Total Complaints
4 filings
GMC VANDURA SERIES · model year
1997 GMC VANDURA SERIES
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997GMCVANDURA SERIES carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 VANDURA SERIES is fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (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 VANDURA SERIES. 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120608STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GMC VANDURA 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS IN THE STEERING POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE PITMAN ARM FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN MARCH OF 2010, THE COMPLETE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS REBUILT INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PITMAN ARM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,206. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Mileage: 202,206
20030425FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VAN CAUGHT ON FIRE AND COMPLETELY TOTALED. ON 12-3-02. ALLSTATE INS. CO ESTIMATED THE TOTAL DAMAGE TO BE $16,700. REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO CHEVROLET, WHICH STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VAN, HOWEVER, WE HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED, AND THE VAN HAS BEEN TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEALERS FOR MAINTENANCE, YET WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT MY HUSBAND IS LUCKY TO BE ALIVE, AND IT'S A WONDER HE WAS NOT HURT. IF HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED BY A PASSING DRIVER, AND HAD NOT PULLED OVER, THE FIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN FUELED BY O2 AND CAUSED A MAJOR EXPLOSION. I WAS TO HAVE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE ON THIS VERY DAY, WITH BOTH MY CHILDREN, ONE HAS SPECIAL NEEDS. IT MAY HAVE TAKEN ME LONGER TO HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN. CHEVROLET SAYS IT WILL DO NOTHING BECAUSE THERE WAS NO INJURY OR DEATH. *****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****770811. *AK *JB
Mileage: 72,000
20001016FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
WHILE RIDING AT 75 MPH AND VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND NOT TAKE GAS. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED FUEL FILTER AND FUEL PUMP. 11000 MILES LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
20001016FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE RIDING AT 75 MPH AND VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND NOT TAKE GAS. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED FUEL FILTER AND FUEL PUMP. 11000 MILES LATER, THE SAME PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
Compare 1997GMCVANDURA SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 GMC VANDURA SERIES have?▼
The 1997 GMC VANDURA SERIES has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC VANDURA SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 GMC VANDURA SERIES is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1997 GMC VANDURA SERIES 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.