Total Complaints
12 filings
GMC Z-71 · model year
1997 GMC Z-71
12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997GMCZ-71 carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 Z-71 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist system (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (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 Z-71. 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.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100501SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP BECAUSE OF BRAKE LINE FAILURE. BRAKELINE BUST BECAUSE IF RUST. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKELINE. *TR
Mileage: 89,400
20050525STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
DT: POWER STEERING VIOLENTLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM, THE SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THEY WERE NOT DEPENDABLE WHEN NEEDED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO FIXED THEM. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM IN THE 1997 YEAR VEHICLES. *AK
Mileage: 14,000
20050525VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
DT: POWER STEERING VIOLENTLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM, THE SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK, THEY WERE NOT DEPENDABLE WHEN NEEDED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO FIXED THEM. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM IN THE 1997 YEAR VEHICLES. *AK
Mileage: 14,000
20040308CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
A VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON THE ROADWAY WAITING FOR A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, I SAW THE TWO STOPPED VEHICLES AND WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES ON MY 1997 GMC TRUCK FROM ABOUT 200+ FEET AWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST BECAME ROCK HARD AND TRUCK DIDN'T SLOW DOWN OR BRAKE CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STOPPED VEHICLE. NO TYPICAL ANTI LOCK PULSATIONS WERE PRESENT OR FELT JUST A ROCK HARD PEDAL THAT COULDN'T BE PUSHED DOWN FURTHER NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED. THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO SKIP OR SKID TYPE MARKS ANYWHERE. I HAVE SINCE BEEN CITED WITH FOLLOWING TO CLOSE BY AN OFFICER NOT PRESENT DURING THE ACCIDENT, SINCE I COULDN'T STOP. I WISH TO REPORT THIS AND ALSO KNOW IF OTHER COMPLAINTS EXIST OF THIS NATURE FOR SIMILAR VEHICLES. I HAD OTHER PULSATIONS AND SIMILAR HARD PEDAL AND THIS WAS SUPOSEDLY REPAIRED BY REPLACING SPEED SENSOR AND MASTERCYLINDER AY APPROX 56000. AFTER STILL FEELING UNUSUAL BRAKE PEDAL PULSATIONS I WAS TOLD IT IS A CONDITION THAT MAY INTERMITENTLY EXIST AND IS
Mileage: 97,741
20030211ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COOLANT LEAK FROM THE MANIFOLD.*JB
20021220FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART UNTIL 15-30 MIN LATER. DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK INTO THE FUEL PUMP HAS COMPLETELY MELTED INSULATION CAUSING THE WIRE TO SPLIT. ALSO THE PLUG ON BOTH SIDES MELTED ALONG WITH THE WIRING IN TANK. TS
Mileage: 148,000
20000830SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS: WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GRAB, THEN SLIP, AND PEDAL JERKS DOWN. CONSUMER HAS A SITUATION OF NOT BEING IN CONTROL. THIS HAPPENS AT SLOW SPEED. IT APPEARS THAT TRUCK WILL STOP IN PLENTY OF TIME, BUT DOES NOT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. RIGHT HUB WAS REPLACED. *AK THE LEFT HUB REQUIRED REPLACING FRONT BRAKE. ABS SENSOR FAILED IN WHEEL HUB. *YH
20000830POWER TRAIN:AXLE HUBS
ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS: WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GRAB, THEN SLIP, AND PEDAL JERKS DOWN. CONSUMER HAS A SITUATION OF NOT BEING IN CONTROL. THIS HAPPENS AT SLOW SPEED. IT APPEARS THAT TRUCK WILL STOP IN PLENTY OF TIME, BUT DOES NOT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. RIGHT HUB WAS REPLACED. *AK THE LEFT HUB REQUIRED REPLACING FRONT BRAKE. ABS SENSOR FAILED IN WHEEL HUB. *YH
20000824STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
STEERING SENSOR WENT OUT. VEHICLE'S STEERING DOES NOT RESPOND. CAN DO IT ANYWHERE ANYTIME WHEN MAKING TURNS. SEEMS TO BE MOST PREVALENT WHEN WEATHER IS HOT. DEALER REPLACED THE 1ST TIME AT NO COST. SAID THEY HAD REPLACED SEVERAL ALREADY. NEW COMPONENT IS NOW DOING THE SAME THING JUST NOT AS BAD YET. WHEN YOU MAKE A TURN OR COME OUT OF A TURN STEERING WHEEL MAY HAVE UP TO 1/2 A WHEEL OF TURN WITH NO RESPONSE. I KNOW THIS HAS OCCURRED ON OTHER VEHICLES. MY BROTHER IN-LAW HAS A SUBURBAN AND HIS DID THE SAME. THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENTS.
20000726SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. ALSO, BRAKES PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES IN TWO YEARS AND NINE MONTHS/ CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND REBUILT TWICE/ DRIVER'S SIDE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THREE MONTHS, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ONCE. IN ADDITION, BRAKE HOSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE. OWNER IS STILL EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
20000726SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. ALSO, BRAKES PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES IN TWO YEARS AND NINE MONTHS/ CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND REBUILT TWICE/ DRIVER'S SIDE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THREE MONTHS, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ONCE. IN ADDITION, BRAKE HOSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE. OWNER IS STILL EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
20000726SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHEN BRAKING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. ALSO, BRAKES PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES IN TWO YEARS AND NINE MONTHS/ CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND REBUILT TWICE/ DRIVER'S SIDE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THREE MONTHS, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ONCE. IN ADDITION, BRAKE HOSES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE. OWNER IS STILL EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Compare 1997GMCZ-71 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 GMC Z-71 have?▼
The 1997 GMC Z-71 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC Z-71?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 GMC Z-71 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS.
Is the 1997 GMC Z-71 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.