FaultScore

1997 GMC Yukon electrical problems

13 of the 180 complaints about the 1997 GMC Yukon are about the electrical system — 7% of everything reported for this model year.

C

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

2

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

12V/24V/48V Battery 6 46.2%
Electrical System 2 15.4%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 2 15.4%
Front Underhood 1 7.7%
Wiring 1 7.7%
Module 1 7.7%

Electrical System across every GMC Yukon year

1995 11 2.0%
1997 13 2.4%
1999 14 2.6%
2000 10 1.8%
2001 18 3.3%
2002 11 2.0%
2003 54 9.9%
2004 57 10.4%
2005 28 5.1%
2007 40 7.3%
2008 29 5.3%
2013 10 1.8%
2015 79 14.5%
2016 53 9.7%
2017 21 3.8%
2021 27 4.9%
2022 30 5.5%
2023 25 4.6%
2024 16 2.9%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Marble Falls, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY 1997 GMC YUKON TOWED THREE TIMES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. AT FIRST, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME, I WAS DRIVING AND THE ENGINE STARTED MISSING, THEN JUST DIED. NO STEERING, NOTHING. IT WAS TOWED TO THE SHOP AGAIN TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION RECHECKED. GOT THE YUKON BACK AFTER A MONTH, DROVE IT HOME (ABOUT 90 MILES)...IT WAS FINE. THEN THE SECOND DAY AFTER GETTING IT BACK, IT AGAIN STARTED JERKING, MISSING, AND THEN DIED. I WAS ON A HILL IN TOWN WHEN IT STOPPED. MY YUKON STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, AND I HAD TO FORCE THE WHEEL TO SHARPLY STEER IT INTO A PARKING LOT. I ALMOST HIT SEVERAL CARS THAT DIDN'T KNOW THE VEHICLE HAD LOST POWER. IT HAS ONCE AGAIN BEEN TOWED TO THE SHOP. WHAT IS CAUSING IT TO SUDDENLY MISS THEN DIE?

NHTSA complaint #10021508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Shreveport, LA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. RIGHT AFTER WE BOUGHT IT WE HEARD A ROAR IN THE REAR END. THE REAR END WAS REPLACE UNDER THE 3YR/36000MILE WARRANTY. SOON AFTER THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. JUST RECENTLY WE TOOK A TRIP AND TOWED OUR 18FT. SKI BOAT WITH US. WHEN WE RETURNED MY WIFE NOTICED A PROBLEM THE NEXT DAY. WE HAD NO REVERSE AND THAT PROVED TO BE THE TRANSMISSION. WE CONTACED THE CLOSEST DEALRER TO US: MIKE MORGAN SHREVEPORT, LA. THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WERE SO BACKED UP WITH TRANMISSION PROBLEMS THAT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE THEY COULD PICK UP THE TRUCK TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. THEN THEY WOULD TELL ME WHAT THEY THOUGHT. WELL, I PAID $25,000 FOR A VEHICLE TO SIT WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION AND THEY THINK I WILL LET IT SIT WHILE MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WALK!!! I DON'T THINK SO! DURING THE LAST OF JULY, MY BROTHER AND LAW AND I REPLACE THE STARTER ON THIS SAME TRUCK TO THE TUNE OF $250.00 YESTERDAY I FOUND A WATER PUMP LEAK AND WAS TOLD THAT WOULD COST ME AROUND $200.00 TO REPAIR. OH YES, THE TRANSMISSION COST ME $1,400.00 TO REPAIR. AS YOU CAN SEE, I AM HAVING A TON OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. GM HAS THUMBED THEIR NOSE AT ME AND MORE OR LESS SAID "TOUGH LUCK"! WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT IS FAIR. THE TRANSMISSION IS WHAT REALLY UPSET ME. I PAID EXTRA TO HAVE TOWING PACKAGE ON THIS TRUCK AND WE PULLED A BOAT 1 TIME AND THIS HAPPENS. I CAN'T BELEIVE THAT THIS TRUCK CAN'T GET AT LEAST 100,000 MILES ON THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION. I ALSO HAVE A BOSS THAT OWNS A 1999 SUBURBAN THAT HAD THE TRANMISSION FAIL ON HIM THIS LAST FRIDAY. HIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 54,000 MILES. WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, I THINK GM HAS A PROBLEM!!! PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO!

NHTSA complaint #734394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cypress, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY LEAK AT SIDEMOUNT POSITIVE TERMINAL CORRODING CABLE CONNECTION AND BRAKE LINE METAL TO RUBBER LINE CONNECTION. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL BUT NO WARRANTY APPLIES EXCEPT ON BATTERY. BATTERY STORE SAYS THIS IS COMMON WITH DELCO SIDEMOUNT TERMINAL BATTERIES. CORROSSION THROUGH BRAKE LINE CONNECTION COULD CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND BRAKING. CORROSION IN CABLE COULD DISABLE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. BATTERY WAS REPLACED WITH DIFFERENT MODEL HAVING REINFORCED CASE AT THE TERMINAL. CORROSION ON OTHER COMPONENTS NEUTRALIZED WITH ANTI CORROSIVE SOLUTION, AND BRAKE LINE TESTED FOR LEAKS. BATTERY CABLE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #731788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Olathe, KS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #726683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Olathe, KS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #726683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Muscatine, IA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. PARKED & LEFT THE VEHICLE & IT CAUGHT FIRE NEAR THE FUEL TANK AREA. PRIOR TO IT CATCHING ON FIRE, IT WAS STALLING OUT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. TOWED TO MECHANIC & CAUSE OF FIRE OR STALLING WAS NOT LOCATED. GM DIDN'T ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA complaint #865450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Moorpark, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

EA0013, BATTERY LEAKS ACID; WHILE DRIVING WOULD LOSE POWER. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD CUT OFF. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #865194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Moorpark, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

EA0013, BATTERY LEAKS ACID; WHILE DRIVING WOULD LOSE POWER. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD CUT OFF. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING. BATTERY WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #865194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST. Clair Shore, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A CARWASH BATTERY DIED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE IN NEED OF A JUMP. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THREE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #864014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Witchita, KS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

EA00013/BATTERY LEAKS ACID: BATTERY IS LEAKING FROM BOTH NEGATIVE/POSITIVE POST. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #864005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Lebanon, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY TURNS EITHER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE GEAR BOX, THE STEERING SENSOR AND THE COMPUTER MODULE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #847280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Goose Creek, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

HAD PARKED VEHICLE. LEFT FOR AWHILE & THEN RETURNED & TRIED STARTING VEHICLE. WOULD NOT START. CHECKED UNDER HOOD & NOTICED BATTERY ACID HAD DRIPPED DOWN THE SIDE OF TRUCK. THE BATTERY HAD A HOLE IN IT. THE BATTERY WAS ONE THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED.

NHTSA complaint #836705 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Oklahoma City, OK Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE DASH AND UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, WHICH PREVIOUSLY HAD A GAS SMELL FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #833142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 GMC Yukon problems

← Full 1997 GMC Yukon report