Potential H3 buyer here. I've done some reading on the forum so far about the most common issues with the various H3 models: 2006 heads, radiator failure, battery terminals, roof leaks. Most of the threads I've come across in my searches are from quite a few years ago now, though. Any new issues you H3 owners have come across in the last few years?

I'm getting ready to ditch my Jeep WJ, which has become a bit of a ticking time bomb. I know that 10+ year old SUVs are going to have their share of problems, but I get the sense that H3's have held up pretty well? Any chronic repairs that are just a pain to fix? I do some of my own work, and I don't mind doing repairs, but for instance my WJ has gone through two heater cores, and that is an absolute nightmare to fix.

Thanks for any advice!

 

I will take a heater core over a i5 engine any day.

 

I'm impressed that your Beijing Jeep is still on the road, and you are still alive, and able to post?

 

Really? What specifically is a pain about the i5?

Taking out the entire dash is pretty much my worst nightmare.

 

My I5 (>180K miles) has been quite robust. A number of sensors, etc have gone bad that I've had to diagnose and fix. For me, the biggest issue has been the transmission. I'm on my second rebuild, and at about $3K each time, I'd prefer not to do it again. A little over a year left on the warranty from the latest rebuild, so we'll see...

 

Roof leaks? Since when? Yes, sunroof drains can get plugged due to lack of maintenance like any other vehicle with a sunroof. They ALL require maintenance which is an occasional cleaning and rinse through of the drains or the drain tube termination grommet mod.

Roof leaks because of broken roof rack track rivnuts are far and few between.

My 2007 Adventure had one issue just before I sold it last April, the airbag module died and needed to be replaced and programmed. That I5 ran strong with performance mods, did everything ever asked of it, including pulling an overweight load (23' Big Block Bowrider on Tandem Axle Trailer) 400 miles back to Detroit from near Milwaukee.

When you hear I5 bashing, it is a failure to understand how they work. Straight I5s makes a bunch TQ for their size. Is a 5,3L better? .... sure. If you think you are going to be drag racing kids in Fart Pipe equipped compacts, the H3 is not your choice. You want to wheel through some crazy off road obstacles and drive something that is not a cookie cutter copy of the Jones' Jeep/SUV....then the H3 is for you.

My 2009 Alpha Off Road has zero issues.....

 

Like any 14+ year old used vehicle.
Mileage, maintenance and overall condition!

 

Sorry, I misspoke. I meant the sunroof draining problem, not that the roof actually leaked. My bad.

 

My big boy is still doing fine , just will replace a front half shaft and seal tomorrow, cause it was damaged.
For the rest, my 14 years old rig is still my best, forgot the pic

 

2007 Hummer H3 Adventure, 110000 miles on the 3.7 L5, and yes I've had a good amount of repair bills, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else in its class. The biggest thing so far is my BCM fried and had to do a 700$ repair on that (possibly due to sunroof leak). To be fair, once it reached 98k miles, it say in a driveway for 2 years almost and never was touched. Rat infested it and after tearing the entire inside apart, and a ton of broken plastic clips later, its still my favorite vehicle. I didn't listen to everyone saying "Don't put 35s if you are mostly highway miles", ReadLift torsion keys and shackle, and 35in Nitto Ridgegrapplers and 20in Fuel Mavericks and it handles it fine (AFTER the tune).. A tune is probably the best and most enjoyable modification. Lifted, 35x11.5x20Rs, Straight pipe from cats back, Airdoc intake, K&N filter, and a tune by a local shop, I get 13-14MPG city (and I like the way it sounds when the pedals all the way down), and around 17MPG Highway. A lifted F-150 with the 3.5 on 35in tires gets average of 9MPG. So I'd say the L5 handles it really well! Replaced belt, powered steering pump replaced, and full synthetic oil changes and that's about all the general repairs done so far after 100,000 miles. BUT the #1 best thing about owning the H3, is this forum. ANY issue I've had, instead of taking it to a shop, I search this forum and 9/10 times it's a easy DIY repair. Basically, if you take good care of it, you'll be perfectly fine. Black paint still shines and is a mirror when washed.