IllustrationACCELERATION FROM STOP SIGN ENGINE REVVED UP TO 4K AND ACCELERATED, GAS PEDAL DROPED LIKE IN CRUSE,STEPPING ON BRAKE DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEN, HAD TO TURN ENG. OFF AND RESTART 3 TIMES BEFORE RAN NORMALY. ALL SYSTEMS WERE IN OFF POSITION. *AK
1997 GMC Yukon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 GMC Yukon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 103.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Yukon 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: 21 of 133 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.
- Steering. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
133 reportsERRATIC STEERING, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, WAS TOLD THERE IS NO DEFECT. ALSO REAR AXLE LEAKS AND INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS, DUE TO A GASKET DEFECTIVE INSTALLED.
SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WOULD ACTIVATE AT SLOW SPEEDS ON NORMAL SURFACES. DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE OUT AND INDICATED THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE, AND SINCE THIS IS MY FIRST VEHICLE WITH ABS I ASSUMED THIS WAS NORMAL. OVER THE PAST YEAR THE ABS HAS BEEN ACTIVATING MUCH MORE OFTEN AND NOW …
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SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WOULD ACTIVATE AT SLOW SPEEDS ON NORMAL SURFACES. DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE OUT AND INDICATED THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE, AND SINCE THIS IS MY FIRST VEHICLE WITH ABS I ASSUMED THIS WAS NORMAL. OVER THE PAST YEAR THE ABS HAS BEEN ACTIVATING MUCH MORE OFTEN AND NOW THE DEALER SAYS THE HUB ASSEMBLY NEEDS REPLACED AT A COST OF $300.00. IN CHECKING RECALL HISTORY, I HAVE FOUND WHERE THE 1998 YUKONS HAD A RECALL FOR THIS HUB ASSEMBLY IN THE SPRING OF 1998 AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. THE DEALER INDICATES THAT MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING AT THIS TIME. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF OTHER 1997 YUKONS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN STEERING WHEEL WILL SLIP. DELAER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK
ANY RECOURSE AVAILABLE WITH MANUFACTER? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT TIHS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH GMDC VEHICLES. STEERING CENTERING DEVICE MAKE VEHICLE STEERING ERRATIC .THIS IS ALSO AN ONGOING PROBLEM.*AK
OUR RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHY NO RECALL? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
POWER ASSIST SEEMS TO PULL ON ITS OWN, FOR NO REASON TO THE LEFT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, KINDA SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS. I WOULD THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. *AK
A LADY SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES IN FRONT OF ME WHEN I PUT ON MY BRAKES THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. I THEN PUMPED THE BRAKES AND FELT THEM CATCH. THEY POPPED AND I STOPPED WITH A SUDDEN JERK. I CAME WITHIN MAYBE A INCH OF HITTNG HER. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BRAKE SYSTEM. I TOOK MY CAR IN THINKING MY BRAKES WERE GOING …
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A LADY SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES IN FRONT OF ME WHEN I PUT ON MY BRAKES THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. I THEN PUMPED THE BRAKES AND FELT THEM CATCH. THEY POPPED AND I STOPPED WITH A SUDDEN JERK. I CAME WITHIN MAYBE A INCH OF HITTNG HER. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BRAKE SYSTEM. I TOOK MY CAR IN THINKING MY BRAKES WERE GOING OUT. I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THEY ARE NOT FINE.*AK
ERRATIC STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK *SLC
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
5EA01018 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Dec 20, 2001 · Closed Dec 9, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
No summary supplied.
PE01023 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Jul 17, 2001 · Closed Dec 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE (1) COMPLAINT ALLEGING THAT THE 2ND ROW PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE ANCHOR DETACHED FROM SEAT FRAME DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH.DURING THE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN FROM HIS SEAT, PARTIALLY EJECTED THROUGH THE REAR QUARTER WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE.OCCUPANT SUSTAINED INJURY.GM HAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED SEAT BELT ANCHORING DESIGN IN MY 2000. ODI HAS COMPLETED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND HAS DETERMINED THAT FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.
EA00013 · Battery Leaks Acid
Opened May 2, 2000 · Closed Jun 28, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available
PE99073 · Battery Leaks Acid
Opened Dec 3, 1999 · Closed May 2, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
ODI HAS RECEIVED 21 COMPLAINTS WHERE OWNERS ALLEGE THAT THE STANDARD GM FACTORY SUPPLIED AC DELCO BATTERY CASE FAILED, RESULTING IN THE LEAKAGE OF SULFURIC ACID.OF THE 21 COMPLAINT VEHICLES, SIX SUBURBAN, THREE TAHOES, AND ONE YUKON OWNER(S) COMPLAINED ABOUT A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID FROM DETERIORATION OF THE RIGHT FRONTBRAKE LINE AS A RESULT OF SULFURIC ACID CONTAMINATION.THE REMAINING 11 COMPLAINTS PERTAIN PRIMARILY TO SULFURIC ACID LEAKAGE FROM THE BATTERY CASE.AT LEAST ONE COMPLAINANT STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT BATTERY ALSO FAILED.SEVERAL OF THE COMPLAINANTS NOTE THAT THE LEAKING ACID HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH A WIRE HARNESS AT THE FRAME IN THE VICINITY OF THE STEEL BRAKE LINE.A FIELD INSPECTION BY ODI INDICATES THAT THE DESCRIBED HARNESS IS THE ABS CONNECTION TO THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR.PRIOR TO THE BATTERY CASE FAILURE, THERE IS USUALLY NO WARNING (SHORT OF AN UNDERHOOD INSPECTION), AND THE ENSURING DAMAGE (SULFURIC ACID CONTAMINATION) IS PROGRESSIVE.OF THE KNOWN BATTERY FAILURES, THERE MAY BE A TEMPERATURE CORRELATION, AS 60% OF THE OWNER COMPLAINTS CAME FROM FOUR STATES; CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA AND TEXAS.THERE IS ALSO A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND ENGINEERING CHANGE NOTICE TO ADD 1% SILVER TO THE BATTERY'S POSITIVE SIDE TERMINALL, WITH THE EARLIEST IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR THIS BEING FEB 2, 1998.THE EFFECT OF THIS DESIGN CHANGE IS AS YET UNKNOWN; FURTHER REVIEW IS WARRANTED.AN EA IS BEING OPENED TO GATHER FURTHER APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, CLARIFY ANY DEFECT TRENDS, AND TO ASSESS THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS AND RISKS CONCERNING THESE FAILURES.
EA99011 · Erratic Power Steering Assist While Driv
Opened May 12, 1999 · Closed Feb 27, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST FLUCTUATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FOR DETAILS AND A BASIS FOR THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS, PLEASE SEE THE CLOSING REPORT IN THE EA99-011 PUBLIC FILE.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.FUTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS SUBJECT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.THE ENGINEERING IS CLOSED.