IllustrationTHE WINDSHIELD APPEARS TO HAVE BUBBLES BETWEEN THE GLASS AND AIR IS MOVING INSIDE THE GLASS, THE BUBBLES INSIDE THE WINDSHIELD ARE GETTING BIGGER. NLM
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
What owners actually said
238 reportsCONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES, A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE SHOE KIT AND STATED THAT FRONT BRAKES WERE DOING ALL THE WORK, 3 MONTHS LATER A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE, DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS, IN JANUARY OF 2000 MORE FRONT…
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CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES, A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE SHOE KIT AND STATED THAT FRONT BRAKES WERE DOING ALL THE WORK, 3 MONTHS LATER A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE, DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS, IN JANUARY OF 2000 MORE FRONT NOISE WAS HEARD AND DEALER INSTALLED CYLINDER, VALVE KIT, DRUM ASSEMBLY, SPRING KIT, PIN KIT, AND SHOE KIT, BRAKES ALSO CAUSED VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT, 12-08-00, CALIPER KIT AND PAD KIT WERE INSTALLED AND 7 DAYS LATER ALL BRAKE FLUID WAS LOST BECAUSE OF A FAULTY CALIPER KIT, DEALER REPLACED A SEAL WHICH HAD CRACKED. *SLC
REAR AXLE PINION SEAL FAILED. NLM
STEERING BECOMES HARD TO TURN, AND THEN SUDDENLY WILL BECOME LIGHT WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK
DATE IS APPROXIMATE, HAVE SINCE HAD PROBLEM WITH SAME MODEL TRANSMISSION ON ANOTHER 1997 TRUCK. *AK
WHEN TURNING VEHICLE AT SPEEDS ABOVE ABOUT 35MPH STEERING SEEMS TO RESIST TURNING AND WHEN MORE STEERING FORCE IS APPLIED,STEERING BECOMES VERY LIGHT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERSTEER.PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED OR PREPARED FOR IT. *AK
SPOT WELDS ARE BREAKING FROM FRAME. DEALER HAS WELDED VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS.*AK THE WELD IS NOW BREAKING AGAIN. *YH
GENERAL AMERI 550 AS TIRE (P225 75 R16) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC
WHEN STEERING VEHICLE EITHER TO LEFT OR TO RIGHT STEERING WHEEL MOVES ONE INCH. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK THE STEERING PROBLEM CAUSED BY A STEERING SENSOR FAILURE. *YH
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN VEHICLE PULLS. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CUSTOMER HAED ALIGNMENT DONE AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURED. THE MECHANIC THINKS THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE STEERING BOX. *YH
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.