1997 GMC Pickup problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 GMC Pickup. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 6 | 27% |
| Steering | 4 | 18% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 9% |
| Tires | 2 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% |
| Seats | 1 | 5% |
| Structure | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 12 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Recall notice regarding vehicle's windshield wipers.*mr the consumer misplaced the recall letter relater to the windshield wipers. The consumer request that another copy be sent so that the recall can be completed. *nm”
Visibility · filed Jul 12, 2004
“While driving front windshield wipers failed intermittently. Recall 03v159000 was issued on this problem. However, dealership would not repair because this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak *nm”
Visibility · filed May 20, 2004
“Intermittent surge or boost in power steering assitance. Has occurred over the past 1+ yrs . Loose steering . *ak”
Steering · filed Feb 23, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
2 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 GMC Pickup.
4l80e output carrier thrust washer changes. *tt
3276 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 20, 2005
Subject regarding lubrication of propeller shaft double cardan cv type u-joint centering ball and seat.*nlm
020090002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2002
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1997 GMC Pickup in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 GMC Pickup?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.