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View Full Version : How bad are the older Chevy Blazers?



Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 02:38 PM
I'm thinking of buying a 1999 Blazer from a buddy. It's in extremely nice shape with about 100K miles on the clock (160K Kms). He will let me have it cheap.
.... so I hit the Internet to do some reading and discover this car is generally hated: intermittent electrical problems with the power windows, locks, and interior lights, extremely low fuel economy, front end requiring rebuild every 60K Kms, front CV joint problems, and a few other things that sound common. The general concensus of the 110 negative reviews (of 170) is that they are expensive vehicles to own.
I notice alternators and radiators aren't on the list. Don't they use the same alternators and rads as the full size pickup trucks?
I'm sure this truck has a bad frontend. It wonders a lot. It has big tires so that is probably part of it. I don't mind rebuilding the front end, if that's all it would take to make it perfect.
This is the 4x4 version of the truck and it has every feature from heated leather seats, CD changer, and so on. It's all there and it all works and looks like new except for some surface cracking in the leather on the driver's seat close to the door.
To be fair ot the vehicle, a lot of the negative reviews are really more about terrible to non-existant dealer service causing a fault to turn into a big, big deal.
I guess what I'd like to know is how bad are they? Does anyone here have some service nightmare stories to share?
I'm thinking of picking it up Tuesday. It is cheap and I could use a four wheel drive as winter approaches. Did I mention it was cheap? :D

Kachina26
08-19-2007, 02:44 PM
I'm thinking of buying a 1999 Blazer from a buddy. It's in extremely nice shape with about 100K miles on the clock (160K Kms). He will let me have it cheap.
.... so I hit the Internet to do some reading and discover this car is generally hated: intermittent electrical problems with the power windows, locks, and interior lights, extremely low fuel economy, front end requiring rebuild every 60K Kms, front CV joint problems, and a few other things that sound common. The general concensus of the 110 negative reviews (of 170) is that they are expensive vehicles to own.
I notice alternators and radiators aren't on the list. Don't they use the same alternators and rads as the full size pickup trucks?
I'm sure this truck has a bad frontend. It wonders a lot. It has big tires so that is probably part of it. I don't mind rebuilding it, if that's all it would take to make it perfect.
This is the 4x4 version of the truck and it has every feature from heated leather seats, CD changer, and so on. It's all there and it all works and looks like new except for some surface cracking in the leather on the driver's seat close to the door.
To be fair ot the vehicle, a lot of the negative reviews are really more about terrible to non-existant dealer service causing a fault to turn into a big, big deal.
I guess what I'd like to know is how bad are they? Does anyone here have some service nightmare stories to share?
I'm thinking of picking it up Tuesday. It is cheap and I could use a four wheel drive as winter approaches. Did I mention it was cheap? :D
EGR valve issues, injector issues (expensive repair, may have been repaired under a special warranty policy though), I've replaced the occasional 4wd selector motor (obviously not a problem if it's not a push button 4wd). Power windows not more of an issue than any other car I've worked with. Rattles galore. Get rid of the dexcool in the cooling system, if the system develops a leak, it turns to mud and clogs everything. Interior light and lock issues usually are due to a broken wire in areas that get a lot of flex, like between the door and the body. Fuel mileage is not super, but not off par for that type of vehicle. Really not a bad vehicle though.
Just out of curiosity, what exactly does the front end wonder about?

Roaddogg 4040
08-19-2007, 02:44 PM
I have owned three: 89, 92 and a 99 Had no problems with any of them. One I put 189K on and only put a water pump an alternator and a couple of tail light bulbs. Great vehicles for me...
Steve
EDIT: These were Blazers first then changed to Tahoes... I had the ones built on the truck chassis. Oh never mind... You are going to do what you want anyway, right... LOL..

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 02:52 PM
Thanks, guys.
This is really a nice truck. It's been well taken care of and looks like new.
I'm going to pick it up Tuesday.

