FaultScore

1998 GMC Jimmy airbag problems

15 of the 355 complaints about the 1998 GMC Jimmy are about the airbag system — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 100,000 miles.

F

15

Complaints

15

Crashes

1

Fires

11

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Frontal 11 73.3%
AIR Bags 4 26.7%

Airbags across every GMC Jimmy year

1995 35 34.0%
1996 16 15.5%
1997 17 16.5%
1998 15 14.6%
1999 10 9.7%
2000 10 9.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 134,000 miles Kalamazoo, MI Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FRONTAL ACCIDENT TO MY 1998 JIMMY AT 35 MPH. EXTENSIVE FRONT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NO AIR BAG CODES EVERYTHING WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. BOTH POLICE OFFICERS AGREED THAT WITH THE TYPE OF ACCIDENT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. BECAUSE OF NO DEPLOYMENT I WAS INJURED AND HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF MY INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #10241611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles Seabrook, NH Crash

AIR BAGS

DT: THE FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY WORK. THIS WAS OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS AND LATER STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. CONSUMER DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AFTER ACCELERATION FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS, AND THEN IT SHIFTED INTO GEAR. THE ABS WAS DELAYED WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE. THE BRAKES LOCKED, AND THEN THE VEHICLE SLID. THE BRAKES PADS WERE REPLACED EVERY THREE MONTHS, THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE RIGHT CONTINUOUSLY, AN ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED A YEAR AGO BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IN JANUARY 2004 THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, IT STRUCK A PARKED CAR AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 30 MPH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS WAS FRONT IMPACT. THE CONSUMER HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE VEHICLE. *AK.

NHTSA complaint #10134865 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Northridge, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 25-35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY INSURANCE COMPANY TO CALL NHTSA.

NHTSA complaint #10063418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clarence, NY Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 1998 GMC JIMMY. I T-BONED A LITTLE VOLKSWAGEN GOING APPX. 35 MPH. NEITHER MY DRIVER SIDE OR MY PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AFTER 15 MPH. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED IN 2002, AND I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT ANY RECALLS OR ANY THING. I FELT THAT THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. INSTEAD I ENDED UP SMACKING MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA complaint #10018609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 99,000 miles Roanoke, VA Crash

AIR BAGS

1998 GMC JIMMY WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT 6:35 A.M. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2003. THE VEHICLE IMPACTED AN EMBANKMENT AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, CAUSING IT TO ROLL TWICE AND EVENTUALLY REST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.

NHTSA complaint #10005598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Berryville, AR Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45MPH IN RAINING CONDITIONS, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON TO FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. OWNER'S MANUEL STATED THAT AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AT SPEED OF 18MPH.

NHTSA complaint #874653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Belton, KY Crash Fire 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, IT T-BONED A 1988 DODGE, DAKOTA AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK AFTER COLLISION, THERE WAS AN ENGINE FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #872554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Stone Mountain, GA Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD TRAVELING 40MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING TOWARDS CONSUMER WITH HIGH BEAMS ON, BLINDED CONSUMER'S VISION . CONSUMER, IN RETURN, HIT A VEHICLE ON A SIDE STREET THAT WAS COMING OUT INTO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #860121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Caneadea, NY Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING BEHIND A HUGE TANKER TRUCK CONSUMER STARTED TO PASS THE TRUCK AND LOST CONTROL. IT WAS SNOWING, AND VEHICLE WENT OVER AN ENBANKMENT, AND SLAMMED INTO CONCRETE HARD ENOUGHT TO BEND THE FRAME. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #858708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Borden Town, NJ Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WAS DRIVING 30MPH WHEN AN OBJECT APPEARED IN THE ROAD. AVOIDED OBJECT, BUT HIT TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT WITH THE POLE, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. BOTH DRIVER/PASSENGER WERE BELTED. DRIVER HIT STEERING WHEEL & BROKE NOSE IN TWO PLACES. PASSENGER HIT HANDLE ABOVE AIR BAG & LOST SOME FRONT TEETH. EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRABLE.

NHTSA complaint #857348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Klamath Fallls, OR Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DRIVERS SEAT SLID FORWARD FORCING MY KNEE INTO THE DASH. I SUSTAINED A CUT TO MY LEFT EYELID, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY HITTING THE STEARING COLUMN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY THOUGH I HIT THE REAR OF ANOTHER SUV, A BLAZER. SEAT BELT DID NOT SEEM TO HOLD ME IN PLACE OR RESTRAIN ME.

NHTSA complaint #714984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winnie, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE STEERING WHEEL ABRUPTLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT. WHEN I TRIED TO STEER THE VEHICLE BACK ON THE ROAD, THE STEERING DID NOT RESPOND WELL. THE STEERING WAS OUT OF CONTROL. THIS CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO DO A 180 AND GO OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE SUBSEQUENTLY FLIPPED 4 OR 5 TIMES. ALSO THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS FRONT END DAMAGE.

NHTSA complaint #706757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pinewood, SC Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 35 -40 MPH VEHICLE HIT A TREE AND ROLLED OVER. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAG SYSTEM DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.

NHTSA complaint #837689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Farmington, NH Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

I WAS STRUCK HEAD-ON (RIGHT OF VEHICLE CENTER) BY A DRUNKEN DRIVER. MY SPEED WAS APPROX 30MPH AND HIS WAS APPROX 50MPH. THE IMPACT OF THE COLLISION SHEARED OFF THE FRONT AXLE AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND ROLLED MY VEHICLE ONTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint #705141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Zephyr Cove, NV Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYED IN FRONT END CRASH @ 45 MPH. ON STRAIGHT ROAD, DURING FLASH HAIL STORM. REMOVED FOOT FROM GAS PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN. THIS CAUSED REAR END TO START SLIDING LEFT. RECOVERED, BUT THEN STARTED SLIDING RIGHT. NO ROOM TO RECOVER AND CRASHED.

NHTSA complaint #703424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 GMC Jimmy problems

← Full 1998 GMC Jimmy report