5.9

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,818 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 GMC Jimmy electrical problems

electrical problem

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1998 GMC Jimmy Owner Comments

problem #11

Oct 192006

Jimmy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Key gets locked in the ignition and I can't remove it, the dash lights and gauges do not work and transmission doesn't start off in 1st gear. This has happened 4 other times and everytime I have had to have the ignition switch replaced and this is in a 3 year period. This has got to be the worth problem on these vehicles.

- Bessemer City, NC, USA

problem #10

Jul 232005

Jimmy 4WD 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 94,000 miles
I have a GMC Jimmy and the electrical switch keeps going on it. For two years now this is the thrid one I had to replace. When the switch goes, you no longer have any dash lights and your transmission does not work properly. You only have 2nd, and 3rd gear which causes a hazard because you have very little power when you are at a complete stop and then proceed to go. You better make sure nothing is coming as far as you can see because you start out very very slowly and it takes a while to get going at a faster rate to keep up with traffic. You also do not know on how fast you are traveling for a safe speed. I find this problem to be very dangerous for the driver and others out there on the road and considering it has happened 3 times within 2 years, I believe something should be looked into further on this.

- Hollsopple, PA, USA

problem #9

Nov 082004

(reported on)

Jimmy

  • miles
1998 GMC Jimmy experienced problems with ignition switch which caused instrument to panel lose power and transmission to lose first and second gear. Vehicle would only run in third and fourth gear. The key also became locked in the ignition. This was all due to the switch going bad.

- Unknown, DC, USA

problem #8

Oct 292003

(reported on)

Jimmy

  • 58,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Consumer was unable to remove keys from the ignition. Also, the battery and trip meter light illuminated on the digital instrument cluster. Was able to drive vehicle to dealership. The mechanic had to replace the ignition switch three times.

- Mayhill, NM, USA

problem #7

Jun 032003

Jimmy 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Ignition switch on my 1998 GMC Jimmy has had to be replaced each year since I purchased it - the dealer repair sheet shows that they replaced it at around 30K miles. I am a single mother with no additional income and no "extra" vehicle I need assistance in this matter.

- Inverness, FL, USA

problem #6

Aug 132001

Jimmy 4WD

  • miles
Consumer complaint of ignition switch failure.

- Salisbury Beach, MA, USA

problem #5

Jul 112001

Jimmy

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ignition switch failed three times, causing vehicle to automatically shut off. Consumer states that engine soon light illuminates, driver?S window motor failed and window will not go up or down, all dash lights and gauges will stop working, muffler has hole in it and makes loud noise, muffler and pipe exhaust system replaced, and when crank sometimes backfires and shifts hard, servo making bang shift, installed servo and 2 synolids.

- Fayette, AL, USA

problem #4

Aug 132001

Jimmy 4WD

  • miles
Consumer complaint of ignition switch failure.

- Salisbury Beach, MA, USA

problem #3

May 222001

(reported on)

Jimmy

  • miles
Cannot remove key from the ignition switch. Had taken vehicle to dealership, and mechanic replaced ignition and gear box. Problem has reappeared.

- Norcross, GA, USA

problem #2

Aug 252000

Jimmy 4WD

  • miles
Insturment panel not working, engine light on, transmission not shifting, keys stuck in ignition. Parts failing throughout this SUV

- Interlachen, FL, USA

problem #1

Mar 221999

Jimmy

  • miles
The car while driving at a high speed, lost power, the transmission dropped into low gear, and would only proceed at a slow speed, this happened more than once, the service engine malfunction light came on and stayed on.I was told by the dealer that they could not detect the problem. The problem occured near, for the third time, near coral springs GMC and I took the car into them immediately and they came up with transmissions codes on the computer. I was told to take the car back to king since the other dealer did not have a tranmission mechanic. King was contacted and I was told to bring the car in later, the engine malfunction light went off and it drove normally. The day I brought the car to king it occured again, and this time the symptoms were the same, but the instrument also went dead. King reported to me that the problem was not the transmission but the ignition switch which caused the computer to loose power, creating the transmission to downshift and, the car to loose engine power, and the instruments to fail. At high speed this creates some concern as you can imagine. They indicated it has happen on other vechiles. I contacted General Motors since I considered it a safety problem. I feel owners and other dealers should be notified, since apparently it is not easily recognized. Thank you.

- Weston, FL, USA

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