UncleJoe
08-19-2007, 02:56 PM
I have a 1999 Tahoe 4 door 4X4 which I purchased new in 1998. It has 74,540 miles on it and has been a great vehicle. I had transmission work done under warranty and just replaced the waterpump. I do preventative maintenance on my equipment. This truck tows my boats well and has seen it's share of off road action. Never abused. No problems with the electronic 4 wheel drive. Runs cool. On the negative side, about 10MPG around town and 15MPG to 18MPG on the hwy.
Buy it Tom

RitcheyRch
08-19-2007, 02:58 PM
I know someone with an '89 Blazer and think they have over 250K miles on it. The paint looks like crap but still runs and drives good.

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 03:00 PM
I have a 1999 Tahoe....
I believe the Tahoe is built on the full size truck platform. The Blazer/Jimmy are built on the S10/S15 platform, which also receives terrible reviews.

a catered life
08-19-2007, 03:06 PM
I have a 1999 Tahoe 4 door 4X4 which I purchased new in 1998. It has 74,540 miles on it and has been a great vehicle. I had transmission work done under warranty and just replaced the waterpump. I do preventative maintenance on my equipment. This truck tows my boats well and has seen it's share of off road action. Never abused. No problems with the electronic 4 wheel drive. Runs cool. On the negative side, about 10MPG around town and 15MPG to 18MPG on the hwy.
Buy it Tom
we have a 2wheel tahoe and love it bought it used with about 50,000 miles...all of the older chevy's are pretty good trucks except for the fuel pump issues and milage....we have also had two astros which is the same engine as the small blazer (i think) on the first astro 190,000 miles one transmission and about 185,00 on this one second transmission about to nbe done

UncleJoe
08-19-2007, 03:08 PM
I believe the Tahoe is built on the full size truck platform. The Blazer/Jimmy are built on the S10/S15 platform, which also receives terrible reviews.
Yes they are basically a truck. I have not heard any negatives on the 4X4 front end. Mine handles great. Has speed sensitive steering.

pw_Tony
08-19-2007, 03:32 PM
I own a 1992. It has some 4x4 problems, the transfer case is takin a shit, and the module is done too. Mine's got a 4.3 and it kinda has an overheating problems. But all my electrical work ok. Those are just my experiences for them though

pw_Tony
08-19-2007, 03:34 PM
But mine's lifted so that could be the problem. Horrible gas mileage, does an hones 10mpg, probably cause of the tires though. But other than that the interior has held up real well with leather and what not.
http://i14.tinypic.com/5y2drow.jpg

jh4rt
08-19-2007, 03:37 PM
Hi Tom.
You don't know me, although (from lurking) I feel as if I know you.
Meanwhile, I owned one of these blazers. It was the second biggest POS I ever owned (and I have owned a lot of cars including a BMW). The only vehicle I owned which was more problematic/full of recalls was a '93 ford mustang. (I actually traded the mustang for the blazer in 96). I traded the blazer back in for a suburban in 98.
So... my advice is to stay away from the blazer.
--humbly.
Jim

rrrr
08-19-2007, 03:42 PM
Jeezus, TOM!!!! Every day that goes by I get closer to the grave. I don't need you telling me that a 1999 vehicle is OLDER!!!:mad: :mad:
Mmmmmk?? :D

Pussywhippled
08-19-2007, 04:10 PM
I had a 99' I sold about a year ago.
And I regret selling it everyday...

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 04:41 PM
So... my advice is to stay away from the blazer.
Thank you for the advice, Jim.
Many others share your sentiments. It strikes me a good winter truck but if it's broken all the time, it's of little value to me.
I've got a couple more days to think about it.

