. They cost a little more buy well worth it. I had to replace the waterpump and I blame that on the Dex-cool antifreeze. I'd recommend draining that stuff and flushing it good then replace with the green anti-freeze. As for the starting problem, your probably right about it being a fuel pump, but I hope it isn't.

My brother just got a 97 blazer and it looks like he has signs of some of these problems.

What does the rust on the dipstick mean???

I've owned a 1997 Chevy Blazer since early 2004. I've only ever had the water pump go out, and rust in the transmission stick.

The rear wiper doesn't spray (but it works) and it shakes around 60mph, but stops after 65mph.

It's been an amazing vehicle. I think I got really lucky. It's going on 135,000 miles and I couldn't be happier with it.

The most costly thing so far was fixing the air conditioning, which cost $600, but it's been running good for 2yrs now.

I do regular maintenance on it and I believe that's the key.

I'm planning on buying another Chevy soon.

I'm curious what you people do to your cars.

I've had a 97' blazer since it had 4 miles on it.

It currently has 191k miles.

I change my oil every 3, tune up every 15, changed the brakes twice, replaced the ball joints once, but that was only because I know every S10 model has problems with the ones made in mexico and changed the tires 3 times.

I had a fuse blow once. And My windshield cracked. And a plow hit my bumper, belt is beginning to squeak, but it is mighty old now.

This thing is solid, no body rot, no mechanical problems, tolerable on gas, and looks decent. Its moved me from Ma, to NY, to NJ, to PA, to Fl, and back to Ma.

This thing runs mint, and will probably run until I die at this rate. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Like others, I'm amazed by some of these comments. I bought my 97 Blazer new in 1996. It has 106,000 miles now and still runs great. I've replaced the wiper motor, alternator, brakes x2, tires, and radiator. That's it. All the suspension components are original and work fine.

It's hard to imagine what some of you are doing to your Blazers. That, or you have crooked/incompetent mechanics who are shafting you. Question what they tell you, and shop around.

Growing up my parents always had Nissans, that being said I don't like how small foreign cars are, so I wanted an American made truck, so I got a Yukon.

After that I got my 04 Avalanche, which I love, so when it was time to get my daughter a car to get her through college, I thought a Blazer with under 100k miles should do the trick. Boy was I way off.

Since I bought the 97' Blazer, about a year ago I have replaced the radiator (acid flushed the system $$$) intake manifold, had to get the engine rebuilt a week after the radiator $$$, the A/C compressor was leaking, so I got one from eBay to save some money, and hope to get a couple of years out of it, working fine now.

Now it's the idler arm has to be replaced. A relatively small cost I've been told by my mach. but a pain nonetheless. In total I have more than doubled the purchase price I paid in a year. For that price I should have gotten her a nice Pathfinder.

I too own a 1997 s10 blazer,

parts replaced:

water pump, intake manifold gasket, upper and lower ball joints, flushed and replaced dexcrap with green, front bearing hub assy both sides, rear bearings, transfused the transmission twice, water pump, replaced leaking oil lines, radiator, fuel injection octopus, 4x4 push button switch, and many other misc parts, I now need to replace the heater core, right side hub (again)... The car has 180000 miles on it and I want to get it too 200k I think this may be a world record for the 97 s10 blazer.

I own a 98 Blazer and have most of these problems, plus some more. I have owned it for just over a year, replaced the engine, front brakes, clutch, release bearing, slave clutch cylinder, had work on my front and rear differential, tires, rear U joint (front one now just went), all 4 ball joints are shot, oil cooling lines (twice since I replaced the engine), water pump.

And now all of a sudden, I get even worse gas mileage. For 60L (16 gallons) I am getting at most 250kms (155 miles) per tank when I used to be getting around 400kms. Does anyone have an idea what could be causing this?

I own a 1997 blazer 4x4 4 dr. I purchased it used at 90,000 miles. The following has happend since I purchased this vehicle.. in the fall of 2004.

SERVICE ENGINE - flashed since I purchased it, later found out that the dealer just wiped the code and did not fix it.

Air conditioning won't hold the freeze.

MY dash lights went out - I found out that it was my IGNITION switch... REPAIRED IT... $300. + dollars after mechanic.

The engine was sucking anti-freeze for a week, is now a Head Gasket December 2007. I check my fluids every time I fill up with fuel, so now I'm out another few hundred bucks..

The above could of started before I purchase the vehicle, when the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT was on off and on... I love the blazer... Just not the problems... My advise, TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK BEFORE YOU BUY IT.. TAKE IT TO AT LEAST 3 MECHANIC'S, CHECK THE RECALL LIST AND GET IT FIXED.

Miskitty_19@hotmail.com.

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.

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!!!

I just bought a 1997 chevy blazor ls about two months ago. it has been running great. it has 150000 miles on it. I do most of the mechanical stuff myself. so far I have repleaced the idler arm, front brakes, two inner tie rods, spark plugs and wires, oil change and flushed the radiator and put in more dex cool. I tell you people spending 600 dollars on garages. go to youre local parts store buy a book for youre vehicle that tells you how to fix things and make sure you check youre fluids all the time maybe every moring. just take care of them and if you can't do thigs youre self. go to several garages and get the best price most of time the smaller guys are better.

Good luck.

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.

I recently bought a 97 Chevy blazer, the owner told me that the reverse didn't work that's why he was getting rid of it, other than that it looks like it just came off the show room floor mint condition, does anyone know what it could be? all of the forward gears work with out a problem it just appears that it won't in gage reverse, I think it's an electrical plug or loss wire, not sure. any feedback would be greatly welcome.

I unfortunately own a 97 4wd chevy blazer bought it in 03 and since then have replaced ball joints, 2 transmissions, brakes brakes brakes brakes, ignition switch, multifunction turn signal switch, alternator, heater core because of dexcool, many batteries and am now having fuel problems... anyone want to buy it ha ha ha.