Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Chevrolet Suburban owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
1997 Chevy Suburban in-tank fuel sending unit fire: bought vehicle used with 88000 miles. Events leading up to the failure / burn up of the unit included intermittent fuel pump and fuel gauge failure, had pump replaced by patrick GMC, problem persisted, had dealer wolf Chevrolet check fuel pressure throughout system (OK). Also noticed an intermittent burning smell. I then purchased from the dealer a replacement sending unit and another fuel pump, as soon as I took the sender out of the tank it was obviously charred and the modular connector burnt to a crisp, wires completely exposed with the insulation gone partially disintegrated the ABS plug. This thing got really hot repeatedly. …
Transmission starting failing at 50,000 (coded slippage). Going down highway and blew tranny fluid all over the place leaving us stranded. Transmission shifts hard in 1st and 2nd gear. Steering has momentary oversteer, causing the feeling of slipping on ice (safety concern as no control over vehicle), replaced rotors three times, replaced fuel sending and wiring unit (wires had actually melted inside the gas tank!!). What next!!!! This vehicle only has 73,000 on it. We do not pull anything behind it, so feel that tranny should not have failed. Why will Chevrolet not recall these problems? Have heard others say that the radiator is not big enough to handle cooling the engine and transmission, essentially causing early transmission failure due to overheating. Chevrolet needs to address these issues before there is loss of life or a bad accident. Ts
Fuel pump wiring inside the fuel tank short circuited, and could have caused my Suburban to blow up, since I had just filled it with over 30 gallons of gas that morning. My fuel pump had to be replaced, along with a new wiring assembly and float mechanism. My mechanic said the short circuit was more than likely due to over amperage of the fuel pump. That in turn, caused the wires inside the fuel tank to melt together and short out the ECM fuse, twice. I believe Chevrolet is very lucky that no one was hurt. I hope others are as lucky as I was! P.s. Power steering and brakes are also very poor!! Bad design...1997 was a lemon Suburban, and should have been recalled and designed all over again!
Had fuel pump failure. When serviced, the electrical wires inside the gas tank were burned and the connector was melted inside the tank. The insulation on the gray wire was melted off and the wire was burnt. Was very lucky that it did not explode. If the tank had been empty, it would have because of the presnece of oxygen in an empty tank. Went to bob richards Chevrolet in August,ga and they said it was not a safty issue and that they knew of the problem. Had to pay $700.00 out of my pocket because of this problem that Chevrolet knows about and won't recall.
Engine check light came on 1st then a various other probles began occuring as we tried to get our vehicle home. When we got it to the dealer's repair shop we were told that the #2 fuel injector had started leaking and filled the whole electrical system with gas. This happened again 4 monthes later when the #5 injector started leaking. Both times the dealer told us that we were lucky that the vehicle didn't start on fire.
December 2009, replaced ruptured brake lines above the rear differential. Severely rusted. July 15, 2012, ruptured brake line by the driver side floor board and fire wall. Severely rusted. Fuel lines under the vehicle is also severely rusted. Leak can cause fire. Brake failure occurred during driving on road.
This is a chronic problem with my vehicle. It is not as wide spread as g.m. Would like me to believe. I know others in california with the identicle vehicle as me with no problems. G.m. Blames the government for the gas additives. I am the one who is stranded because of this problem. I bought a new vehicle for dependability. I have a car that can and will break down any where and at any time and I am still making payments on it. I have written to the heads of the corperate offices at g.m. With my concerns and complaints but they have yet to repond to me seriously. They have customer service contact me. Customer service people can not solve this problem!! I end up more frustrated after speaking to them. I know that they are only doing their job and can only do so much. I need a real solution to this potentially dangerous condition that my car had when I bought it. …
The fuel injection pump has failed again on my 1997 Chevy Suburban, 6.5 liter diesel engine. I have owned this car for two years. The vehicle history from my dealership shows this will be the 6th fuel injection pump to be installed on this vehicle, all of which are covered by GM's 120,000 factory warranty & a 12 month 12,000 mile service guarantee after the 5th pump was installed. August of 2003, the pump failed while driving in my neighborhood & was replaced when the mileage was at 116,503, under factory warranty. June 27, 2004, and mileage of 128,300 (11,800 miles later) the pump has failed again. The pump failed on a very busy & dark street at nighttime on a bend in the road as I was driving home with my wife & two kids in the car. When it failed the engine died and we were stuck in traffic. …
Truck stalls, causing loss of power steering and brakes. Dealer has attempted to remedy defect on three separate occassions without success. Accidents avoided thus far, but next time, I May not be so fortunate. Please post these comments, to warn other consumers. GMC is denying responsibility, has flatly refused to repurchase the vehicle, and continues to attempt to repair the problem. I'm scared to death to drive this thing...me and my passengers(very often a troop of girl scouts) are in danger, and so is anyone who might be in front of me when this happens. I hope that no one dies as a result of this defect. Please help me.
Engine quit just like shutting off of ignition switch. The problem turned out to be the fuel pump. While removing the fuel pump assembly noted that the attaching plug for the fuel pump had arced destroying the plug, and the wire supplying the power to the pump had all the insulation burned off and the wire was partially melted. This is a serious safety issue, as the arcing and melting of wires inside the fuel tank could cause and explosion if the fuel/air misture reached stoichiometric conditions.
Fuel System complaints in other Suburban years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban?
NHTSA has 46 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban, 11% of the model year's 414 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › fuel pump (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Chevrolet Suburban fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Suburban fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 128,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.