Sherpa
08-19-2007, 04:42 PM
crimany,
99 is an "old" blazer..........
I thought you wanted info on like a 72 or something.....
anything GM late 90's is gonna have intank fuel pump/fuel guage sending unit issues, freon got changed in those years.
700r4 trans were crap. NP belt-drive transfer cases die, (not from over-use,
but from just driving... the sun gear/planetaries wear out)
anything IFS front 4x4 is crap. period.
be ready for a new cat at some point. emissions were pretty decent though.
--Sherpa

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 04:45 PM
I don't need you telling me that a 1999 vehicle is OLDER!!!:mad: :mad:
I thought all the ballers in here lease a new Enzo every year. :confused:
I keep my vehicles for a long time. Hell, I keep them almost as long as Rexone keeps his shit.

Kachina26
08-19-2007, 04:47 PM
intake manifolds leak too. Just remember though, I saw the worst of the worst working at the dealer.

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 04:54 PM
This guy wanted to give me a spare transmission and transfer case he has kicking around in his shed as part of the deal. He used to have two of these trucks but totalled one off and kept some parts from it for the day he might need them. He has a spare set of wheels too, which I told him I would take with the truck.
I told him I wasn't interested in drive train components. I'm still not. If it needs that stuff, I need to pass.
My brother put 600K Kms on a '92 Ford Explorer that he basically abandoned last year because it wouldn't pass a safety inspection (terrible rust). He had to replace the intake manifold gasket three times and u-joints twice but that seems pretty minor, repair wise, for that many years. Of course, he doesn't have all the luxury options on it, either.

MADDOG355
08-19-2007, 05:03 PM
Tom some of the mid 90's Blazers had a major electrical problem (I beleve it was related to the new harness and computer for the TPI 4.3). From what I understand these problemes normally surfaced pretty early and were repaired under warranty.
As for the 4x4 system they are pretty good if used regularly the solinoids (sp) normally hold up well. The CV problems are normally related to operator error. The 4x4 must be engaged BEFORE the truck is stuck so it can enguage (sp) smoothly (it even says this in the manual!), The problem occers when the truck is already immobile the you try to shift into 4wheel drive and apply the throttle and it shock loads the CV joints. (Kinda like dumping the clutch at 3,000 rpms).
Now for steering. Check the pitman and idler(sp) arms these are the normal culprits and not that expensive.
Hope this helps some Tom

yopengo
08-19-2007, 05:07 PM
1999 aint an older Blazer, 1972 is http://theinsideline.org/forums/images/smilies/th_tha045.gif
And they're pretty cool, you can do anything to them with a 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16 open end wrench :D
1969-1970....Great Blazers. :D My inlawas have a 1999 and love it.

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 05:07 PM
Yes, that helps.
The car is perfect, other than it does drift around a little in the lane when you try to keep it straight. I marked some of that down to big tires but another friend who has a 2000 Jimmy has the same tires (they are stock but they are much bigger than car tires) and hers tracks nicely.
The only dirt this car has seen is flowerbeds he drives by when he pulls into the garage. This vehicle has never been off road. I know the owner well and he has no use for that. He did use it to tow an Odyssey for his kids but the track he goes to is paved right up to the club house, including the parking lot. I'm sure it's never been abused.
It's had a few problems, though. One of them was a broken rear tailgate handle. It's a plastic handle and they don't last very well if you use them in the winter up here.

Jbb
08-19-2007, 05:10 PM
Admit it Brown.....you are late on the lot fee's again......and you have been kicked out of the park.....
You're gonna live in that Blazer......aren't you?
It doesn't take rocket appliances to see what's going on here!

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 05:15 PM
With the price of Vodka these days, I might have to live in it.

Jbb
08-19-2007, 05:28 PM
With the price of Vodka these days, I might have to live in it.
Remember ...its not like it used to be...no bangin behind the muffler shop...the cops always look there...:jawdrop:

hoolign
08-19-2007, 06:23 PM
Nice truck Tom
http://kijiji.ebayimg.com/i11/06/k/000/77/bb/b9a0_20.JPG

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 06:27 PM
Is that the actual truck he's buying? Looks pretty clean for a 1999 if that's it.
That's not the truck. Nice as that is, the truck I'm looking at is cleaner than that.

