Total Complaints
6 filings
GMC C1500 SUBURBAN · model year
1997 GMC C1500 SUBURBAN
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997GMCC1500 SUBURBAN carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 C1500 SUBURBAN is fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:delivery (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1997 C1500 SUBURBAN. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130511SERVICE BRAKES
TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND KEEPS SKIDDING.TRUCK STARTED TO SKID SIDE WAYS,BRAKES GAVE OUT AND WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.TRUCK KEPT SKIDDING FOR ABOUT HALF MILE BEFORE BRAKES WORKED AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SUBURBAN.THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND PUMPED IT SEVERAL TIMES BUT WOULD NOT WORK.SEEMS LIKE ABS MODULE,BRAKES ARE GOOD.JUST ABS HAS FAILED AT DIFFERENT TIMES.SUBURBAN JUMPS AND KEEPS GOING WHEN STOPPED.FAILS TO MAKE COMPLETE STOP EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR
20130511STEERING
TRAVELING AT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND KEEPS SKIDDING.TRUCK STARTED TO SKID SIDE WAYS,BRAKES GAVE OUT AND WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.TRUCK KEPT SKIDDING FOR ABOUT HALF MILE BEFORE BRAKES WORKED AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SUBURBAN.THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND PUMPED IT SEVERAL TIMES BUT WOULD NOT WORK.SEEMS LIKE ABS MODULE,BRAKES ARE GOOD.JUST ABS HAS FAILED AT DIFFERENT TIMES.SUBURBAN JUMPS AND KEEPS GOING WHEN STOPPED.FAILS TO MAKE COMPLETE STOP EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. *TR
20091220SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKE PEDAL "WENT TO THE FLOOR " WITHOUT WARNING ON MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN. DASHBOARD FAILED TO SHOW A "RED" BRAKE LIGHT UNTIL ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER WHEN I CHECKED BRAKES AGAIN. THERE WAS VIRTUALLY BRAKING ABILITY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. CAR WILL BE TOWED TO DEALER TONIGHT. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING CARS FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO "BUILT IN SAFETY REDUNDANCY" TO PREVENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING ? LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR
Mileage: 115,000
20070209SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 1997 GMC K-1500 SUBURBAN HAD SEVERAL ABS FAILURES. THE ABS ENGAGED AT A LOW SPEED WHEN COMING TO A STOP, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE CANNOT IN THE EXPECTED DISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTACTED GM DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE ABS IN THE FRONT WHEELS. THE CONTACT FOUND RECALL 05068 DEALING WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS GIVEN CASE # 71-474-687-217. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12000. *AK UPDATED 03/15/07. *JB
20060911FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST FUEL PRESSURE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO START. THE CONTACT INSPECTED AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT AS THE INSULATION WAS BURNED OFF THE WIRING BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE SALES DEALER RECOMMENDED A NON-MANUFACTURER NAME BRAND FOR THE SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
Mileage: 145,000
20060911FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST FUEL PRESSURE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO START. THE CONTACT INSPECTED AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT AS THE INSULATION WAS BURNED OFF THE WIRING BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE SALES DEALER RECOMMENDED A NON-MANUFACTURER NAME BRAND FOR THE SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
Mileage: 145,000
Compare 1997GMCC1500 SUBURBAN to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 GMC C1500 SUBURBAN have?▼
The 1997 GMC C1500 SUBURBAN has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC C1500 SUBURBAN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 GMC C1500 SUBURBAN is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1997 GMC C1500 SUBURBAN safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.