Most common 1997 GMC Yukon problems
Share of the 133 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Yukon complaints by model year
Best Yukon years: 2014, 2020, 2019. Years to avoid: 2023, 2021, 2015, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 1997 GMC Yukon:
Battery leaks acid
Odi has received 21 complaints where owners allege that the standard GM factory supplied ac delco battery case failed, resulting in the leakage of sulfuric acid.of the 21 complaint vehicles, six suburban, three tahoes, and one yukon owner(s) complained about a loss of brake fluid from deterioration of the right frontbrake line as a result of sulfuric acid contamination.the remaining 11 complaints pertain primarily…
Seat belt anchorage separation
Odi has received one (1) complaint alleging that the 2nd row passenger-side seat belt release buckle anchor detached from seat frame during a side impact crash.during the crash, the occupant was thrown from his seat, partially ejected through the rear quarter window of the vehicle.occupant sustained injury.GM has subsequently changed seat belt anchoring design in my 2000.
Erratic power steering assist while driv
The office of defect investigation (odi) has investigated allegations of power steering assist fluctuations in the subject vehicles.for details and a basis for the investigation conclusions, please see the closing report in the ea99-011 public file.odi has not identified a safety-related defect trend in the subject vehicle population.futher expenditure of agency resources on this subject does not appear to be…
Seat belt anchorage separation
Battery leaks acid
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 GMC Yukon owners say
Steering all 53 →
The steering would jerk the wheel left or right while in a turn causing a momentary loss of control of the vehicle. Steering box was replaced before. Finally the evo sensor was replaced. ABS also have never worked felt good, the pedal goes to low before the brakes slow the vehicle down. This has been a complaint since the truck was new. The retailer seems not very concerned with my complaints. Especially knowing that I am an automobile technician they feel I will let the problem go. Their repairs have been unsatisfactory from the beginning. I have had to complain about problems many times before, finally the problems are fixed. With the steering problem I had to contact another dealer tech I knew and ask him the problem which he knew what was wrong immediately. Please do something before all these trucks with this steering and brake problem. …
I have experienced intermittent loss of power steeringi in my 1997 GMC Yukon when making left turns. I took the vehicle in for service on 10/24/2003 (trouble not found). I took it in again on 10/31/2003 and they replaced the power steering evo sensor ($213.60). Still have trouble. Again I took the vehicle for service on 11/19/2003 when the power steering pump was replaced ($648.50). The vehicle still ng. Took it in on 12/1/2003,can't isolate trouble. Again on 12/10/2003, this time they changed the power steering box? So far the trouble seems to be fixed. Then I saw an article showing the exact same trouble I'd been experiencing with other GMC vehicles. However, my vehicle wasn't listed as one of the models they were looking at. This should be checked out.
Brakes all 31 →
The steering would jerk the wheel left or right while in a turn causing a momentary loss of control of the vehicle. Steering box was replaced before. Finally the evo sensor was replaced. ABS also have never worked felt good, the pedal goes to low before the brakes slow the vehicle down. This has been a complaint since the truck was new. The retailer seems not very concerned with my complaints. Especially knowing that I am an automobile technician they feel I will let the problem go. Their repairs have been unsatisfactory from the beginning. I have had to complain about problems many times before, finally the problems are fixed. With the steering problem I had to contact another dealer tech I knew and ask him the problem which he knew what was wrong immediately. Please do something before all these trucks with this steering and brake problem. …
Dt: there is a problem with the ABS kicking in at low speeds. The contact has been experiencing the problem since September of 2003. Had taken it vehicle to dealer to be repaired. They replaced the whole front hub bearings and the ABS sensors. The problem came back in September 2005. He is taking it to dealer for repairs in October. It is a constant and an ongoing problem. The contact has found a recall bulletin number 05068 for September o 2005. The contact's vehicle year was not included. The contact stated that GM refused to cover the vehicle in the recall. The service dealer said that GM claimed that if he wanted the vehicle to be safe he would have to pay for the repairs.
Transmission & drivetrain
I put my 1 year old in his car seat and went around the other side to continue fastening in my other two toddlers, brooke, 4, and mason, 3, into their seats as well. Once I got inside the drivers seat, before starting the vehicle, I had realized that I had better get another bottle out of the refrigerator. While I was inside the house, my 3 year old, mason, climbed out of his seat and jumped into the drivers seat and began playing with the steering wheel. He had turned the key switch a fourth of an inch, not even to the first click (on position), and successfully pulled down the gear shifter into neutral (obviously without applying his foot to the brake). As I was coming back out of the house, I see my car and three children going backwards down my driveway with mason behind the wheel, on his knees yelling "uh oh, uh oh!". …
The transmission failed at 140,000 miles, however it was not clutches or bands, but a "hardened" part in the tail shaft, since there was no warranty I had to pay to replace the transmission, the replacement would not up shift, and I am not sure I can trust the vehicle to continue to perform like it should, I think GM needs to address this problem, if we have parts that are supposed to last forever breaking, it sounds to me like they have a reliability problem!! I think they should pay for the replacement!
1997 GMC Yukon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 6.5L 8-cyl turbo diesel | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 GMC Yukon a good car?
Based on 133 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Yukon rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Yukon at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 GMC Yukon?
The steering — 53 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about hydraulic power assist system. Next are the brakes (31) and transmission & drivetrain (15).
How many recalls does the 1997 GMC Yukon have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 GMC Yukon. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Yukon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2020 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2021, 2015, 2022 and 2024. See the full GMC Yukon years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 GMC Yukon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 5% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.