1997 GMC Sierra 1500 complaints

STEERING WHEEL JERKS SHARPLY AT TIMES AS IF IS RESTRICTED. MY SISTER HAD A SURBURBAN THIS YEAR MODEL THAT DID THE SAME THING. THEY TOOK THEIR AUTO IN SEVERAL TIMES BUT NEVER WOULD DO THIS. IT IS SO RANDOM THAT IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND FOR THE SERVICE DEPT. THEY JUST SOLD THEIR VEHICLE. ANY INFO FROM GMC ON THIS PROBLEM? OUR TRUCK DID NOT DO THIS UNTIL AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED.*AK

LOCK OUT COIL IN TRANSMISSION FAILED AND BURNED OUT OD AND REVERSE GEARS. *AK

ENGINE WONT START, FOUND FUEL PUMP NO GOOD, REMOVE AND REPLACE NEW DEALER FUEL PUMP

MY PROBLEMS REALLY BEGAN SOON AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS OVER @ 36,000 MILES. AT 42,240 I HAD A FUEL INJECTOR GO OUT, AT 55,590 MILES I HAD A WATER PUMP, SEAL, AND CORE NIPPLES GO BAD, ALONG WITH THE IDLE ARM ASSEMBLY, AND THE MAIN ENGINE BELT REPLACED. AGAIN ONLY 2 WEEKS LATER @ 58,275 MILES I STILL HAD A COOLANT LEAK, AND IT WAS THEN DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK, AND THE THERMOSTAT AND SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE AGAIN ONLY 2 DAYS LATER I AGAIN EXPERIENCED YET ANOTHER PROBLEM, THIS TIME THE ALTENATOR WENT OUT! I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER, AND TO GENERAL MOTORS, WHO CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO THE MATTER. THE DEALER DID AGGREE IT IS FAIRLY RARE TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS SO SOON, AND GENERAL MOTORS AGGREES. HOWEVER THAT DOES'NT EASE MY MIND, THAT THEIR MAY BE A DESIGN, OR PARTS PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. I DID TALK WITH ANOTHER OWNER OF THE SAME TYPE TRUCK A 1992, SAME STYLE AND ENGINE, AND INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS OCCUR AT APROX: THE SAME MILAGE TIME FRAME, AND HAD SEVERAL MORE POP UP WITH THE TRANSMISSION AS WELL.*AK

PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT.*AK CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A BROKEN PART INSIDE THE SEAT BELT HOUSING. *SLC

INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE DUE TO PREMATURE INITIATION OF ABS PUMP SYSTEM. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY AT SPEEDS OF 20 MPH AND OVER AND WHILE GOING INTO A CURVE OR A TURN,E STEERING WHEEL WILL JUMP INTO THE TURN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED WHICH MAY CAUSED VISUAL DIFFICULTY, AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. *AK

DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN STEERING ASSIST SENSOR, STEERING OPERATED SOFTLY AND TURNED MORE OVER WHICH MAY CAUSE CRASH. COMMON PROBLEM. DEALER WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK WHEN THE POWER STEERING IS IN OVER STEER CONDITION, THE VEHICLE CONTINUE OFF ROAD AND IS SERIOUSLY DAMAGE. *YH

I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE THIS PART FAILED. IF THIS PART HAD FAILED AT HIGH SPEED THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED SERIOUS DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURY.

VEHICLE WILL MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL ONLY WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE WILL JERK & SOMETIMES WANDER INTO ANOTHER LANE OR OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. DEALER HASVE BEEN TRYING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

INTERIOR DASHBOARD MATERIAL/PADDING CONTINUALLY CRACKED/DETERIORATED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED IT ON THE FIRST OCCASION. LESS THEN NINE MONTHS LATER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED, AND DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

I UNDERSTAND THEIR HAVE BEEN A HIGH NUMBER OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES IN THESE VEHICLES. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER AND SERVICE ADVISOR ALREADY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK BEFORE THEY EVEN LOOKED AT IT. ALSO THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME HIS OWN FUEL PUMP FAILED ON HIS GMC TRUCK AT 38,000 MILES. THIS IS A LEASE VEHICLE THAT IS TO BE TURNED IN IN FOUR MONTHS AND I HAD TO PUT A $400 FUEL PUMP IN IT. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED/ WARMING UP, CONSUMER MOVED THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A WARNING. *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN OR CHANGING LANES, STEERING MALFUNCTIONS, WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH. THERE IS BULLETIN # 86-32-06 DEALING WITH REDUCED STEERING EFFORT WHICH EXPLAINS THIS DEFECT. REPAIRS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CONSUMER BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *AK *ML

I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK IN TO BE REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY ONLY PUT GLUE ON THE REAR END. ONE DEALER DID CONTACT GMC, BUT NO RESULTS. THE POWER STEERING IS NOT RIGHT EITHER.

POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT U TWISTED INTO LEAVING ONLY MANUAL STEERING. *AK

THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS ARE INOPERABLE WHICH CAUSE POOR BRAKING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LOADED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE PROBLEM WITH THE ABS-- IT TAKE LONGER TO STOP THAN IT WOULD WITHOUT ABS, IT ALSO SEEMS TO ACTUALLY SLIDE ON SLIPPERY SURFACES SUCH AS ICE & SNOW.... EVEN THOUGH PEDAL IS HELD FIRMLY DOWN, THE WHEELS GRIP, THEN RELEASE, AS IF THE ABS IS NOT CYCLLING QUICK ENOUGH. I DRIVE ANOTHER GM VEHICLE WITH ABS & THAT SYSTEM WORKS DIFFERENTLY & WORKS OK. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PUMPING & PRESSURE I FEEL FROM THE PEDAL. THE WHEELS WILL SLIDE BEFORE THE ABS KICKS IN, OR SO IT SEEMS. AS REGARDS TO THE REAR DRUM BRAKES--- WHEN IT IS COLD & DAMP, THE REAR WHEELS WILL LOCK UP WITH JUST THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL... ONCE IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROX 5 MILES & THE BRAKES USED & WARMED UP, THEN THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY...... THIS IS A VERY ANNOYING & DANGEROUS TRAIT OF THIS VEHICLE... THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.. THANK YOU

CONNECTING WIRE IN FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK, MELTED AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL. THIS MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. *AK

INTERMITTENT UNEXPECTED STEERING MOVEMENT AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING ANYWHERE FROM 50, 60, 70 MPH, THE STEERING LOOSENED UP. ALSO, WHEN MAKING ANY KIND OF A RIGHT CURVE THE STEERING WHEEL GOES SLACK, YOU GET 3-4 INCHES OF FREE PLAY. THE DEALER /GM IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. TRUCK IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND CANNOT BE CORRECTED FREE OF CHARGE. *AK

THE CHEVROLET'S AND GMC C1500 AND K1500 1997; THE STRUCTURE AND FRAME AROUND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER HAVE DENTS APPEARING WHICH RESULTS IN DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOORS SAGGING, AND NOT SHUTTING PROPERLY, WHICH MAY CAUSE INJURIES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH OR ABOVE VEHICLE SEVERELY AND UNEXPECTEDLY PULLS TO THE LEFT WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE STARTED MISFIRING, SHAKING AND BURNING GAS LIKE A GAS GUZZLER, TOOK IT TO DEALER AND SAID THAT TWO INJECTORS WERE DAMAGED, REPLACED ONE AND REPAIRED THE OTHER. AT IDLE (750 RPM)SPEED ENGINE IS INTERMITTENT . AS FOR THE STEERING, WHILE DRIVING AT CRUISING 45-65 MPH IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE, STEERING FELT LIKE A FEATHER IN THE AIR, UNCONTROLLABLE. UNIT WAS TAKEN TO DEALER IN THREE DIFFERENT OCASIONS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, EVERY TIME WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT, AS I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE PERSONS. ON JULY 16/98 DROVE IT TO A DIFFERENT GMC DEALER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM A WEEK AFTER I PICK IT UP AND WAS INFORMED THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE PS PUMP. STILL, TO PARK THE VEHICLE IS A NIGHTMARE, YOU HAVE TO STRUGGLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL, LIKE THE OLD TIMES WHEN TRUCKS DID NOT HAVE PS. SEEMS LIKE A HAVE A LEMON BUT SINCE IN PR THERE IS NO LEMON LAW I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE PAYING GMAC IN ORDER TO PROTECT MY CREDIT.

WHILE DRIVING WOULD EXPERIENCE A LACK OF CONTROL IN STEERING WHEEL. AT HIGHER SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL CANOT BE CONTROLLED, AN INTERMITTEN PROBLEM. SOMETIMES STEERING WHEEL GOES LIMP. VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT INTO ANOTHER LANE. *AK

WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY WOULD MAKE SQUEAKING, CRUNCHING NOISES. ALSO THEY WOULD SMELL HOT. TOOK TO DEALER AT LEAST 8 DIFFRENT TIMES & EACH TIME THEY WERE REPLACED. THE NOISE WOULD REAPPEAR A FEW MONTHS LATER. *AK

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40-65 VEHICLE WILL PULL TO EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT UNEXPECTEDLEY AND STRONGLY, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL FOR COUPLE SECONDS, AND BE PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. DEALER HAS REPLACED STEERING BOX/SENSOR/GEAR AND PUMP ASSEMBLY. DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED, THE REAR END STARTSED VIBRATING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE APPLIED THE ABS BRAKES, AND THE ABS BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AND VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT THE ABS BRAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE ABS LOCKS UPAND SQUALLS AND TIRE RUBBER ON WET BLACK TOP ROADS AT HIGH SPEED BRAKING, THE ABS SHAKES AND SHIMMIES THROUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL, STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END, SEEMS TO BE UNSTABLE ON HIGH SPEED BRAKING.*JB

THERE IS SQUEALING NOISE IN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED DUE TO THE BALL JOINTS NOT BEING GREASED WHEN MANUFACTORED. PLEASE DESCIBE DETAILS. *AK

THE THIRD DOOR ON PASSEGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS TOO SHORT, OVERWEIGHT PERSON CAN'T GET INTO IT. *AK