IllustrationVEHICLE WILL MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL ONLY WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE WILL JERK & SOMETIMES WANDER INTO ANOTHER LANE OR OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. DEALER HASVE BEEN TRYING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK
1997 GMC Sierra 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 181.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra 1500 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
20–25K
725–50K
750–75K
675–100K
11100–150K
5150K+
38 reports with mileage · 45 unknown
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 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 13 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
83 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
INTERIOR DASHBOARD MATERIAL/PADDING CONTINUALLY CRACKED/DETERIORATED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED IT ON THE FIRST OCCASION. LESS THEN NINE MONTHS LATER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED, AND DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK
I UNDERSTAND THEIR HAVE BEEN A HIGH NUMBER OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES IN THESE VEHICLES. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND SERVICE ADVISOR ALREADY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK BEFORE THEY EVEN LOOKED AT IT. ALSO THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME HIS OWN FUEL PUMP FAILED ON HIS GMC TRUCK AT 38,000 MILES. THIS IS A LEASE VEHICLE THAT IS TO BE …
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I UNDERSTAND THEIR HAVE BEEN A HIGH NUMBER OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES IN THESE VEHICLES. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND SERVICE ADVISOR ALREADY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK BEFORE THEY EVEN LOOKED AT IT. ALSO THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME HIS OWN FUEL PUMP FAILED ON HIS GMC TRUCK AT 38,000 MILES. THIS IS A LEASE VEHICLE THAT IS TO BE TURNED IN IN FOUR MONTHS AND I HAD TO PUT A $400 FUEL PUMP IN IT. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED/ WARMING UP, CONSUMER MOVED THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A WARNING. *AK
WHILE MAKING A TURN OR CHANGING LANES, STEERING MALFUNCTIONS, WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH. THERE IS BULLETIN # 86-32-06 DEALING WITH REDUCED STEERING EFFORT WHICH EXPLAINS THIS DEFECT. REPAIRS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CONSUMER BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *AK *ML
I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK IN TO BE REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY ONLY PUT GLUE ON THE REAR END. ONE DEALER DID CONTACT GMC, BUT NO RESULTS. THE POWER STEERING IS NOT RIGHT EITHER.
POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT U TWISTED INTO LEAVING ONLY MANUAL STEERING. *AK
THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS ARE INOPERABLE WHICH CAUSE POOR BRAKING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LOADED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE PROBLEM WITH THE ABS-- IT TAKE LONGER TO STOP THAN IT WOULD WITHOUT ABS, IT ALSO SEEMS TO ACTUALLY SLIDE ON SLIPPERY SURFACES SUCH AS ICE & SNOW.... EVEN THOUGH PEDAL IS HELD FIRMLY DOWN, THE WHEELS GRIP, THEN RELEASE, AS IF THE ABS IS NOT CYCLLING QUICK ENOUGH. I DRIVE ANOTHER GM VEHICLE WITH ABS & THAT SYSTEM WORKS DIFFER…
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THE PROBLEM WITH THE ABS-- IT TAKE LONGER TO STOP THAN IT WOULD WITHOUT ABS, IT ALSO SEEMS TO ACTUALLY SLIDE ON SLIPPERY SURFACES SUCH AS ICE & SNOW.... EVEN THOUGH PEDAL IS HELD FIRMLY DOWN, THE WHEELS GRIP, THEN RELEASE, AS IF THE ABS IS NOT CYCLLING QUICK ENOUGH. I DRIVE ANOTHER GM VEHICLE WITH ABS & THAT SYSTEM WORKS DIFFERENTLY & WORKS OK. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PUMPING & PRESSURE I FEEL FROM THE PEDAL. THE WHEELS WILL SLIDE BEFORE THE ABS KICKS IN, OR SO IT SEEMS. AS REGARDS TO THE REAR DRUM BRAKES--- WHEN IT IS COLD & DAMP, THE REAR WHEELS WILL LOCK UP WITH JUST THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL... ONCE IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROX 5 MILES & THE BRAKES USED & WARMED UP, THEN THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY...... THIS IS A VERY ANNOYING & DANGEROUS TRAIT OF THIS VEHICLE... THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.. THANK YOU
Official recalls
398V187000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Aug 10, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS. THE FRONT, INNER CORNER OF THE FUEL TANK CAN CONTACT THE BODY SILL EITHER INTERMITTENTLY OR CONSTANTLY. THIS MOVEMENT CAN CAUSE A DISCERNIBLE NOISE AND, OVER TIME, CAN WEAR A HOLE IN OR CRACK THE FUEL TANK AT POINT OF CONTACT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE AND A DISTINCT FUEL ODOR IF THE TANK WERE FILLED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE HOLE OR CRACK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK FOR WEAR AND, EITHER INSTALL A SPACER BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER, OR IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK.
97V176000 · Seats
Oct 7, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS. ONE OR TWO OF THE FRONT SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS WERE NOT INSTALLED. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, A SEAT WITH THIS CONDITION WILL NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT AS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK ALL SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS AND INSTALL ANY MISSING BOLTS.
97V037000 · Seats
Mar 7, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RECLINING SEATS AND THE EASY-ENTRY FEATURE. THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH A PINCH POINT EXISTS IN THE RECLINER MECHANISM THAT CAN TRAP AND PINCH A PERSON'S HAND OR FINGER(S) WHEN THE EASY-ENTRY FEATURE IS ACTIVATED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS PINCHING CAN CUT THE HAND OR POSSIBLY SEVER THE FINGER(S) WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTOR COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.
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.