1997 GMC Suburban Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 1997 GMC Suburban, and owners have filed 200 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
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2 safety recalls for the 1997 GMC Suburban
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Windshield wiper/washer (visibility)
On certain minivans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with certain model-engine combinations, the windshield wiper motor may fail due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. The windshield wipers could work intermittently or not at all.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover. Owner notification began on june 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
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Exterior (visibility)
Certain sport utility vehicles, MINI vans, and pickup trucks may develop a short circuit in the electric outside rearview mirror switch.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused jumper harness to the electric outside rearview mirror switch. Owner notification began on april 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service…
200 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 GMC Suburban have filed 200 complaints with NHTSA; 15 describe a crash and 4 describe a fire. Reports cite 16 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 98,245 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 39 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Car lurches when turning right and left, intermittently feeling like you are loosing control of vehicle.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 18, 2015 · Unknown or other
“Pulled out of my driveway got up to speed of roadway that is 50 MPH felt a vibration in the front end, slowed down it went away, so i started to speed up again to see if it came back, then boom my fro”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 24, 2015 · Tires
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 GMC Suburban (Suburban 1500 2WD, Suburban 1500 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 12–14 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 11–12 / 15–17 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 5.7 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare GMC Suburban model years
Recall and complaint counts for every GMC Suburban model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 GMC Suburban | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 GMC Suburban | 0 | 1 |
| 1981 GMC Suburban | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 GMC Suburban | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 GMC Suburban | 0 | 2 |
| 1984 GMC Suburban | 0 | 5 |
| 1985 GMC Suburban | 0 | 3 |
| 1986 GMC Suburban | 0 | 4 |
| 1987 GMC Suburban | 0 | 8 |
| 1988 GMC Suburban | 2 | 8 |
| 1989 GMC Suburban | 2 | 17 |
| 1990 GMC Suburban | 2 | 22 |
| 1991 GMC Suburban | 2 | 30 |
| 1992 GMC Suburban | 2 | 80 |
| 1993 GMC Suburban | 0 | 212 |
| 1994 GMC Suburban | 3 | 411 |
| 1995 GMC Suburban | 6 | 227 |
| 1996 GMC Suburban | 3 | 172 |
| 1997 GMC Suburban | 2 | 200 |
| 1998 GMC Suburban | 2 | 100 |
| 1999 GMC Suburban | 1 | 285 |
| 2000 GMC Suburban | 2 | 15 |
| 2001 GMC Suburban | 2 | 5 |
| 2002 GMC Suburban | 1 | 7 |
| 2003 GMC Suburban | 1 | 5 |
| 2004 GMC Suburban | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1997 GMC Suburban
How do I know if my 1997 GMC Suburban has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1997 GMC Suburban; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised GMC dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V093000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other GMC models
- Sierra 15008,930 complaints
- Acadia5,569 complaints
- Yukon4,989 complaints
- Sierra3,937 complaints
- Terrain3,124 complaints
- Jimmy2,720 complaints
- Envoy2,459 complaints
- Yukon XL2,417 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.