hoolign
08-19-2007, 06:29 PM
Is that the actual truck he's buying? Looks pretty clean for a 1999 if that's it.
Not sure actually, just googled 99 chev blazer for sale in Regina..and that's all it came back with... :)

hoolign
08-19-2007, 06:31 PM
That's not the truck. Nice as that is, the truck I'm looking at is cleaner than that.
There is more than 1 truck for sale in regina?? :eek:
There's a 95 H1 in toon town :idea:

Riverdog1
08-19-2007, 06:41 PM
Well dude, wrong there. I have a 1999 Chevy Tahoe. I bought it new and it just turned 108K last week. All I have ever done with it is the normal maintenance like hoses, belts, brakes, oil, etc...It has been absolutely the most reliable vehicle I have had. No probs with any of the accessories. It runs absolutely perfect, no oil leaks and the gas mileage averages 17.6 mpg with 3:73 gears on a 5.7 Liter. As a matter of fact, I have never changed the plugs and they still don't need to be. So, there's your variance in bad reviews. Hope this helps.
PS. If you beat the hell out of it, any make of truck will have issues.

Riverdog1
08-19-2007, 06:44 PM
Oops, sorry dude, didn't realize you were talking about an S10 Blazer. I am not a big fan of the smaller ones and they do have some issues...

XtrmWakeborder
08-19-2007, 06:45 PM
I have a 97 4 door blazer and will give you my take on it. It has been a pretty good truck so far. It gets my from a to b and has 166k miles on it now I think. The things I have replaced have been the motor mounts "i think lowering it put more stress on them", the egr valve, the brake power booster, the fuel pump, oil cooler lines, alternator, brake master cylinder, tranny, water pump, thermostat, and thats about it. Haha now that I think about it thats kinda a lot. All of that was done within the 40k miles I put on it. Hopefully I get a new truck soon. Oh and just btw it gets 16mpg city/freeway, and 100 percent freeway it may get 20.

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 06:45 PM
Well dude, wrong there. I have a 1999 Chevy Tahoe.
Thanks, dude. If I'm ever interested in a GM product built on the full size truck platform, I'll take your advice into consideration.

IMPATIENT 1
08-19-2007, 06:46 PM
pull off the radiator cap and look in, if it looks like red mud on the radiator cap or in the radiator, walk away from it(or run). when they get like that(and most of the 99blazers do, i've got a 99 myself) the block is full of the shit, the heater core is full of it, and the radiator will be 1/2 clogged with it.
my wife just overheated and blew my blazer up.i'm a shop foreman for a gm dealership so it wasn't a real big deal but i still had to replace heater core, have radiator cleaned, and replaced every hose on it to get that mud shit out. i put good ole green antifreeze back in it;)

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 06:47 PM
Oops, sorry dude, didn't realize you were talking about an S10 Blazer.
No problem, dude. Thanks for the thought.
This has turned into a bitchen thread. :cool:

Jbb
08-19-2007, 06:49 PM
Hey, Tom, have you ever considered maybe stepping up to a 2000-2001 Tahoe. Seems like you could get a lot of good advice about that truck. ;)
Yeah...you might be able to pull some higher class tail with it too...:D

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 06:50 PM
Yeah. :D
Riverdog isn't the first person to mis-read a thread so I'm going to cut him some slack.
... but believe me, if Jetboat Bryan had done the same thing, I would be going off like a concussion grenade right now.

Jbb
08-19-2007, 06:51 PM
Yeah. :D
Riverdog isn't the first person to mis-read a thread so I'm going to cut him some slack.
... but believe me, if Jetboat Bryan had done the same thing, I would be going off like a concussion grenade right now.
Please make a note Canatard.....Brian

IMPATIENT 1
08-19-2007, 06:51 PM
Yeah...you might be able to pull some higher class tail with it too...:D
hey now, i've got a 99 blazer too. maybe we're just man enough not to have to "compensate";) :D :lightsabe

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 06:51 PM
Please make a note Canatard.....Brian
What ever you say, dude.

