1997 GMC Sierra Problems

MY BRAKE LINE FAILED ABOVE THE FUEL TANK, LOST PRESSURE TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN NO BRAKES. WHY WOULD CAR MANUFACTURES USE STEEL BRAKE LINES THAT CAN ROT OUT VERY QUICKLY WHEN EXPOSED TO NORMAL DRIVING ELEMENTS. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WAS UNWARRANTABLE ACTIVATING, CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW SPEED BRAKE APPLICATIONS. THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THE ABS HOWEVER THE VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS OCCURS EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES THAT LEAD UP TO THESE INCIDENCES.

DT: 1997 GMC SIERRA C1500 PICK UP TRUCK - THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE GMC SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT THE STEERING BOX WORE OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD PLAY IN THE WHEEL. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AS OF YET. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT APPROACHING A STOP, BUT WAS COMING UP ONTO A BIG TRUCK, WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND HAD NO BRAKES. THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED WITH ALL NEW BRAKE LINES, BUT THEY WERE STILL MAKING NOISE AND ID NOT FEEL RIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL JERKING TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN MAKING A SLIGHT TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. IT CAUSES ME TO OVERCORRECT MY STEERING. IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE IN THE LAST YEAR. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE STEERING GETS VERY LOOSE. I FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GM SHOULD CORRECT, AS MINE IS FAR FROM THE ONLY TRUCK WITH THIS PROBLEM.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC SIERRA. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,433. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT ORIGINALLY HAPPENED 2 YEARS AGO AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONSUMER BY CLEANING THE UNIT AND SEALING THE WARPED COVER WITH SILICON. THE CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED BY GM DEALER ON NOVEMBER 13, 2007 UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S DRIVER SIDE DOOR PINS SHATTERED CAUSING THE DOOR TO MALFUNCTION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE REPAIRS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. THE DEALER NEEDED DOCUMENTATION THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE RECALL WORK. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE.

THERE IS A HARD SHIFT BETWEEN 1 AND 2 GEARS AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MILES.*AK

AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, WE EXITED AND CAME TO A STOPLIGHT THAT IS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING HARD FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. WHEN I GOT HOME I WENT ON-LINE AND THAT IS WHEN I REALIZED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY 1997 GMC SIERRA OWNER THAT HAS THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF US OUT THERE WITH THE EXACT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL BEING CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME?*AK

1997 GMC SIERRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER STATED, ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL 6,000LB LOAD. BUT, THE VEHICLE MISFIRED, LOST SPEED, AND STALLED WHILE PULLING LESS THAN 4,000LBS. THE FAILURE OCCURED AT SPEEDS OF 55-65MPH.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN AUGUST OF 2005 WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH THE MUFFLER FELL OUT OF THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE A DUAL MUFFLER WAS INSTALLED. THE MUFFLER WAS NOT A ORGINAL PART ON THE VEHICLE; IT WAS INSTALLED BY AN INDEPENTENT REPAIR SHOP.

THE VEHICLE STALLED 5 TIMES IN ONE MORNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. THE WEATHER WARMED UP OUTSIDE AND THE VEHICLE RAN AND STARTED FINE. THE NEXT EVENING THE VEHICLE STARTED FINE, I GOT 1/2 BLOCK DOWN THE ROAD IT STALLED AGAIN. I WAITED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND IT RAN FINE. THE NEXT MORNING IT STARTED FINE AND I DROVE IT FOR MILES, HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT STALLING. WE CALLED GMC TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, BECAUSE THE WIPERS WOULD WORK WHEN THEY WANTED TO WORK. NOT WHEN YOU NEEDED THEM TO WORK. THEY HAD TOLD US THAT THERE WAS ALSO AN IGNITION COIL PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK-THEY CALLED THE GMC DEALER THAT WAS TO DO THE RECALL WORK. A FAULTY IGNITION COIL CAN GIVE THE SAME SIDE EFFECTS AS A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. WE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHEN WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, BUT STILL WOULD NOT START. THE GMC DEALER TOLD US IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE FUEL PUMP, THE DEALER TOLD US THE FUEL PUMPS IN THIS VEHICLE GO OUT "FREQUENTLY." BUT, HE OFFERED US TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP FOR $450.+ INCLUDING LABOR. OR SELL US ONE OVER THE COUNTER FOR APPROXIMATELY $425.00 + TAX. AND WE COULD INSTALL IT OURSELVES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR HOUSE AND NOW ARE DECIDING WHAT TYPE OF FUEL PUMP SHOULD BE BOUGHT FOR A VEHICLE THAT THE FUEL PUMP GOES OUT FREQUENTLY IN. OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT THIS TRUCK HAS 85,066 MILES ON IT, AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. WHY ARE THE VEHICLES FITTED WITH FAULTY/DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS. THE PUMP CAN CATCH ON FIRE, OR GO OUT IF YOU HIT TOO MANY BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THAT IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM OF A FAULTY PRODUCT. PLEASE LET US KNOW, HOW MANY FUEL PUMPS WE SHOULD PLAN ON REPLACING IN THE NORMAL LIFE OF THIS VEHICLE. *LA

THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY CONTAINED WITHIN THE GAS TANK SHORTED OUT AND MELTED WIRING ASSOCIATED WITH THE ASSEMBLY. *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. REPLACED BATTERY, BATTERY CONNECTIONS, CABLES AND ALTERNATOR BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS OVER THE YEARS. IT IS A DANGEROUS HAZARDOUS SITUATION. *TR

I WAS RETURNING TO ALBUQUERQUE, NM FROM AMARILLO, TX PULLING A TRAILER WITH AN ANTIQUE STOVE IN MY TRAILER. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE LEAVING AMARILLO, I HAD MY FRIEND CHECK ALL OF THE TRAILER LIGHTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONING. THEY ALL WORKED FINE. I TOOK THE SCENIC ROUTE THROUGH HEREFORD ENTERING ONTO INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 40 AT SANTA ROSA, NM AT ABOUT 9:00 PM - IT WAS DARK. BEFORE LONG A SEMI PASSED ME AN HE FLICKED HIS HEADLIGHTS. I WASN'T SURE WHAT THE FLICKING OF HIS LIGHTS MEANT. ABOUT 30 MILES LATER A SEMI PASSED ME RIGHT BEFORE A BIG HILL. HE IMMEDIATELY LOST HIS SPEED GOING UP THE HILL AND IN A FEW MOMENTS I WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM. I DID NOT WANT TO PASS HIM SINCE I WAS PULLING THE TRAILER, SO I STAYED BEHIND HIM AS HE CONTINUED TO SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 55 MPH. ANOTHER SEMI APPROACHED VERY FAST FROM BEHIND AND THERE WERE OTHER CARS IN THE FAST LANE. AT THE LAST SECOND THE SEMI SWERVED AROUND ME TO THE LEFT AND PASSED ME AND HONKED HIS HORN AT ME. HE NARROWLY MISSED RUNNING INTO THE REAR OF MY TRAILER. THIS TIME I NEW SOMETHING WAS UP, SO I PULLED OUT AT THE CLINES CORNERS EXIT AND STOPPED AS SOON AS I COULD. SURE ENOUGH, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE TRAILER WERE OUT. I PUSHED ON THE WIRING COUPLER AND THEY ALL CAME ON. I WENT ABOUT 10 MORE MILES AND PULLED OFF AT ANOTHER EXIT TO CHECK THE LIGHTS. THEY WERE STILL ON, BUT I PUSHED THE COUPLER TOGETHER TO HELP ENSURE IT WAS WORKING LOOSE. ALL OF THE TRAILER LIGHTS WENT OUT AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH I PLAYED WITH THE COUPLER THEY WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. I SPENT THE NEXT 45 MINUTES LAYING ON THE COLD PAVEMENT WITH A FLASHLIGHT CUTTING THE WIRE TO THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT ON MY TRUCK AND SPLICING IN SOME WIRE TO GET THE LIGHTS ON THE REAR OF THE TRAILER TO LIGHT UP. I ALSO HAD TO CREATE A NEW GROUND WIRE. THE COUPLER SYSTEM IS MADE BY VELVAC NEAR MILWAUKEE, WI. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU THE LEFTOVER JUNK PARTS. DAN

THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ALSO STATED WHEN HE MADE A RIGHT TURN, IT FELT AS THOUGH ALL STEERING WAS LOST. TS *JB

IT WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT STABILIZER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD STALL. THEN, SEEP TO THE FLOOR. DEALER REPLACED HUBS ON THE FRONT TWO BRAKES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE FROM THE INSIDE. THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED HUB ASSEMBLY. DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, ALSO RESURFACED ROTORS. *SCC

TWO TIRES BLEW THREE HOURS APART CAUSING ALMOST $4000 DAMAGE TO THE TRUCK. ACCORDING TO THE TIRE TECH, THE THIRD TIRE WAS NOT FAR FROM BLOWING OUT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: CHW8 TIRESIZE: 265/75/16)

