RoadVitals

1997 GMC Z-71

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.
8
Latest May 1, 2010
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.
0
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.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 GMC Z-71, most frequently naming the brakes, steering and engine categories.

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

  • Brakes440.0%
  • Steering220.0%
  • Engine110.0%
  • Fuel system110.0%
  • Powertrain (other)110.0%
  • Visibility110.0%

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

Brakes
Filed May 1, 2010

VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP BECAUSE OF BRAKE LINE FAILURE. BRAKELINE BUST BECAUSE IF RUST. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKELINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10328376
Incident
Apr 25, 2010
Mileage
89,400 mi
SteeringVisibility
Filed May 25, 2005

DT: POWER STEERING VIOLENTLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM, THE SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THEY WERE NOT DEPENDABLE WHEN NEEDED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO FIXED THEM. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM IN THE 1997 YEAR VEHICLES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10122099
Incident
Nov 30, 2002
Mileage
14,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 8, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported

A VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON THE ROADWAY WAITING FOR A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, I SAW THE TWO STOPPED VEHICLES AND WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES ON MY 1997 GMC TRUCK FROM ABOUT 200+ FEET AWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST BECAME ROCK HARD AND TRUCK DIDN'T SLOW DOWN OR BRAKE CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STOPPED VEHICLE. NO TYPICAL ANTI LOCK PULSATIONS WERE PRESENT OR FELT JUST A ROCK HARD PEDAL THAT COULDN'T BE PUSHED DOWN FURTHER NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED. THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO SKIP OR SKID TYPE MARKS ANYWHERE. I HAVE SINCE BEEN CITED WITH FOLLOWING TO CLOSE BY AN OFFICER NOT PRESENT DURING THE ACCIDENT, SINCE I COULDN'T STOP. I WISH TO REPORT THIS AND ALSO KNOW IF OTHER COMPLAINTS EXIST OF THIS NATURE FOR SIMILAR VEHICLES. I HAD OTHER PULSATIONS AND SIMILAR HARD PEDAL AND THIS WAS SUPOSEDLY REPAIRED BY REPLACING SPEED SENSOR AND MASTERCYLINDER AY APPROX 56000. AFTER STILL FEELING UNUSUAL BRAKE PEDAL PULSATIONS I WAS TOLD IT IS A CONDITION THAT MAY INTERMITENTLY EXIST AND IS NORMAL. 1997 GMC TRUCK VIN # [XXX]. *AK UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10060770
Incident
Mar 3, 2004
Mileage
97,741 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 11, 2003

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COOLANT LEAK FROM THE MANIFOLD.*JB

NHTSA ID
10007064
Incident
Jun 1, 1997
Fuel system
Filed Dec 20, 2002

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART UNTIL 15-30 MIN LATER. DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK INTO THE FUEL PUMP HAS COMPLETELY MELTED INSULATION CAUSING THE WIRE TO SPLIT. ALSO THE PLUG ON BOTH SIDES MELTED ALONG WITH THE WIRING IN TANK. TS

NHTSA ID
10001347
Incident
Dec 17, 2002
Mileage
148,000 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 30, 2000

ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS: WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GRAB, THEN SLIP, AND PEDAL JERKS DOWN. CONSUMER HAS A SITUATION OF NOT BEING IN CONTROL. THIS HAPPENS AT SLOW SPEED. IT APPEARS THAT TRUCK WILL STOP IN PLENTY OF TIME, BUT DOES NOT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. RIGHT HUB WAS REPLACED. *AK THE LEFT HUB REQUIRED REPLACING FRONT BRAKE. ABS SENSOR FAILED IN WHEEL HUB. *YH

NHTSA ID
869110
Incident
Aug 25, 2000
Steering
Filed Aug 9, 2000

STEERING SENSOR WENT OUT. VEHICLE'S STEERING DOES NOT RESPOND. CAN DO IT ANYWHERE ANYTIME WHEN MAKING TURNS. SEEMS TO BE MOST PREVALENT WHEN WEATHER IS HOT. DEALER REPLACED THE 1ST TIME AT NO COST. SAID THEY HAD REPLACED SEVERAL ALREADY. NEW COMPONENT IS NOW DOING THE SAME THING JUST NOT AS BAD YET. WHEN YOU MAKE A TURN OR COME OUT OF A TURN STEERING WHEEL MAY HAVE UP TO 1/2 A WHEEL OF TURN WITH NO RESPONSE. I KNOW THIS HAS OCCURRED ON OTHER VEHICLES. MY BROTHER IN-LAW HAS A SUBURBAN AND HIS DID THE SAME. THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA ID
727233
Brakes
Filed Jul 26, 2000

WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. ALSO, BRAKES PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES IN TWO YEARS AND NINE MONTHS/ CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND REBUILT TWICE/ DRIVER'S SIDE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THREE MONTHS, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ONCE. IN ADDITION, BRAKE HOSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE. OWNER IS STILL EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
866009

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

GMC Z-71 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000402—
1999110028.6
1998300—
1997Viewing800—
1996400—

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.