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1997 GMC Sierra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sierra years

Owner complaints for the 1997 GMC Sierra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 49 of 238 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports5 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

28 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 1999
Power Train

I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK IN JANUARY 1998. 2 WEEKS LATER IT WAS IN THE SHOP. THIS PATTERN CONTINUED EACH TIME. THE COMPLAINT WAS CONCERNING TRANSMISSION. BUT EACH TIME THEY WOULD REPLACE SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD. THE TRUCK WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 50 DAYS IN A YEARS TIME. ON OCTOBER 4, 1999 I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN THE TRUCK G…

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I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK IN JANUARY 1998. 2 WEEKS LATER IT WAS IN THE SHOP. THIS PATTERN CONTINUED EACH TIME. THE COMPLAINT WAS CONCERNING TRANSMISSION. BUT EACH TIME THEY WOULD REPLACE SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD. THE TRUCK WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 50 DAYS IN A YEARS TIME. ON OCTOBER 4, 1999 I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN THE TRUCK GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, JAMMED IN 1ST GEAR. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED. IT TOOK THE DEALER 10 DAYS TO MAKE A DECISION ON REPAIRING THE TRUCK. THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND IT IS STILL A MAJOR HASSLE TO GET IT REPAIRED. CONTACTED GM AND HAD TO HAVE THEM INTERVENE. HAD THEY OF FIXED THE TRUCK THE PRIOR 5 TIMES IT WAS IN FOR REPAIR THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. THEY CONTINUALLY DENIED PROBLEMS EXISTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A VORTEX TRUCK I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHER EXISTING PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR OF TRUCK AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. BUT I HAD PROBLEMS WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK AFTER PURCHASE AND EACH AND EVERY TIME THEY WOULD REPAIR SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD OF FIXING THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANNY WAS IN PIECES WHEN IT ARRIVED TO THE DEALER FROM THE TOW TRUCK. THEY STILL DID NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THEY WERE TRYING TO FORCE ME TO PAY A PART OF THIS REPAIR. THEY WERE VERY RUID AND INCOOPERATIVE ABOUT THE WHOLE DEAL. A TOTAL OF 16 DAYS THEY HAD THE TRUCK THIS TIME. IN OCTOBER OF 98 THEY HAD THE TRUCK FOR 19 DAYS AND STILL COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. EACH TIME I WOULD GET THE TRUCK BACK THEY WOULD SHOW SOME REPAIR FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE TRANSMISSION. EACH REPORT REFLECTED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRUCK NO SHIFTING INTO GEAR FROM 1ST TO 2ND. THEY GAVE ME A BLOW OFF MEMO FROM GM. STATING THE WHNINING NOISE FROM THIS TRANSMISSION WAS NORMAL. HOWEVER, THEY FAILED TO REALIZE THEIR MEMO RELFECTED PROBLEMS FROM PARK TO GEAR AND FROM N TO REVERSE. MY TRUCK WOULD FAIL TO SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND IT WOULD WHINE. AND IT WOULD CLUNK AND STILL THEY DIDN'T FIX IT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #713638

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 1999
Power Train

TRANS STARTED SHIFTING VERY HARD. ONCE IN HIGH GEAR OPERATED WELL. DEALER WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH 1YR 10 MOS. OLD DUE TO OVER 36000 MILES BY LESS THAN 2000.

NHTSA ODI #710912

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 1999
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/ OVERDRIVE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING AN ABRUPT FORWARD JUMP FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #841659

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 1999
Power Train

REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS LEAKING.

NHTSA ODI #543216

Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 1998
Power Train

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, CAUSING LOUD NOISE AND POSSIBLY RESULTING IN TOTAL FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #829481

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 1998
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT A HIGH SPEED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #824702

Mileage unknown · Oct 22, 1997
Electrical SystemPower Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #605548

Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 1997
Power Train

VEHICLE MAKES A THUMPING NOISE DUE TO DEFECTIVE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCKING UNIT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #522663

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.