1997 GMC Sierra 1500 problems
The 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 has 100 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (25%) concerns steering. Next are brakes (19%) and wipers, windshield & visibility (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 100 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Steering 25% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 0 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 0 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 80,000 miles 44 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 1 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 9 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 6 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 5 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 6 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 44 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 80,000 miles. For steering specifically, the median reported mileage is about 60,000 miles (12 complaints with mileage).
None of these complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 100% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 26th most-complained-about out of 30 model years of the GMC Sierra 1500 with enough data (39 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
There is squealing noise in the front driver's side of the vehicle when driving at any speed due to the ball joints not being greased when manufactored. Please descibe details.
While driving the vehicle applied the ABS brakes, and the ABS brakes will lock up and vehicle pulls to the right. Dealer cannot correct the ABS brakes. This has happened several times. Consumer stated the ABS locks upand squalls and tire rubber on wet black top roads at high speed braking, the ABS shakes and shimmies through the brake pedal, steering wheel and front end, seems to be unstable on high speed braking.
Driving at approximately 40-65 vehicle will pull to either left or right unexpectedley and strongly, causing the consumer to lose control for couple seconds, and be pulled to side of road. Dealer has replaced steering box/sensor/gear and pump assembly. Defect is still occurring.
You turn on the wipers and they don't work or start and than stop to which you must get out of the truck and give a pull on the wiper arm to get it started again.
While driving on highway this vehicle will move right and left without no input from the driver. Also, making a left or right turn the power steering will stop,lock up start working again for no apparent reason. I have change all front tie rods twice, steering gear box, four times and the power steering pump three times. This is very serious and hazardous issue !!!! Many drivers have the same problem and has expressed it on the internet. GMC has not put out any recall to fix it.