IllustrationTHE REAR BRAKE LINE CORRODED AND BEGAN A MAJOR LEAK CAUSING MY PREGNANT WIFE TO NEARLY REAR END A CAR. *TR
1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all C/k Pickups years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
725–50K
1450–75K
1375–100K
10100–150K
2150K+
48 reports with mileage · 24 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
6 reportsANTI LOCK BRAKES ENGAGE AT SLOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 5 MPH) ON DRY PAVEMENT. VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS INCREASED CAUSING LOW SPEED COLLISION. NO INJURIES BUT MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THIS PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CO-WORKER HAS A 98 WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE BRAKES FAILED. THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING DURING NORMAL BRAKING ON NORMAL ROADS. THE DEALERSHIP TURNED THE ROTORS, PACKED THE WHEEL BEARINGS, REPLACED THE CYLINDERS, SEALED IN REAR AXLES, REPLACED THE BRAKES AND PADS HOWEVER THE PROBLEM …
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE BRAKES FAILED. THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING DURING NORMAL BRAKING ON NORMAL ROADS. THE DEALERSHIP TURNED THE ROTORS, PACKED THE WHEEL BEARINGS, REPLACED THE CYLINDERS, SEALED IN REAR AXLES, REPLACED THE BRAKES AND PADS HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 6/19/2006 - *NM
THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ON 1997 CHEVROLET W/T 4WD PICKUP KEPT ACTIVATING ON DRY PAVEMENT. I UNDERSTAND GM HAS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER TRUCKS BUT WON'T RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT AND I JUST EMAILED GM AGAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. I W…
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THE ANTILOCK BRAKES ON 1997 CHEVROLET W/T 4WD PICKUP KEPT ACTIVATING ON DRY PAVEMENT. I UNDERSTAND GM HAS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER TRUCKS BUT WON'T RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT AND I JUST EMAILED GM AGAIN ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE AND GM WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY (GM) WOULD PAY TO REPAIR IT. I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS BECAUSE I'M AFRAID I MIGHT GET STUCK WITH THE WHOLE BILL. I HAD THE TRUCK TO A DEALER ONCE AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE SPEED SENSORS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT. AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGMENT I DISCONNECTED THE ABS SYSTEM BECAUSE IT WASN'T SAFE TO DRIVE THE WAY IT WAS. IT HAS BEEN A COUPLE YEARS SINCE I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS MATTER BUT IT HAS BEEN ON MY MIND FOR A LONG TIME. I PAID FOR ABS BRAKES, THEY DON'T WORK LIKE THEY SHOULD, THEY ARE UNSAFE, AND GM WON'T STAND BEHIND IT. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. IF THOUSANDS OF OTHER YEAR TRUCKS HAVE THIS PROBLEM, WHY WON'T THEY TAKE CARE OF MINE. MY SON HAD A 1997 S-10 CHEVROLET PICKUP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY HE HIT A PARKED VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK AND DEMOLISHED THIS TRUCK. NO ONE WAS HURT BUT HIS INSURER BLAMED HIM AND RAISED HIS PREMIUM. IT WAS GENERAL MOTORS FAULT! I TOLD THEM I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK WITH THE ABS SYSTEM DEACTIVATED BUT IT'S LIKE THEY'RE TELLING ME IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM. I GUESS IT'S ONLY A SAFETY ISSUE IF THEY SAY IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT DATES OF THE OCCURRENCES ANYMORE SO I JUST ESTIMATED. COULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKE PROBLEMS
VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING BRAKING PROBLEMS, DURING A HARD STOP, THE BRAKES EXTEND THE STOPPING LENGTH AND MAKE NOISES, BRAKES ARE VERY SENSITIVE WHEN STOPPING ON SMOOTH ROADS AND DURING NORMAL STOPPING, THE CONSUMER HAS HAD NEW BRAKES, ROTORS, DURMS AND A MASTER CYLINDER, BUT THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. *SLC
Official recalls
103V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
PE01001 · Vacuum Brake Booster
Opened Jan 8, 2001 · Closed May 22, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ALLEGED THAT THE VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER CAN FAIL RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.