IllustrationWAS INFORMED BY REPAIR SHOP THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 5.7 LITER ENG. FACTORY INSTALLED FRONT / REAR SEALER IS WEAK MATERIAL. NEED TO INSTALL GASKET TYPE SEAL. DEFECT CAN CAUSE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL. FAILURE COULD RESULT IN FIRE OR PURCHASE OF NEW ENGINE. PLEASE ADVISE. *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 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK HARD WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS GOING INTO FIRST GEAR AND RETURNING TO SLOWER ARTERIALS. ALSO, FLUID WAS LEAKING AT REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND DEALER SAID IT WAS BAD TORQUE CONVERTER. *YH
CONSUMER STATED THAT ANTI LOCK BRAKE CAME ON 3-5 MILES PER HOUR AND DEALER HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT HUBS. *YD
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, SOMETIMES THEY COME ON WHEN TURNED OFF.*AK
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT STABILIZER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
VEHICLE IS SITTING AND RUNNING. THE STEERING IS HARD TO TURN. THERE IS NO NOISE WHILE TRAVELING. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
CLUTCH SPRINGS COME APART AND THE CLUTCH ERRATICALLY FAILS WITH NO WARNING. ON INCIDENT DRIVER WAS CRANKING THE TRUCK IN THE PARKING LOT, WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR, VEHICLE BEGAN TO PROCEED BACKWARDS.
WIPERS STOP WORKING, HAD TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND MOVE THE ELECTRICAL CONTACT TO THE WIPERS THEN THEY COME ON.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS TWICE, THE SENDING UNIT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WITH THE FUEL PUMP, WIRE ASSEMBLIES AND FLOAT, THE WIRES AND FITTING PLUGS BURNED, THE CONSUMER IS AFRAID THAT THE VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE. *YD
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.