FAILURE OF TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE ON MY 1997 GMC SIERRA SHORT BED PICK-UP. VEHICLE WAS PRIMARILY USED FOR TRANSPORTATION TO WORK AND HOME. CARGO IS VERY RARELY TRANSPORTED, BUT ON THE DAY OF THE FAILURE SEVERAL DOZEN 2X4S WERE TRANSPORTED LESS THAN 3 MILES WITH THE TAILGATE DOWN. THE LEFT SIDE CABLE SUPPORT BROKE DURING TRANSPORT. THE LOAD WAS NOT LOST IN THE ROADWAY BECAUSE THE RIGHT SIDE REMAINED INTACT. TAILGATE IS NO LONGER USED TO SUPPORT ANY LOAD DUE TO FEAR OF FAILURE ,AND REMAINED UPRIGHT AND LATCHED. NO REPLACEMENT PART HAS BEEN LOCATED.*AK

I HAD LOADED SOME LUMBER INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND THE TAILGATE CABLE SNAPPED. IT HAD RUSTED INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC BARRIER. THE LUMBER SLID OUT OF THE TRUCK WHILE TRAVELING. NO ONE WAS INJURED. I CONTACTED GMC, AND THEY SAID THEIR WAS NO RECALL ON THAT PROBLEM. I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CABLE FOR THE TAILGATE.*AK

CLUTCH SPRINGS COME APART AND THE CLUTCH ERRATICALLY FAILS WITH NO WARNING. ON INCIDENT DRIVER WAS CRANKING THE TRUCK IN THE PARKING LOT, WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR, VEHICLE BEGAN TO PROCEED BACKWARDS.

CV JOINTS ON FRONT END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THIS WOULD BE 3RD TIME.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE HAS GALVANIZED-BRAIDED STEEL TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES THAT HAVE CORRODED AND FRACTURED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS MODEL YEAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V066000 (STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS). THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S DRIVER SIDE DOOR PINS SHATTERED CAUSING THE DOOR TO MALFUNCTION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE REPAIRS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. THE DEALER NEEDED DOCUMENTATION THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE RECALL WORK. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE.

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, I TRIED TO SELECT HIGH BEAM WITH THE STEM MOUNTED LIGHT SWITCH. I HEARD A CHATTERING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL AREA AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERED DIMLY ON AND OFF. I ALSO SMELLED ELECTRICAL SMOKE. DESELECTING HIGH RESULTED IN LOW BEAM EXTERIOR LIGHT WITH NO CHATTERING, FLICKERING OR SMOKE. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLES HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, TO CHECK HEADLIGHTS, LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. CONSUMER HAD TO USE EMERGENCY FLASHER TO GUIDE THE WAY SAFELY. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER.

MY THROTTLE PLATE BROKE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD, I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND MY TRUCK CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO UNCONTROLLABLE SPEEDS OF 75 M.P.H. I THEN PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE MY ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT STUCK SOMEHOW. I STARTED MY ENGINE AND IT IDLED A LITTLE HIGHER THAN NORMAL AT ABOUT 2000 R.P.M.'S. I DIDNT THINK TOO MUCH OF IT AND STARTED HOME. BY THE TIME I WAS AT MY HOUSE I COULD BARELY CONTROL MY TRUCK, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH BECAUSE THE ENGLINE FLEW TO OVER 3700 R.P.M.'S IF I DID SO. WHEN I GOT HOME, I CALLED A TOW SERVICE AND HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. HE SAID MY THROTTLE PLATE HAD BROKE WHICH HE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND SAID I WAS VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, MUCH LESS HAVE AN ENGINE. HE FIXED IT FOR $510.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WILL CONTINUE TO RUN AT 2000 RPMS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. ENGINE WILL RUNAWAY, AND ONLY WAY TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN IS TO APPLY BRAKES WHILE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *YH

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, HOWEVER PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED DISLOCATED KNUCKLES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH ON A SMOOTH DIRT ROAD BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. GMC WILL REPLACE AIRBAGS FREE OF CHARGE ONLY IF CONSUMER WILL SIGN RELEASE. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, THEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE. AIRBAG SENSOR WAS SENT TO DETROIT, NO PROBLEM FOUND. VEHICLE AT DEALER SINCE INCIDENT.*AK

CONSUMER STATED HE COULD NOT GET THE SEAT BELT TO RETRACT.*JB

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT, STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD STALL. THEN, SEEP TO THE FLOOR. DEALER REPLACED HUBS ON THE FRONT TWO BRAKES TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE FROM THE INSIDE. THE RIGHT WHEEL CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. DEALER REPLACED HUB ASSEMBLY. DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, ALSO RESURFACED ROTORS. *SCC