IllustrationTHE VECHICLE HAS 4-6 INCHES OF PLAY WHICH IS EXCESSIVE FOR A LOW MILAGE TRUCK.*AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra 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
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
What owners actually said
238 reportsPASSENGER SEAT WILL NOT STAY OUT OF RECLINING POSITION, SEAT WILL FLOP BACK IN FORTH DUE TO DEFECTIVE RECLINING MECHANISM.*AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN STEERING SENSOR WENT OUT. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE STEERING CONTROL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED STEERING SENSOR. PROBLEM WAS VERY GRADUAL UNTIL IT BECAME WORSE.*AK
TIRES HAVE POOR TRACTION WHEN ON WET SURFACE COMPARED TO BFG OR GENERAL TIRES. (DOT NUMBER: BM05324-1 TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)
BATTERY IS LEAKING ACID FROM THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AREA CAUSING CORROSION. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE ELECTRICAL OR BRAKE FAILURE. THIS IS THE 2ND 1997 GM PRODUCT WITH A DELCO BATTERY I HAVE SEEN WITH THIS CONDITION.*AK
TRANSMISSION KICKS AT SLOW SPEEDS NOT ALL THE TIME, DEALER CHANGED COMPUTER MODULE DID NOT RESLOVE THE PROBLEM DEALER WOULD NOT GARRANTEE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, GMC ASKED ABOUT RECALLS BUT I DID NOT RECEIVE A REPY APPEARS TO BE FAULTY TRANS ELECTICAL PART. *AK
THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT WITHIN 12,000 MILES ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT THESE TRUCKS HAVE THE SAME FRONT ROTOR AND CALIPERS THAT ARE ON THE BUICK LESABRA. THIS COULD EXPLAIN THE EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE PAD DUE TO THE WEIGHT DIFFERENCE. THE STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE WILL LOCK UP AT SLOW SPEEDS AND AL…
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THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT WITHIN 12,000 MILES ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALER THAT THESE TRUCKS HAVE THE SAME FRONT ROTOR AND CALIPERS THAT ARE ON THE BUICK LESABRA. THIS COULD EXPLAIN THE EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE PAD DUE TO THE WEIGHT DIFFERENCE. THE STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE WILL LOCK UP AT SLOW SPEEDS AND ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO WONDER AT HIGHER SPEEDS. DEALER HAS INSPECTED FRONT END AND STATED WAS WITHIN SPECS. VEHICLE ALSO WILL PULL AT TIMES TO LEFT OR RIGHT BY SELF ON STRAIGHT HIGHWAY.
WOULD LIKE HISTORY BACKGROUND ON THIS VEHICLES V I N ,(ACCIDENTS&ANY OTHER)
NO SUMMARY
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
Official recalls
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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.