IllustrationVEHICLE EXPERIENCING SUSPENSION FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHAKE / VIBRATE UNCONTROLABLY. *YC
1997 GMC Yukon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 GMC Yukon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 103.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Yukon 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: 21 of 133 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.
- Steering. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
133 reportsERRATIC POWER STEENING CONTROL WHILE IN TURNS AND HIGHWAY DRIVING, NOT ALWAYS PRESENT, BUT ABLE TO REPRODUCE WITH PATIENTS OF DEALER ON TEST DRIVE. SINCE NEW DEALER HAS SAID IT WAS TIRE BALANCING AND ALIGNMENT WHICH THEY ATTEMPED TO CORRECT SEVERAL TIME. AFTER ONE OF THESE CORRECTION IN AUG 99, PROBLEM BECAME MORE APPARENT . …
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ERRATIC POWER STEENING CONTROL WHILE IN TURNS AND HIGHWAY DRIVING, NOT ALWAYS PRESENT, BUT ABLE TO REPRODUCE WITH PATIENTS OF DEALER ON TEST DRIVE. SINCE NEW DEALER HAS SAID IT WAS TIRE BALANCING AND ALIGNMENT WHICH THEY ATTEMPED TO CORRECT SEVERAL TIME. AFTER ONE OF THESE CORRECTION IN AUG 99, PROBLEM BECAME MORE APPARENT . WIFE IS DRIVER AND I ALWAYS TOOK THEIR WORD FOR CORRECTION UNTIL I INSISTED THERE IS OTHER PROBLEM AND FIND IT. SO FAR THEY HAVE REPLACED STEERING BOX, PUT ON 4 NEW TIRES AND WHEELS AMONG A HOST OF BALANCING/ALIGNMENTS ETC , NO CORRECTIONS AS OF YET. STEERING WHEEL PULLS ERADICTLY/SHUDDERS FEELS GONE AT TIMES. IS INTERM AT TIMES BUT MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED OF LATE. BRAKES; THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OCCASIONS WHERE THE BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN APPLIED HEAVILY, I LEARNED THIS BY ASKING WIFE AND DUPLICATED IT ON NURMEROUS OCCASIONS WITH ERRATIC REACTION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. *AK
RE: TRANSMISSION. REPLACED WHEN THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 5,000 MILES ON IT, THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FAILED, I WAS TOLD, AS THE DIRECT RESULT OF TOWING A 7,300 POUND RV ON FLAT TERRAIN IN OVERDRIVE. MY OWNER'S MANUAL STATES I MAY TOW IN OVERDRIVE. I PAID. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH AND OVER , THE STEERING RELEASES FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THE VEHICLES WANDER ALL OVER THE PLACE . ALSO THE STEERING FEEL LOOSE AT ALL TIMES. ALSO WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKES SOMETIMES THE TRUCK DOESN'T STOP , I ALSO DON'T THINK THE ABS IS WORKING PROPERLY. I TRIED IT IN SLIPPERY CONDITI…
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WHEN DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH AND OVER , THE STEERING RELEASES FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THE VEHICLES WANDER ALL OVER THE PLACE . ALSO THE STEERING FEEL LOOSE AT ALL TIMES. ALSO WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKES SOMETIMES THE TRUCK DOESN'T STOP , I ALSO DON'T THINK THE ABS IS WORKING PROPERLY. I TRIED IT IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS AND I NEVER FELT THE PEDAL SHAKE . I HAD A 1995 YUKON BEFORE AND IT WORKED FINE. 8AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY STEERING WAS SO SENSITIVE THAT THE CAR WOULD SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-55MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD HAVE A LOT OF PLAY IN IT. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE IS UNCONTROLLEABLE AT TIMES. HAS NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH DEALERSHIP, BUT WILL CALL SOON. *AK
EOV SENSOR FAILED CAUSING ERRATIC STEERING--SCARY STUFF
THIRD TIME IN SIX MONTHS FOR FUEL INJECTION PROBLEMS BARELY RUNS
POWER VARIABLE ASSIST STEERING IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL DUE TO STEERING WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. MJS
STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCATIONED WHILE MAKING A TURN. STEERING WAS VERY LOOSE, IT FELT LIKE DRIVING 'ON ICE" WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUS EOF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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
5EA01018 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Dec 20, 2001 · Closed Dec 9, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
No summary supplied.
PE01023 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Jul 17, 2001 · Closed Dec 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE (1) COMPLAINT ALLEGING THAT THE 2ND ROW PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE ANCHOR DETACHED FROM SEAT FRAME DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH.DURING THE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN FROM HIS SEAT, PARTIALLY EJECTED THROUGH THE REAR QUARTER WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE.OCCUPANT SUSTAINED INJURY.GM HAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED SEAT BELT ANCHORING DESIGN IN MY 2000. ODI HAS COMPLETED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND HAS DETERMINED THAT FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.
EA00013 · Battery Leaks Acid
Opened May 2, 2000 · Closed Jun 28, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE99073 · Battery Leaks Acid
Opened Dec 3, 1999 · Closed May 2, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
ODI HAS RECEIVED 21 COMPLAINTS WHERE OWNERS ALLEGE THAT THE STANDARD GM FACTORY SUPPLIED AC DELCO BATTERY CASE FAILED, RESULTING IN THE LEAKAGE OF SULFURIC ACID.OF THE 21 COMPLAINT VEHICLES, SIX SUBURBAN, THREE TAHOES, AND ONE YUKON OWNER(S) COMPLAINED ABOUT A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FROM DETERIORATION OF THE RIGHT FRONTBRAKE LINE AS A RESULT OF SULFURIC ACID CONTAMINATION.THE REMAINING 11 COMPLAINTS PERTAIN PRIMARILY TO SULFURIC ACID LEAKAGE FROM THE BATTERY CASE.AT LEAST ONE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT BATTERY ALSO FAILED.SEVERAL OF THE COMPLAINANTS NOTE THAT THE LEAKING ACID HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH A WIRE HARNESS AT THE FRAME IN THE VICINITY OF THE STEEL BRAKE LINE.A FIELD INSPECTION BY ODI INDICATES THAT THE DESCRIBED HARNESS IS THE ABS CONNECTION TO THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR.PRIOR TO THE BATTERY CASE FAILURE, THERE IS USUALLY NO WARNING (SHORT OF AN UNDERHOOD INSPECTION), AND THE ENSURING DAMAGE (SULFURIC ACID CONTAMINATION) IS PROGRESSIVE.OF THE KNOWN BATTERY FAILURES, THERE MAY BE A TEMPERATURE CORRELATION, AS 60% OF THE OWNER COMPLAINTS CAME FROM FOUR STATES; CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA AND TEXAS.THERE IS ALSO A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND ENGINEERING CHANGE NOTICE TO ADD 1% SILVER TO THE BATTERY'S POSITIVE SIDE TERMINALL, WITH THE EARLIEST IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR THIS BEING FEB 2, 1998.THE EFFECT OF THIS DESIGN CHANGE IS AS YET UNKNOWN; FURTHER REVIEW IS WARRANTED.AN EA IS BEING OPENED TO GATHER FURTHER APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, CLARIFY ANY DEFECT TRENDS, AND TO ASSESS THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS AND RISKS CONCERNING THESE FAILURES.
EA99011 · Erratic Power Steering Assist While Driv
Opened May 12, 1999 · Closed Feb 27, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST FLUCTUATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FOR DETAILS AND A BASIS FOR THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS, PLEASE SEE THE CLOSING REPORT IN THE EA99-011 PUBLIC FILE.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.FUTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS SUBJECT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.THE ENGINEERING IS CLOSED.