IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, I TRIED TO SELECT HIGH BEAM WITH THE STEM MOUNTED LIGHT SWITCH. I HEARD A CHATTERING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL AREA AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERED DIMLY ON AND OFF. I ALSO SMELLED ELECTRICAL SMOKE. DESELECTING HIGH RESULTED IN LOW BEAM EXTERIOR LIGHT WITH NO CHATTERING, FLICKERING OR SMOKE. *TR
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.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →238Owner complaints
Model-year median: 53
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1997 GMC Sierra
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 238 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 63 reports
- Steering: 63 reports
- Power Train: 28 reports
- Visibility: 24 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 15 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
Exterior Lighting complaints
4 reportsWHILE 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.
CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. 1). THE HOOD LATCH BECAME UNLATCHED WHILE CONSUMER MOVED HIS LEG WHICH BUMPED UP AGAINT THE LATCH, CAUSING HOOD TO UNLATCH WHILE DRIVING; 2). CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FOR TAIL LIGHTS AND SIDE LIGHTS SHOULD BE ON AS LONG AS DAY RUNNING LIGHTS; AND 3). PASSENGER'S SIDE SEA…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. 1). THE HOOD LATCH BECAME UNLATCHED WHILE CONSUMER MOVED HIS LEG WHICH BUMPED UP AGAINT THE LATCH, CAUSING HOOD TO UNLATCH WHILE DRIVING; 2). CONSUMER WOULD LIKE FOR TAIL LIGHTS AND SIDE LIGHTS SHOULD BE ON AS LONG AS DAY RUNNING LIGHTS; AND 3). PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULD BE MADE TO ACCOMMODATE LARGER PASSENGERS. DEALER/MFR. CONTACTED. *AK
NO OVERRIDE SWITCH AVAILABLE TO DISENGAGE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WHEN NECESSARY.
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.