1997 Ford Ranger vs 1997 GMC Sierra 1500
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Ford Ranger | 1997 GMC Sierra 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 411 | 83 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 202 | 11 |
| Investigations | 2 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 40 | 0 |
| Fire reports | 8 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 16–22 | 13–18 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | 82,500 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Ranger | GMC Sierra 1500 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 55 | 8 |
| Tires | 57 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 36 | 15 |
| Power Train | 42 | 8 |
| Visibility | 36 | 13 |
| Steering | 21 | 25 |
| Interior Lighting | 34 | 0 |
| Suspension | 25 | 6 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Rust / corrosion | 28 | 5 |
| Stalling | 11 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 8 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 5 | 0 |
| Brake problems | 5 | 0 |
1997 Ford Ranger
1997 GMC Sierra 1500
Compare all Ford Ranger vs GMC Sierra 1500 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.