IllustrationTHE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ALSO STATED WHEN HE MADE A RIGHT TURN, IT FELT AS THOUGH ALL STEERING WAS LOST. TS *JB
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
Suspension complaints
11 reportsIT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT STABILIZER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN VEHICLE PULLS. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CUSTOMER HAED ALIGNMENT DONE AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURED. THE MECHANIC THINKS THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE STEERING BOX. *YH
CONSUMER HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. BEARINGS IN THE DRIVETRAIN ARE DEFECTIVE/ ALIGNMENT/BRAKES REPAIRED/REAR END REPLACED, AND OTHER PROBLEMS DEVELOPED DUE TO THE BEARING. AN AUTHORIZED GMC REPAIRMAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT'S THE WAY GMC MAKES VEHICLES. CONSUEMR INSISTED THAT HAS HAD NOTHING BUT BAD EXPRIENCES WITH THE V…
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CONSUMER HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. BEARINGS IN THE DRIVETRAIN ARE DEFECTIVE/ ALIGNMENT/BRAKES REPAIRED/REAR END REPLACED, AND OTHER PROBLEMS DEVELOPED DUE TO THE BEARING. AN AUTHORIZED GMC REPAIRMAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT'S THE WAY GMC MAKES VEHICLES. CONSUEMR INSISTED THAT HAS HAD NOTHING BUT BAD EXPRIENCES WITH THE VEHICLE, AND MANUFACTURER.*AK
STEERING WHEEL JERKS TO THE RIGHT INTERMITTENTLY AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. *AK
WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE VEHICLE WILL JERK AT LEAST 1 FOOT, MAKING IT DIFFCULT TO CONTROL. *AK
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HAD COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. RESTARTED & VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. TAKING VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. ALSO, LEAF SPRING ON PASSENGER'S SID EFAILED/REPLACED/SMELLED OIL DUE TO PCV VALVE FAILURE, AN DTRANSMISSION WOULD NO…
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VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HAD COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. RESTARTED & VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. TAKING VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. ALSO, LEAF SPRING ON PASSENGER'S SID EFAILED/REPLACED/SMELLED OIL DUE TO PCV VALVE FAILURE, AN DTRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. *AK
WHEN TURNING CORNERS EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK, POSSIBLY CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN CONSUMER IS TURNING STEERING WHEEL JERKS AND TWITCHES. VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN THIS OCCURS. *AK
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.