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Model Year Problem Record

GMC Suburban 1997 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 1997 GMC Suburban: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

200Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints
2Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls
5Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations
26Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Brakes69 complaints

69 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering40 complaints

40 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train25 complaints

25 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System25 complaints

25 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System24 complaints

24 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine21 complaints

21 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Tires16 complaints

16 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Visibility13 complaints

13 complaints; 2 recall campaigns cover this system. Campaigns: 03V093000, 03V159000.

Air Bags5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Trailer Hitches and Towing2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

03V093000Reported March 7, 2003 - 507,171 vehicles potentially affected

Visibility. Recall covering the visibility system, reported to NHTSA on March 7, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 507,171 vehicles across all affected models.

03V159000Reported April 28, 2003 - 1,755,876 vehicles potentially affected

Visibility. Recall covering the visibility system, reported to NHTSA on April 28, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 1,755,876 vehicles across all affected models.

Defect Investigations

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened these investigations touching this model year.

DP00001Opened January 31, 2000 - Open

OEM HITCH RECEIVER PLATFORM CRACKING. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

EA02006Opened May 31, 2002 - Closed July 23, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE. Resulted in recall campaign 03V159000.

EA95026Opened September 20, 1995 - Closed September 20, 2001

POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. Resulted in recall campaign 01I006000.

PE98060Opened November 13, 1998 - Closed May 12, 1999

ERRATIC STEERING BOOST WHILE DRIVING. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

PE99073Opened December 3, 1999 - Closed May 2, 2000

BATTERY LEAKS ACID. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

199719
199816
199939
200038
200127
200215
200312
20047
200514
20061
20074
20083
20091
20101
20141
20152
How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.