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1997 GMC C1500 Suburban

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

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: 2 of 4 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

4 reports
Mileage unknown · May 11, 2013
Service BrakesSteering

TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND KEEPS SKIDDING.TRUCK STARTED TO SKID SIDE WAYS,BRAKES GAVE OUT AND WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.TRUCK KEPT SKIDDING FOR ABOUT HALF MILE BEFORE BRAKES WORKED AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SUBURBAN.THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND PUMPED IT SEVERAL TIMES…

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TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND KEEPS SKIDDING.TRUCK STARTED TO SKID SIDE WAYS,BRAKES GAVE OUT AND WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.TRUCK KEPT SKIDDING FOR ABOUT HALF MILE BEFORE BRAKES WORKED AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SUBURBAN.THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND PUMPED IT SEVERAL TIMES BUT WOULD NOT WORK.SEEMS LIKE ABS MODULE,BRAKES ARE GOOD.JUST ABS HAS FAILED AT DIFFERENT TIMES.SUBURBAN JUMPS AND KEEPS GOING WHEN STOPPED.FAILS TO MAKE COMPLETE STOP EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10511537

115,000 miles · Dec 20, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE PEDAL "WENT TO THE FLOOR " WITHOUT WARNING ON MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN. DASHBOARD FAILED TO SHOW A "RED" BRAKE LIGHT UNTIL ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER WHEN I CHECKED BRAKES AGAIN. THERE WAS VIRTUALLY BRAKING ABILITY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. CAR WILL BE TOWED TO DEALER TONIGHT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING CARS FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A…

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BRAKE PEDAL "WENT TO THE FLOOR " WITHOUT WARNING ON MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN. DASHBOARD FAILED TO SHOW A "RED" BRAKE LIGHT UNTIL ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER WHEN I CHECKED BRAKES AGAIN. THERE WAS VIRTUALLY BRAKING ABILITY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. CAR WILL BE TOWED TO DEALER TONIGHT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING CARS FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "BUILT IN SAFETY REDUNDANCY" TO PREVENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING ? LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10296503

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 1997 GMC K-1500 SUBURBAN HAD SEVERAL ABS FAILURES. THE ABS ENGAGED AT A LOW SPEED WHEN COMING TO A STOP, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE CANNOT IN THE EXPECTED DISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTACTED GM …

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TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 1997 GMC K-1500 SUBURBAN HAD SEVERAL ABS FAILURES. THE ABS ENGAGED AT A LOW SPEED WHEN COMING TO A STOP, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE CANNOT IN THE EXPECTED DISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTACTED GM DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE ABS IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THE CONTACT FOUND RECALL 05068 DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS GIVEN CASE # 71-474-687-217. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12000. *AK UPDATED 03/15/07. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10182103

145,000 miles · Sep 11, 2006
Fuel System, Gasoline

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST FUEL PRESSURE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO START. THE CONTACT INSPECTED AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT AS THE INSULATION WAS BURNED OFF THE WIRING BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE SALES DEALER RECOMMENDED A NON-MANUFACTURER NAME BR…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST FUEL PRESSURE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO START. THE CONTACT INSPECTED AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT AS THE INSULATION WAS BURNED OFF THE WIRING BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE SALES DEALER RECOMMENDED A NON-MANUFACTURER NAME BRAND FOR THE SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ODI #10167816

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.