I'm considering the purchase of a 99 SLE Jimmy. I just want to check and see what types of problems that I might want to look for when I go and check it out on Saturday.
It only has 46000 miles on it, 4 x 4, etc.

I just bought a used 99 Jimmy 2dr SLS - beautiful shape, only 68k, driven by a girl to and from college. I see the only probs so far are the jumpy gas gauge and the seat handle, but these seem to be common throughout GMC's. Great ride though

I just bought a used 99 Jimmy 2dr SLS - beautiful shape, only 68k, driven by a girl to and from college. I see the only probs so far are the jumpy gas gauge and the seat handle, but these seem to be common throughout GMC's. Great ride though

You can buy replacement seat handles in the "HELP" section at AutoZone. They are about $8 for the set. They will work even if the splines on the shaft are broke.

I'm considering the purchase of a 99 SLE Jimmy. I just want to check and see what types of problems that I might want to look for when I go and check it out on Saturday.
It only has 46000 miles on it, 4 x 4, etc.

Take it for a long drive, go over some bumps and make a few tight turns. Listen for pops and cracks or any other signs that the ball joints maybe bad.

While driving ease the wheel to the left and then to the right. Listen for any groans from the front, pay close attention to any vibrations. If you feel a vibration and hear a groan that seem to appear while turning in one direction and fade away while turning in the other, that is a sign of a bad wheel bearing. They are a common problem and cost $150 each if you do the repair yourself.

The radiator caps are defective and cause the Dexcool to sludge-up so check the cooling system for sign of problems. Make sure the heater works, if it doesn't it could mean that the core is plugged with sludge, meaning that it is in the engine, too. If you buy it you will need to replace the cap with a Stant brand cap.

Check the oil lines for leakage, this is another common problem.

Listen closely to the AC compressor, for a leak, after the engine has been shut off, GM has a problem with the bodies of the compressors leaking

blazee, that was awesome!!!!

blazee, that was awesome!!!!

Thanks :biggrin:

UPDATE:::

I bought the Jimmy, and have had it about a month now. So far I am loving it, of course the jumpy gas guage is a drawback but oh well. Already changed out the radiator cap with the Stant one. Also, done some minor work to the inside :naughty:

For a 99 with only 46000 miles still under warranty and all that. I love it

Congradulations.

A few more tips:
The injection system has a weakness. The injectors are mounted in the center of the intake, when they spray the fuel it goes through a tube and enters the cylinder through a spring loaded valve. These valves are called a poppet valves, they are the weakness of the system. The poppet valves get clogged easily and can cause rough idle and misfires. If you add a bottle of Techron to the gas tank before each oil change, you will have a much better chance of not having any problems with them.

When you have your oil changed or if you do it yourself, make sure to grease the front end. Most people ignore their grease fittings and end up having to replace front end parts prematurely. There are 11 grease fittings:

Driver side:
upper ball joint......1 fitting
lower ball joint......1 fitting
inner tie rod end....1 fitting
outer tie rod end...1 fitting
pitman arm...........1 fitting

Passenger side
upper ball joint......1 fitting
lower ball joint......1 fitting
inner tie rod end....1 fitting
outer tie rod end...1 fitting
idler arm..............2 fittings

If it's still under warranty I would get the sending unit fixed for your gas gauge through the dealer.

Surprised no one mentioned checking the 4wd to make sure that the vacuum lines or the transfer case motor aren't bad. Just my :2cents: