33 of the 302 complaints about the 1997 GMC Sierra are about the transmission — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 73,000 miles.
33
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THERE IS A HARD SHIFT BETWEEN 1 AND 2 GEARS AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10104494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, WE EXITED AND CAME TO A STOPLIGHT THAT IS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING HARD FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. WHEN I GOT HOME I WENT ON-LINE AND THAT IS WHEN I REALIZED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY 1997 GMC SIERRA OWNER THAT HAS THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF US OUT THERE WITH THE EXACT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL BEING CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME?
NHTSA complaint #766852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK HARD WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS GOING INTO FIRST GEAR AND RETURNING TO SLOWER ARTERIALS. ALSO, FLUID WAS LEAKING AT REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND DEALER SAID IT WAS BAD TORQUE CONVERTER.
NHTSA complaint #564807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK HARD WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS GOING INTO FIRST GEAR AND RETURNING TO SLOWER ARTERIALS. ALSO, FLUID WAS LEAKING AT REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND DEALER SAID IT WAS BAD TORQUE CONVERTER.
NHTSA complaint #564807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CLUTCH SPRINGS COME APART AND THE CLUTCH ERRATICALLY FAILS WITH NO WARNING. ON INCIDENT DRIVER WAS CRANKING THE TRUCK IN THE PARKING LOT, WHILE IN REVERSE GEAR, VEHICLE BEGAN TO PROCEED BACKWARDS.
NHTSA complaint #9006018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
THREE YEAR OLD SON WAS ABLE TO SHIFT VEHICLE OUT OF PARK AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO ROLL INTO HOUSE. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #898383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURE (CODE 1870).
NHTSA complaint #749025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER A LONG RUN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND, CONDITION LEADS EVENTUALLY TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #742969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A NOSIE AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND, 4TH, OR REVERSE AND HAD NO COMPRESSION BRAKING ON A HILL .
NHTSA complaint #884352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
I FOUND 29 PAGES OF THE SAME PROBLEMS ON NET LEMON LAW. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #742352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT
CV JOINTS ON FRONT END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THIS WOULD BE 3RD TIME.
NHTSA complaint #883647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
REAR AXLE PINION SEAL FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #785230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #785230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DATE IS APPROXIMATE, HAVE SINCE HAD PROBLEM WITH SAME MODEL TRANSMISSION ON ANOTHER 1997 TRUCK.
NHTSA complaint #737954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
TRANSMISSION KICKS AT SLOW SPEEDS NOT ALL THE TIME, DEALER CHANGED COMPUTER MODULE DID NOT RESLOVE THE PROBLEM DEALER WOULD NOT GARRANTEE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, GMC ASKED ABOUT RECALLS BUT I DID NOT RECEIVE A REPY APPEARS TO BE FAULTY TRANS ELECTICAL PART.
NHTSA complaint #731986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #729191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
CONSUMER HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. BEARINGS IN THE DRIVETRAIN ARE DEFECTIVE/ ALIGNMENT/BRAKES REPAIRED/REAR END REPLACED, AND OTHER PROBLEMS DEVELOPED DUE TO THE BEARING. AN AUTHORIZED GMC REPAIRMAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT'S THE WAY GMC MAKES VEHICLES. CONSUEMR INSISTED THAT HAS HAD NOTHING BUT BAD EXPRIENCES WITH THE VEHICLE, AND MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #865836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. BEARINGS IN THE DRIVETRAIN ARE DEFECTIVE/ ALIGNMENT/BRAKES REPAIRED/REAR END REPLACED, AND OTHER PROBLEMS DEVELOPED DUE TO THE BEARING. AN AUTHORIZED GMC REPAIRMAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT'S THE WAY GMC MAKES VEHICLES. CONSUEMR INSISTED THAT HAS HAD NOTHING BUT BAD EXPRIENCES WITH THE VEHICLE, AND MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #865836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFTS FROM 1-2ND AFTER DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MILES. I CAN TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND THIS WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 10 MILES. THEN IT WILL START SHIFTING HARD AGAIN. ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. DEALER COULDN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #723107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
BUMPS INTO GEAR, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT, TRANSMISSION OVERFLOW DRIPS, POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDS REPLACING
NHTSA complaint #721890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #717969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HAD COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. RESTARTED & VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. TAKING VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. ALSO, LEAF SPRING ON PASSENGER'S SID EFAILED/REPLACED/SMELLED OIL DUE TO PCV VALVE FAILURE, AN DTRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE.
NHTSA complaint #850640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HAD COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. RESTARTED & VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. TAKING VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. ALSO, LEAF SPRING ON PASSENGER'S SID EFAILED/REPLACED/SMELLED OIL DUE TO PCV VALVE FAILURE, AN DTRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE.
NHTSA complaint #850640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. HAD COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. RESTARTED & VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINT. TAKING VEHICLE TO MECHANIC. ALSO, LEAF SPRING ON PASSENGER'S SID EFAILED/REPLACED/SMELLED OIL DUE TO PCV VALVE FAILURE, AN DTRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE.
NHTSA complaint #850640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHEN GEARS ARE SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND VEHICLE JERKS, AS IF BEING REAR ENDED. DEALER SAYS THERE IS A BAD VALVE BODY IN TRANSMISSION. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 3 TIMES. NO SOLUTION FOUND.
NHTSA complaint #851685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK IN JANUARY 1998. 2 WEEKS LATER IT WAS IN THE SHOP. THIS PATTERN CONTINUED EACH TIME. THE COMPLAINT WAS CONCERNING TRANSMISSION. BUT EACH TIME THEY WOULD REPLACE SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD. THE TRUCK WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 50 DAYS IN A YEARS TIME. ON OCTOBER 4, 1999 I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN THE TRUCK GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, JAMMED IN 1ST GEAR. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED. IT TOOK THE DEALER 10 DAYS TO MAKE A DECISION ON REPAIRING THE TRUCK. THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND IT IS STILL A MAJOR HASSLE TO GET IT REPAIRED. CONTACTED GM AND HAD TO HAVE THEM INTERVENE. HAD THEY OF FIXED THE TRUCK THE PRIOR 5 TIMES IT WAS IN FOR REPAIR THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. THEY CONTINUALLY DENIED PROBLEMS EXISTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A VORTEX TRUCK I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHER EXISTING PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR OF TRUCK AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. BUT I HAD PROBLEMS WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK AFTER PURCHASE AND EACH AND EVERY TIME THEY WOULD REPAIR SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD OF FIXING THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANNY WAS IN PIECES WHEN IT ARRIVED TO THE DEALER FROM THE TOW TRUCK. THEY STILL DID NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THEY WERE TRYING TO FORCE ME TO PAY A PART OF THIS REPAIR. THEY WERE VERY RUID AND INCOOPERATIVE ABOUT THE WHOLE DEAL. A TOTAL OF 16 DAYS THEY HAD THE TRUCK THIS TIME. IN OCTOBER OF 98 THEY HAD THE TRUCK FOR 19 DAYS AND STILL COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. EACH TIME I WOULD GET THE TRUCK BACK THEY WOULD SHOW SOME REPAIR FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE TRANSMISSION. EACH REPORT REFLECTED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRUCK NO SHIFTING INTO GEAR FROM 1ST TO 2ND. THEY GAVE ME A BLOW OFF MEMO FROM GM. STATING THE WHNINING NOISE FROM THIS TRANSMISSION WAS NORMAL. HOWEVER, THEY FAILED TO REALIZE THEIR MEMO RELFECTED PROBLEMS FROM PARK TO GEAR AND FROM N TO REVERSE. MY TRUCK WOULD FAIL TO SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND IT WOULD WHINE. AND IT WOULD CLUNK AND STILL THEY DIDN'T FIX IT.
NHTSA complaint #713638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANS STARTED SHIFTING VERY HARD. ONCE IN HIGH GEAR OPERATED WELL. DEALER WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH 1YR 10 MOS. OLD DUE TO OVER 36000 MILES BY LESS THAN 2000.
NHTSA complaint #710912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/ OVERDRIVE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING AN ABRUPT FORWARD JUMP FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #841659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY, CAUSING LOUD NOISE AND POSSIBLY RESULTING IN TOTAL FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT FIX DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #829481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT A HIGH SPEED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #824702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.