IllustrationANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
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 reportsCARGO TIE-DOWN RINGS FAILED. MJS
REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS LEAKING.
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…
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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
WHEN APPYLING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES PULL TO THE RIGHT, DEALER STATES THE PROBLEM IS THE OVERSIZED TIRES CAUSING THE ABS TO REACT WRONG, CONSUMER THINKS THIS IS INCORRECT DUE TO DISCONNECTION OF THE ABS AND THE SAME PROBLEMS EXISTING, NEW HOSES, CALIPERS, PADS, AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *SLC
FRONT END STEERING PROBLEMS, TURNS TO FAR TO EACH SIDE.
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, CAUSING LOUD NOISE AND POSSIBLY RESULTING IN TOTAL FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK
IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES LOOSE WITH NO RESISTANCE. THEN, WHILE TRYING TO CORRECT THE STEERING THE WHEEL GETS TIGHT, SEEMS TO HAVE NO POWER STEERING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
VEHICLE WEARS OUT BRAKE PADS BECAUSE THE CALIPER TO KNUCKLE CLEARANCE WAS INSUFFIEICENT.
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.