78TaylorSS460
08-19-2007, 07:21 PM
I had a '98 Z-71 and it was good except for the push buttom 4x4. It make horrible noises going into 4L, not just the normal little sound. Then sometimes it would decide not to go in to 4x4 or sometimes it didn't want to come out. It probably has a different t-case than a blazer though. I just stay away from push button 4x4 and stick to the manual 4x4.

jh4rt
08-19-2007, 07:26 PM
No problem, dude. Thanks for the thought.
This has turned into a bitchen thread. :cool:
I'm just so excited to be a part of it !!!!:D :D :D :D :D

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 07:39 PM
Righteous! :cool:

Jbb
08-19-2007, 07:45 PM
What ever you say, dude.
Thats It Brown...Im coming up there and Im gonna F**[ The rest of this post has been suspended by the automatic threat detection and elimination system].....:jawdrop:

Tom Brown
08-19-2007, 07:51 PM
Thats It Brown...Im comong up there and Im gonna F**[ The rest of this post has been suspended by the automatic threat detection and elimination system].....:jawdrop:
That right there has got to be a violation of some kinda rule. http://www.***boat.com/ubb/graemlins/idea_2.gif

sorry dog
08-20-2007, 08:56 PM
We had a '98 model in the construction fleet. I think they are OK mechanically, but ours ate a couple of computers in 130k. Milage was 17-18. Main reason it got traded in early besides the electical issues was the interior space was tight considering the size of the vehicle. The last guy who had it weighed 300 and he looked rather rediculous in it.
I assume the price is really good, but a 4 runner of the same vintage is pretty good vehicle that is about the same size and can last a really long time.

OGShocker
08-21-2007, 06:24 AM
Click here Tom....
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/blazer/1999/consumerreview.html

Some Kind Of Monster
08-21-2007, 08:08 AM
I'm looking for a motor for that exact vehicle.
If you buy that truck Tom, ask if he is willing to sell the extra motor and ship it.
Oh FYI our 99 Jimmy's motor spontaneously exploded. It was a great truck up to this.

IMPATIENT 1
08-21-2007, 08:14 AM
I'm looking for a motor for that exact vehicle.
If you buy that truck Tom, ask if he is willing to sell the extra motor and ship it.
Oh FYI our 99 Jimmy's motor spontaneously exploded. It was a great truck up to this.
check for the crap in the radiator, if its there, your motor will overheat and the guage will never show it. the mud shit acts like block filler, eventually blocking most of the block off from getting proper flow. the temp sender is in the head so its always seein "good temp" but its actually overheating the block itself, the heads will be cooling.

Some Kind Of Monster
08-21-2007, 08:19 AM
check for the crap in the radiator, if its there, your motor will overheat and the guage will never show it. the mud shit acts like block filler, eventually blocking most of the block off from getting proper flow. the temp sender is in the head so its always seein "good temp" but its actually overheating the block itself, the heads will be cooling.
Money.
I'm going to pull the old motor apart to see exactly what happened but I think you are on the money. This is my moms truck and she doesn't know any better so... It's going to be a lil project locating a used motor and swapping them out.

IMPATIENT 1
08-21-2007, 08:28 AM
Money.
I'm going to pull the old motor apart to see exactly what happened but I think you are on the money. This is my moms truck and she doesn't know any better so... It's going to be a lil project locating a used motor and swapping them out.
i'm a gm dealership shop foreman, i see it all the time, even had to replace my own motor in my 99 s10 blazer last month cause of this shit! when you do the motor, have the radiator rodded and cleaned. only way to totally get rid of the stuff is to replace everything that has to do with coolant. put good ole green back in;)
ps. i found a decent motor reman place and bought my short block for 350bucks, fresh 40 over. might check into doin that and save yourself a buck. i had my heads worked, replaced all hoses, replace the water pump, replaced the motor, had the radiator rodded and cleaned. i still see alittle mud floating around, which is coming outta the heater core:mad: its gonna leak over the winter i'm sure:mad: :mad: i think i got out for under 1k doin that way.