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: 7 of 14 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 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Tires. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Visibility. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
14 reports
100,000 miles · Jun 18, 2012
Tires
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC C2500 PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH COOPER MASTERCRAFT TIRES, SIZE P265/75/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRES AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE F…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC C2500 PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH COOPER MASTERCRAFT TIRES, SIZE P265/75/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRES AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE TIRES WAS 31,000 THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES ON THE VEHICLE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA ODI #10462167
175,000 miles · Apr 17, 2012
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
CORRODED BRAKE LINE FAILURE. LOSS OF REAR BRAKES, FRONT WORKED. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10455585
141,000 miles · Jul 15, 2011
Tires
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC SIERRA 2500 WITH BF-GOODRICH ALL TERRAIN TIRES, LINE SIZE LT265/75/16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AS THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC SIERRA 2500 WITH BF-GOODRICH ALL TERRAIN TIRES, LINE SIZE LT265/75/16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AS THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT HIM AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN AND DOT NUMBERS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000.
NHTSA ODI #10413093
98,000 miles · Feb 3, 2011
Fuel System, Diesel
1997 GM 6.5 TURBO DIESEL PMD FAILURE. LOSS OF CONTROL VERY UNSAFE. WHY DOES GM FAIL TO RECALL THE PMD???? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10380169
90,000 miles · Apr 9, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKE LINE FAILURE ON 1997 GMC PICKUP. @ DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND SEPARATE AREAS IN BRAKE LINES. OLD LINES DISCARDED. APPEARED TO BE A RUST ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10324677
160,000 miles · Jul 30, 2004
Visibility
WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10083927
56,000 miles · Nov 18, 2003
Latches/locks/linkages
I OWN A 97 GMC TRUCK. CURRENTLY, THE TRUCK HAS A LITTLE OVER 55,000 MILES. APPROXIMATELY, 2 YEARS AGO THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FAILED TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LEHMERS IN CONCORD AND THEY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE TO ME... IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. LAST WEEK THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON THE…
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I OWN A 97 GMC TRUCK. CURRENTLY, THE TRUCK HAS A LITTLE OVER 55,000 MILES. APPROXIMATELY, 2 YEARS AGO THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE FAILED TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LEHMERS IN CONCORD AND THEY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM AT NO CHARGE TO ME... IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. LAST WEEK THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND "STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF THE SAME PROBLEM" ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, I DECIDED TO "SAVE A BUCK" AND FIX THE PROBLEMS MYSELF. AFTER REMOVING THE DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY, I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THE HANDLE ITSELF CRACKED I.E. THE HANDLE ASSEMBLY IS POORLY DESIGNED. (IT'S PLASTIC.) I TOOK THE HANDLE ASSEMBLY TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SHOWED THE BROKEN HANDLE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND EXPLAINED HOW THIS WAS THE SECOND HANDLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID, "THEIR HANDS WERE TIED" AND COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SERVICE MANAGER DID NOT FIND ANY SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING DOOR HANDLES. (I ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO AN ONLINE SERVICE MANUAL PROVIDER CALLED ALLDATA.COM. THEY INCLUDE TECHNICAL BULLETINS THE SERVICE SHOPS GET FROM GM. I DID NOT FIND ANY BULLETINS CONCERNING DOOR HANDLES.) WHILE STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP, I BOUGHT A NEW HANDLE. IT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE OLD ONE. IT COMES WITH A 1-YEAR WARRANTY. I CALLED GMC AND THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE THE ITEM IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY COULDN'T HELP ME. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP ALSO SAID THERE WAS NO RECORD OF ANY OTHER DOOR HANDLE PROBLEMS. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10047133
Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES HARD THEY DO NOT WORK. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE, THEY LET GO AND DONOT HOLD. VEHICLE IS AT DEALERSHIP.*AK
NHTSA ODI #898507
Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
FALSE ENGAGEMENT OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #720894
Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2000
Visibility
WHILE RAINING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL MOVE REAL SLOW OR THEY MAY STOP COMPLETELY. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT REOCCURRING PROBLEM. DEALER CLAIMS VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
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.
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
1997 GMC Sierra 2500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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