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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

238 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 23,000 I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AROUND 55MPH WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. IT DID NOT SPUTTER OR KNOCK, IT JUST QUIT, ALL THE GAUGES, ENGINE QUIT INSTANTLY. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE KEY OFF, AND THEN RE-STARTED THE ENGINE. MOTOR STARTED WITHOUT HESITATIO…

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I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 23,000 I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AROUND 55MPH WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. IT DID NOT SPUTTER OR KNOCK, IT JUST QUIT, ALL THE GAUGES, ENGINE QUIT INSTANTLY. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE KEY OFF, AND THEN RE-STARTED THE ENGINE. MOTOR STARTED WITHOUT HESITATION, AND I PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD. TWO DAYS LATER, WITH LOTS OF DRIVING TIME IN BETWEEN, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. IT DIED, I PULLED OVER, TURNED OF IGNITION, AND RE-STARTED THE MOTOR, AND AGAIN THE MOTOR STARTED WITHOUT HESITATION. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER, I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT THE SAME SPEED AND AGAIN THE SAME THING, EXCEPT THIS TIME THE MOTOR WOULD NOT RE-START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. IT WAS REPLACED AND I HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AGO, APPROXIMATLEY 05/15/2001, MY VEHICLE STARTED TO BEHAVE IN THE SAME WAY. WHILE TURNING LEFT AT AN INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE DIED, AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFICE THAT WAS APPROACHING. I RE-STARTED THE ENGINE AND PROCEEDED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS HAS OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, WITH THE MOST RECENT EVENT OCCURING YESTERDAY, 07222001, IN WHICH I WAS ALMOST "T-BONED" AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. I HAVE KEPT THE FUEL FILTER CHANGED AND I NOT USE THE SAME GAS STATION CONSITANTLY. THE FUEL PUMP HAS ALWAYS MADE A LOUD BUZZING NOISE, EVEN THE FIRST PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP MADE THIS SAME NOISE. I UNDERSTAND THAT GMC RE-DESIGNED THIS PUMP FOR THIS 1997 MODEL. WHAT REALY GOT ME INTERESTED IN THIS PROBLEM, IS NOT ONLY THE FACT THAT I HAVE HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS WITH ALMOST BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT ONE OF MY CO-WORKERS IS HAVING THE SAME APPARANT PROBLEM WITH HER "1997 GMC JIMMY." IT HAS THE SAME VORTEC V6 ENGINE AS MY TRUCK. THE DELEARSHIPT STATED THEY CAN NOT ID THE PROBLEM, UNLESS IT "RUNS A CODE, OR FAILS WHILE THEY HAVE IT. THANKS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #748960

Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES FAIL AT TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #748755

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

EVERYTIME THE BRAKES ARE PRESSED A NOISE IS HEARD AND IT CONTINUES TO GO FOR A DISTANCE EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES ARE ON.

NHTSA ODI #9003204

Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND UPON APPLYING BRAKES THEY FELT AS IF THEY WERE BRAKING. HOWEVER, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO A SKID, AND RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #892458

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2001
Vehicle Speed Control

MY THROTTLE PLATE BROKE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD, I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND MY TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO UNCONTROLLABLE SPEEDS OF 75 M.P.H. I THEN PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT STUCK SOMEHOW. I STARTED MY ENGINE AND IT IDLED A LITTLE HIGHER THAN NORMAL AT ABOUT 2…

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MY THROTTLE PLATE BROKE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD, I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND MY TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO UNCONTROLLABLE SPEEDS OF 75 M.P.H. I THEN PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT STUCK SOMEHOW. I STARTED MY ENGINE AND IT IDLED A LITTLE HIGHER THAN NORMAL AT ABOUT 2000 R.P.M.'S. I DIDNT THINK TOO MUCH OF IT AND STARTED HOME. BY THE TIME I WAS AT MY HOUSE I COULD BARELY CONTROL MY TRUCK, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH BECAUSE THE ENGLINE FLEW TO OVER 3700 R.P.M.'S IF I DID SO. WHEN I GOT HOME, I CALLED A TOW SERVICE AND HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. HE SAID MY THROTTLE PLATE HAD BROKE WHICH HE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND SAID I WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, MUCH LESS HAVE AN ENGINE. HE FIXED IT FOR $510.*AK

NHTSA ODI #747539

Mileage unknown · May 15, 2001
Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WILL CONTINUE TO RUN AT 2000 RPMS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. ENGINE WILL RUNAWAY, AND ONLY WAY TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN IS TO APPLY BRAKES WHILE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #888228

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2001
Steering

THE STEERING BECOMES QUITE LOOSE AND IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP ON THE ROAD, MOSTLY DURING COLD WEATHER. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT ON ICY OR SNOWY ROADS.

NHTSA ODI #9001627

Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2001
Air Bags

WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH ON A SMOOTH DIRT ROAD BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. GMC WILL REPLACE AIRBAGS FREE OF CHARGE ONLY IF CONSUMER WILL SIGN RELEASE. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, THEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE. AIRBAG SENSOR WAS SENT TO DETROIT, NO PROBLEM FOUND. VEHICLE AT DEALER SINCE INCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #886918

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

DEXCOOL IS COOLANT USED IN THE SYSTEM, BUT IT DESTROYS THE COOLING SYSTEM WHEN MIXED WITH AIR. GMC WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT IT PUT DEXCOOL IN THE SYSTEM AND WHEN THE WATERPUMP DEVELOPED A WEEPHOLE THE AIR THAT GOT IN DESTROYED THE COOLING SYSTEM. THIS IS GMC'S AND DEXCOOL'S FAULT.

NHTSA ODI #744165

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2001
Tires

AFTER MARKET TIRE DAYTON TIMBERLINE AT TIRE 31X10.5R15 SIZE DOT#: VD60TAT319. TREAD ON REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE SEPARATED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. FIRESTONE HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #885990

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.