IllustrationTHE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY CONTAINED WITHIN THE GAS TANK SHORTED OUT AND MELTED WIRING ASSOCIATED WITH THE ASSEMBLY. *JB
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 reportsWHILE DRIVING, INTERMITTENTLY STEERING WHEEL WILL HAVE TO MUCH PLAY IN IT AND TURN ALL THE WAY AROUND. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO STEER VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOST OF CONTROL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER DID NOT LOCK. TS THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT FRAME WAS BROKEN WHERE THE SEAT LATCH AND SPRING MOUNTS TO THE FRAME. ALSO THE SEAT TRACK IS BROKEN. SCC
TRUCK STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK TO SIDE ON CURVE ABOUT 35 MPH. THOUGHT WAS MISALIGNMENT AT FIRST. IT HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE AND HAS TO BE FIXED SOON. ON SEARCHING INTERNET MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. DT
THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ALSO STATED WHEN HE MADE A RIGHT TURN, IT FELT AS THOUGH ALL STEERING WAS LOST. TS *JB
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLES HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, TO CHECK HEADLIGHTS, LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. CONSUMER HAD TO USE EMERGENCY FLASHER TO GUIDE THE WAY SAFELY. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER.
THE FUEL PUMP AND THE FUEL SENDING MODULE ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED . TS THE SENDER HARNESS SHORTED OUT INSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. *JG
CONSUMER STATED HE COULD NOT GET THE SEAT BELT TO RETRACT.*JB
CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH CONSUMER NOTICE GRAY SMOKE COMING FROM VEHICLE CONSUMER PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDER VEHICLE CONSUMER PUT FIRE OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND STATED FIRE CAME FROM TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL JUST STALL OUT , WHICH IS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. SMALL PIECES OF METAL IN THE FUEL WILL GET INTO THE FUEL PUMP AND MESS UP THE FLOW. HAD PUMP REPLACE BUT PROBLEM REOCCURED. NLMJLG
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.