1997 GMC Sierra 2500: common problems

Owners of the 1997 GMC Sierra 2500 filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and tires. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 14
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 50% of all complaints
2 Tires 14% of all complaints
3 Visibility 14% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
5 Latches, locks, linkages 7% of all complaints
6 Seats 7% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 7 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Tires: 2 complaints (14% of all).
Visibility: 2 complaints (14% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (7% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 14 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion2 · 14%
brake failure1 · 7%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 7%
tires: bulges, blowouts1 · 7%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	7	1
Tires	2	0
Visibility	2	0
Fuel system	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Seats	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Tl* the contact owns a 1997 gmc c2500 pickup equipped with cooper mastercraft tires, size p265/75/r16. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the tread separated from the tires and caused damage to the vehicle. The contact was able to safely drive the vehicle to a local body shop.
Tires · 2012-06-18 · NHTSA complaint #10462167
Corroded brake line failure. Loss of rear brakes, front worked.
Service brakes · 2012-04-17 · NHTSA complaint #10455585
The driver side rear tire tread separated causing damage to the back of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who advised that they would contact him at a later date. The vehicle was not repaired.
Tires · 2011-07-15 · NHTSA complaint #10413093
1997 gm 6.5 turbo diesel pmd failure. Loss of control very unsafe. Why does gm fail to recall the pmd????
Fuel system · 2011-02-03 · NHTSA complaint #10380169
Brake line failure on 1997 gmc pickup. @ different occasions and separate areas in brake lines. Old lines discarded. Appeared to be a rust issue.
Service brakes · 2010-04-09 · NHTSA complaint #10324677
While driving in rainy weather front windshield wipers failed intermittently. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.
Visibility · 2004-07-30 · NHTSA complaint #10083927
Approximately, 2 years ago the interior door handle failed to open the driver side door. I took the vehicle to lehmers in concord and they repaired the problem at no charge to me... It was still under warranty.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2003-11-18 · NHTSA complaint #10047133
While raining windshield wipers will move real slow or they may stop completely. It is an intermittent reoccurring problem. Dealer claims vehicle is not under warranty.
Visibility · 2000-02-03 · NHTSA complaint #856164

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19971
19982
19991
20002
20011
20031
20041
20101
20112
20122

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 2500 has 59 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 14, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC Sierra 2500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, tires, visibility. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (14%), brake failure (7%), door locks, latches, handles (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 GMC Sierra 2500?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1997 GMC Sierra 2500 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1997 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.