1999 GMC Jimmy SLS from North America - Comments

I've got a 1992 GMC Jimmy, with 272,200km on it, it's on its 4th owner, and it's been maintained. It's engine is feeling it's age, but otherwise it's in relatively good shape, the gas mileage is nothing noteworthy, neither good or bad, it's average for it's class.

The drivers side door sags and needs to be slammed to close properly, the suspension provides a fairly punishing ride, but has the guts to be pushed. The ABS doesn't work, but the brakes still function well.

This is a truck at heart, and not the sort of vehicle that you want to be running short errands with, it's designed to work, and work hard, if you're looking for a vehicle to pick up groceries and drive to work and park for the rest of the day... Get a car.

These trucks seem to be hit or miss, if you get a good one it'll last forever, if you get a bad one, it'll seem to fall apart as soon as you get it on the highway. My mother had a 1989 Blazer which she drove to over 600,000kms with little mechanical problem. I've owned a '96 Blazer that threw a rod and died at 190,000 after I invested lots of money trying to keep it on the road.

I would buy another one, because, ultimately, they suit my lifestyle, and they are plentiful and cheap, and I know what to look for when buying one. If you are buying from a dealer, don't take his word for it, have it checked out by a trusted mechanic, as these trucks are tough enough to be hiding massive mechanical failures and keep running... it happens that these trucks will keep on truckin' when they are in their death throes... I threw a rod in my last one and kept driving to the next service station down the highway. I've never seen a CAR do that before. Can the Japanese manufacturers say that their trucks are as rugged? Maybe... but I know that GMC can.

Helpful Tips regarding GMC Jimmy 1999 SLS (4x4) that I have experienced already.

1) If the 4x4 does not siwtch over from 2L to 4Hi or to 4Lo, then it could be a problem with Vacuum Lines in Transfer case. It could also be a Bad ground in the switch.

2) While driving it, you hear a humming sound and pulls to one side, then this could be a) Wheel bearings need to be replaced or b) Front Differential has to be replace.

3) You experience that the SUV won't turn on while crancking the switch and you know that it's not the battery or engine problem, then this is definetly the Fuel Pump that has to be replaced.

4) Turning your truck to left (or right) and you hear a crank sound in the front wheels, well this undesireable noise is cause by rusty Ball Joints that need replacing.

1999 GMC Jimmy

Has around 100k.

I bought it with approx 70k.

Brakes twice - myself

Ball joints - myself

Fuel pump - myself

Something expensive in transmission - wife had it done while I was in Iraq

Maybe more I cannot remember.

Windows sometimes don't work.

Rear wiper does not work.

Using some oil and coolant.

Will not shift into 4 hi or 4 auto; the light just blinks.

I will soon be 58 years old, have all ways driven chevy., gmc. and harleys. after my last auto. a 1998 4x4 4 door jimmy, I now own a 2003 toyota, can anyone guess why???

I purchased my Jimmy in 1999 and my repair list is also very long. My situation is a GM employee and worked in the Assembly plants that built many of those Jimmy, and I noticed that during the assembly operations, local management and the operators changed the sequence of how Central Office determined the correct way to build those trucks and defects can happens and then later they arrive at dealers. It is is why there are some many good trucks out there and some bad trucks. The good news is that GM has been making big changes in every plant to ensure that every truck is built correctly every time.

1999 GMC Jimmy SLS (110,000KM)

Eratic blinker clicking under passenger side dashboard cause by short in the cruise control arm. Need to dissassemble and remove lubricant and metalic dust.

Replaced front ball joints.

Drivers side door out of alignment.

Premature corosion of rotors causing squeeking and grinding.

Rear wiper noisey as heck.

Water pump failed and replaced.

Alternator failed and replaced.

Driveshaft made squeeking noise caused by a frozen U joint.

Lifters making horendous noise, but solved by doing a full Sea Foam treatment in gas tank, crankcase oil, and brake booster vacuum intake.

All in all, not "professional grade".