1997 Chevrolet Blazer LS from North America - Comments

I have a 97 blazer 2 door and it runs like a clock. I pushed snow plows with it, towed boats that weigh morethan the truck. All I ever had to do was change the radiator and brakes. That thing is a beast now I'm putting a disc brake rear end in it. It has 95'000 miles now it's time to give it a makeover and put a bigblock and 1 ton axles under it so I can tow construction equipment...yeeeha.

My WONDERFUL 97 Blazer!

1.Broken Tailgate (won't open)

2.Broken rear-windsheild wiper

3.Broken Multi-function switch (NO BRAKELIGHTS)

4.Ball joint snapped driving home from Hospital w/Baby!

5.Idler arms

6.MAJOR oil leak! (newest problem, haven't fixed yet)

7.Rear speakers broken

8.Mirrors Rattle (waiting for them to fall off)

9.Sparkplugs (nightmare)

10.Pitman Arm

I'd keep going but I think you get the picture!

I called, emailed and wrote to chevy and they basically laughed at me! My truck was very well taken care of it was just built horribly, and the sad thing is, is I LOVE THE TRUCK!!!Good luck Blazer owners youll need it!

Owned my 97 Blazer since day one. It has driven all through Oklahoma and Texas before I sent it over to England for 18 months and then to Germany for two and a half years. In Germany we did hit black ice coming down a mountain early one morning but nothing serious happened to either me or the Blazer other than nearly going over the side of the mountain. Had wear and tear replacements as all vehicles will need and I did replace the door pins. Then on to Spain's Atlantic coast for another two and a half years of bad tight roads. Replaced both mirrors due to narrow roads and bad Spanish drivers. Fuel gauge in tank stopped working but not many Chevy dealers in Spain so it was a guess thing with mileage. Back to England for another four and a half years but first got caught going over the Pyrenees Mountains during a blizzard. Maybe a four wheel drive would be nice. But she made it just fine. Got the gauge fixed in England and then the tranny went so a new one was plunked in. I have replaced the fuel pump once and the belt several times but nothing that surprised me as she gets older. Back on a boat and now in Virginia and she still running good. However since she hasn't been in a Chevy garage since 97 and it's now 2008 I have spent over two thousand on minor maintenance that should've been done long ago. Good car think I'll keep her, beats a payment on something else. Oh yeah she was repainted in England for free when vandals attacked the paint job on a military installation and I had the under carriage sprayed since I spent so much time near the ocean.

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

My son was a victim of misfortune. He is 16 and a newly licensed driver as of Thurs (6-12-08). On Friday (6-13-08) his father purchased a 97 blazer for him. He spent all day Saturday and Sunday cleaning and preparing his blazer for everyday use. On Monday (6-16-08) he was set loose with his new vehicle only to experience an engine fire while driving it. The vehicle is now a total. (But thank God he wasn't injured) I have been researching to see if maybe there had been any recalls on the 97 Blazer for any problems that may have been the root of engine fires. Does anyone know?

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...