RoadVitals

1997 GMC C1500 Suburban

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
4
Latest May 11, 2013
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 GMC C1500 Suburban, most frequently naming the brakes, fuel system and steering categories. 4 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes360.0%
  • Fuel system120.0%
  • Steering120.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

BrakesSteering
Filed May 11, 2013

TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND KEEPS SKIDDING.TRUCK STARTED TO SKID SIDE WAYS,BRAKES GAVE OUT AND WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.TRUCK KEPT SKIDDING FOR ABOUT HALF MILE BEFORE BRAKES WORKED AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SUBURBAN.THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND PUMPED IT SEVERAL TIMES BUT WOULD NOT WORK.SEEMS LIKE ABS MODULE,BRAKES ARE GOOD.JUST ABS HAS FAILED AT DIFFERENT TIMES.SUBURBAN JUMPS AND KEEPS GOING WHEN STOPPED.FAILS TO MAKE COMPLETE STOP EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10511537
Incident
May 1, 2013
Brakes
Filed Dec 20, 2009

BRAKE PEDAL "WENT TO THE FLOOR " WITHOUT WARNING ON MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN. DASHBOARD FAILED TO SHOW A "RED" BRAKE LIGHT UNTIL ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER WHEN I CHECKED BRAKES AGAIN. THERE WAS VIRTUALLY BRAKING ABILITY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. CAR WILL BE TOWED TO DEALER TONIGHT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING CARS FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "BUILT IN SAFETY REDUNDANCY" TO PREVENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING ? LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10296503
Incident
Dec 20, 2009
Mileage
115,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 9, 2007

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 1997 GMC K-1500 SUBURBAN HAD SEVERAL ABS FAILURES. THE ABS ENGAGED AT A LOW SPEED WHEN COMING TO A STOP, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE CANNOT IN THE EXPECTED DISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTACTED GM DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE ABS IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THE CONTACT FOUND RECALL 05068 DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS GIVEN CASE # 71-474-687-217. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12000. *AK UPDATED 03/15/07. *JB

NHTSA ID
10182103
Incident
Dec 1, 2006
Fuel system
Filed Sep 11, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST FUEL PRESSURE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO START. THE CONTACT INSPECTED AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT AS THE INSULATION WAS BURNED OFF THE WIRING BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE SALES DEALER RECOMMENDED A NON-MANUFACTURER NAME BRAND FOR THE SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID
10167816
Incident
Jun 14, 2006
Mileage
145,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

17-NA-073

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

16NA260

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO REPROGRAM THE MEDIA DISC PLAYER WITH THE LATEST CALIBRATIONS TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF THE REAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT OPERATING AS INTENDED IN COLDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AREAS DUE TO CALIBRATION CONCERNS.

Recalls

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Vehicle Recalls

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

GMC C1500 Suburban by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1999120033.6
1998100—
1997Viewing400—
1996200—
1995000—
1994200—
1993000—
1992000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.