IllustrationWHEN MAKING TURNS, PRIMARILY RIGHT TURNS, STEERING WILL BECOME VERY LOOSE WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
Steering complaints
63 reportsTHE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS LOOSE AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. MECHANIC TIGHTENED THE BOLTS. *AK
DRIVER LOSES CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE FRONT LEFT TIRE FEELS LIKE IT'S SLIDING ON ICE. HAPPENS SPORADICALLY. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK
STEERIG ERRATIC FEELS LIKE I'M DRIVING ON ICE\MOSTLY ON CORNERS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GETS DIFFICULT AND THEN GETS EASY AGAIN. *AK
FRONT END STEERING PROBLEMS, TURNS TO FAR TO EACH SIDE.
IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES LOOSE WITH NO RESISTANCE. THEN, WHILE TRYING TO CORRECT THE STEERING THE WHEEL GETS TIGHT, SEEMS TO HAVE NO POWER STEERING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AND FALLS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TURN WHEN TURNING.
POOR STEERING CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
ABS BRAKES/LOCKED UP INTERMITTENTLY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. IN ADDITION, STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.