1997 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
402 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1997 GMC Sierra 1500, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 31/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 91,558 miles.
Typical
Where 1997 sits among all Sierra 1500 years
What owners report
“Brake fluid loss due to corroded brake line. This is the third occurrence of this problem on this vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Sierra 1500
“Steering wheel becomes very loose while driving and falls in the direction of the turn when turning.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Sierra 1500
“I have heard of other incidents where this part failed. If this part had failed at high speed this could have resulted serious damage and possible injury.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Sierra 1500
“Wipers stop working, had to get out of the vehicle and move the electrical contact to the wipers then they come on.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1997 Sierra 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 103 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 55,000 and 115,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS. THE FRONT, INNER CORNER OF THE FUEL TANK CAN CONTACT THE BODY SILL EITHER INTERMITTENTLY OR CONSTANTLY. THIS MOVEMENT CAN CAUSE A DISCERNIBLE NOISE AND, OVER TIME, CAN WEAR A HOLE IN OR CRACK THE FUEL TANK AT…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK FOR WEAR AND, EITHER INSTALL A SPACER BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER, OR IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS. ONE OR TWO OF THE FRONT SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS WERE NOT INSTALLED. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS."
Fix: DEALERS WILL CHECK ALL SEAT MOUNTING BOLTS AND INSTALL ANY MISSING BOLTS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RECLINING SEATS AND THE EASY-ENTRY FEATURE. THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH A PINCH POINT EXISTS IN THE RECLINER MECHANISM THAT CAN TRAP AND PINCH A PERSON'S HAND OR…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTOR COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.
Technical service bulletins
30 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 1997 GMC Sierra 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1997 Sierra 1500 TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
The 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 drew 402 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 31/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 are brakes & stability (95 complaints), steering (89), and transmission & drivetrain (42).
At what mileage do 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 55,000 and 115,000 miles.
Does the 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 1997 GMC Sierra 1500. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.