SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

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.

About this comparison →
238Owner complaints

Model-year median: 53

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
190
1994261
1995246
1996238
1997190
1998600
1999443
2000
Compare all Sierra years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
63Steering
63Power Train
28Visibility
24Engine And Engine Cooling
15
All reported categories
Electrical System
12Suspension
11Fuel System, Gasoline
9Tires
9Seats
6Unknown Or Other
6Service Brakes, Air
5Structure
5Air Bags
4Exterior Lighting
4Fuel System, Other
4Vehicle Speed Control
4Latches/locks/linkages
3Seat Belts
3Engine
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

63 reports
Clear category filter
115,000 miles · Sep 9, 2005
Service Brakes, HydraulicSteering

DT: 1997 GMC SIERRA C1500 PICK UP TRUCK - THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE GMC SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT THE STEERING BOX WORE OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD PLAY IN THE WHEEL. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AS OF YET. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THE BRAKES MALFUNC…

Read full complaint

DT: 1997 GMC SIERRA C1500 PICK UP TRUCK - THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE GMC SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT THE STEERING BOX WORE OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD PLAY IN THE WHEEL. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AS OF YET. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT APPROACHING A STOP, BUT WAS COMING UP ONTO A BIG TRUCK, WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND HAD NO BRAKES. THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED WITH ALL NEW BRAKE LINES, BUT THEY WERE STILL MAKING NOISE AND ID NOT FEEL RIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10136029

22,784 miles · Sep 7, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE AT LOW SPEEDS AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON (WEATHER RELATED OR OTHER). DEFECT DISCOVERED SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE REPAIRS WERE MADE AT SUPERIOR GMC IN BRIGHTON IN SEPTEMBER 2005. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 23000 MILES AND IS USED FOR LEISURE PURPOSES. CURRENT GM RECALL FOR IDENTICAL PROBLEM DOES NOT INCLUDE 19…

Read full complaint

ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE AT LOW SPEEDS AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON (WEATHER RELATED OR OTHER). DEFECT DISCOVERED SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE REPAIRS WERE MADE AT SUPERIOR GMC IN BRIGHTON IN SEPTEMBER 2005. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 23000 MILES AND IS USED FOR LEISURE PURPOSES. CURRENT GM RECALL FOR IDENTICAL PROBLEM DOES NOT INCLUDE 1997 ALTHOUGH DEFECT IS IDENTICAL. IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND THEREFORE THE NUMBER OF FAILURES DOCUMENTED BELOW IS AN ESTIMATE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10135519

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEEL SPEED SENSORS FAILED, CAUSING UNSAFE BRAKING ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT. NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE DEALER WERE REQUIRED BEFORE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE/UNSAFE BRAKING WAS DISCOVERED. PARTS WERE REPLACED AT A COST IN EXCESS OF $800.00. NOW, LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER, THE SAME SYMPTOMS HAVE RETURNED.

NHTSA ODI #10126345

114,000 miles · Apr 8, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING NORMAL STOPPING VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. BRAKES HAD TO BE PUMP SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10117650

98,116 miles · Apr 4, 2005
Service Brakes, HydraulicSteering

I TOOK MY 1997 GMC SIERRA TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE. BUT THE DEALER SAID ALL THE RECALLS PERTAIN TO THE 1999-2004 MODELS NOT MINE - BUT I AM HAVING THE IDENTICAL PROBLEMS - DRIVE SHAFT, AND BRAKES - MY BRAKES LOCK UP - CREATE LOTS OF NOISE, CALIPHER DAMAGE, ETC. I BELIEVE THAT THE R…

Read full complaint

I TOOK MY 1997 GMC SIERRA TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL RECALLS INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE. BUT THE DEALER SAID ALL THE RECALLS PERTAIN TO THE 1999-2004 MODELS NOT MINE - BUT I AM HAVING THE IDENTICAL PROBLEMS - DRIVE SHAFT, AND BRAKES - MY BRAKES LOCK UP - CREATE LOTS OF NOISE, CALIPHER DAMAGE, ETC. I BELIEVE THAT THE RECALLS FOR THE NEWER VEHICLES SHOULD APPLY TO MINE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WHEN THE BRAKES DECIDE NOT TO WORK. MY WIFE DRIVES THE TRUCK AND I AM CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10116309

76,000 miles · Feb 5, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS REPEATEDLY. UPON APPLYING BRAKES THE BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE. THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM CYCLES REPEATEDLY AND UNNECESSARILY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES. NARROWLY AVERTED ACCIDENTS A NUMBER OF TIMES.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10109879

115,000 miles · Oct 12, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN BRAKING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT GO TO THE FLOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10096611

Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED AND LEAKED FLUID. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10092467

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTI-SKID SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE WILL AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE. ALSO, THERE WILL BE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8017109

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2002
Service Brakes, HydraulicStructureWheels

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD STALL. THEN, SEEP TO THE FLOOR. DEALER REPLACED HUBS ON THE FRONT TWO BRAKES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE FROM THE INSIDE. THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED HUB ASSEMBLY. DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED …

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD STALL. THEN, SEEP TO THE FLOOR. DEALER REPLACED HUBS ON THE FRONT TWO BRAKES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE FROM THE INSIDE. THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED HUB ASSEMBLY. DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, ALSO RESURFACED ROTORS. *SCC

NHTSA ODI #8015487

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.