The 1997 GMC Sierra 3500 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 624,433 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the steering. Last updated July 5, 2026.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RECLINING SEATS AND THE EASY-ENTRY FEATURE. THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH A PINCH POINT EXISTS IN THE RECLINER MECHANISM THAT CAN TRAP AND PINCH A PERSON'S HAND OR FINGER(S) WHEN THE EASY-ENTRY FEATURE IS ACTIVATED.
THIS PINCHING CAN CUT THE HAND OR POSSIBLY SEVER THE FINGER(S) WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTOR COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“My brakes failed when I got into a wreck, the peddle went to the floor its like my brakes were not there. I have a 97 gmc k3500 4 door long bed 4 wheel drive, I felt that I should have been able to stop,I also have to replace my front brakes every year no matter what kind I buy. *nlm”
“Under normal braking and on regular road conditions when applying the brakes truck pulls to the left and the pedal is soft. The front brakes were replaced at 21,000 miles and rear brakes were replaced at 22,000 miles. Owner still experiencing problems with brakes. Please provide further details. *ak”
“Insured person was driiving on highway at 55mph when front right inner tie rod end broke, causing loss of control. Hit three other vehicles, causing injuries to two. Dealer notified. *ak”
“Insured person was driving on highway at 55mph when left side inner tie rod broke, causing loss of control. Hit three other vehicles and causing two injuries. Dealer notified. *ak”
“The abs braking system malfunctioned, causing brake pedal to the floor and resulting in extended stopping distance, which almost cause a crash. Please provide further information. *ak”
“Brake booster malfunctioned, causing no braking ability which may have resulted in a crash. Also, driver and passenger rear seatbelts , were locked up, could not use the seatbelt and won't protect the occupant in event a crash. Dealer replaced both seatbelts. The rear of cab was not welded…”
“Brake booster malfunctioned, causing no braking ability which may have resulted in a crash. Also, driver and passenger rear seatbelts , were locked up, could not use the seatbelt and won't protect the occupant in event a crash. Dealer replaced both seatbelts. The rear of cab was not welded…”
“Brake booster malfunctioned, causing no braking ability which may have resulted in a crash. Also, driver and passenger rear seatbelts , were locked up, could not use the seatbelt and won't protect the occupant in event a crash. Dealer replaced both seatbelts. The rear of cab was not welded…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 GMC Sierra 3500 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.