Total Complaints
2 filings
GMC T UTILITY · model year
1997 GMC T UTILITY
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997GMCT UTILITY carries 2 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 T UTILITY is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by parking brake:conventional (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 T UTILITY. 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051230ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, CAMPAIGN 96V120000 REGARDING THE PARKING BRAKE; CONVENTIONAL. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT ENGAGE WHEN PARKED. THE PARKING BRAKE DASHBOARD LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING WHICH SEEMS TO SHORT OUT THE HEADLIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CONTACT DECLINED. *AK UPDATED 02/21/06. *JB
Mileage: 138,000
20051230PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, CAMPAIGN 96V120000 REGARDING THE PARKING BRAKE; CONVENTIONAL. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT ENGAGE WHEN PARKED. THE PARKING BRAKE DASHBOARD LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING WHICH SEEMS TO SHORT OUT THE HEADLIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CONTACT DECLINED. *AK UPDATED 02/21/06. *JB
Mileage: 138,000
Compare 1997GMCT UTILITY to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 GMC T UTILITY have?▼
The 1997 GMC T UTILITY has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC T UTILITY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 GMC T UTILITY is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL.
Is the 1997 GMC T UTILITY 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.