IllustrationBRAKES FAILED, INSPECTION REVEALED COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINES, FRAME, SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, STEERING COMPONENTS, AND CROSSMEMBERS. VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRABLE AND IS NO LONGER USABLE. *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
Steering complaints
19 reportsTHE POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT BROKE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY 97 CHEVROLET K1500 FWD PICKUP. SHE WAS UNABLE TO STREER THE TRUCK AND HAD TO CALL ME TO COME GET IT. A LOCALE MECHANIC AND I REMOVED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND PULLED THE PUMP SHAFT AND PULLY RIGHT OUT OF THE PUMP. THE SHAFT WAS BROKE IN HALF IN SIDE THE PUMP. I THINK…
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THE POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT BROKE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY 97 CHEVROLET K1500 FWD PICKUP. SHE WAS UNABLE TO STREER THE TRUCK AND HAD TO CALL ME TO COME GET IT. A LOCALE MECHANIC AND I REMOVED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND PULLED THE PUMP SHAFT AND PULLY RIGHT OUT OF THE PUMP. THE SHAFT WAS BROKE IN HALF IN SIDE THE PUMP. I THINK THIS WAS A PRETTY SERIOUS FAILURE AS MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE TRUCK OR BRAKE. I HAD THE MECHANIC REPLACE THE PUMP FOR ME. THE MAIN REASON I MENTION THIS IS BECAUSE A CO WORKER OF MINE HAS A 2001 YUKON THAT HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS MORE WIDE SPREAD THAN JUST ON 2000 MODEL TRUCKS.*AK
I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT MY TRUCK 4 YEARS AGO. I'VE PUT ON 2 NEW POWER STEERING PUMPS, NEW LINES, NEW SENSOR. THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH WHAT SEEMED LIKE SLACK AND AN OCCASIONAL PHANTOM JERK. IT WILL RUN FINE FOR A WHILE AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE STEERING SEEMS TO BIND WITH NO WARNING. I GUESS IT WON'T GET NOT…
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I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT MY TRUCK 4 YEARS AGO. I'VE PUT ON 2 NEW POWER STEERING PUMPS, NEW LINES, NEW SENSOR. THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH WHAT SEEMED LIKE SLACK AND AN OCCASIONAL PHANTOM JERK. IT WILL RUN FINE FOR A WHILE AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE STEERING SEEMS TO BIND WITH NO WARNING. I GUESS IT WON'T GET NOTICED UNTIL IT A FEW PEOPLE DIE. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS MYSELF. *AK
THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND JERKED WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 1997 CHEVROLET HE OWNED. *AK *NM
1997 CHEVROLET HALF TON PICKUP TRUCK POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY AND VERY BRIEFLY LOCKS UP ON LEFT TURNS. *AK
CHEVROLET 1500 P/U STEERING PROBLEMS. INTERMITTENT HARD TO STEER. ALMOST LIKE SOMETHING BINDING THEN AFTER IT "UNBINDS" WILL BE LOOSE. MOST NOTICEABLE WHILE STEERING SLIGHTLY LEFT. POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH NO EFFECT. ON THIS FORUM OTHERS HAVE NOTED EVO SENSOR MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM. *JB
1997 CHEVROLET K 20 PICKUP TRUCK STEERING .VEHICLE HAS VARIABLE SPEED SENSOR THAT FAILED CAUSING STEERING PROBLEMS WHEN CORNERING........HAPPENED ON A SLICK ROAD AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT.....I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT 1997 1998 AND 1999 TRUCKS HAD THIS TYPE STEERING..AS MANY OWNERS AS I COULD FIND HAVE ALL HA…
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1997 CHEVROLET K 20 PICKUP TRUCK STEERING .VEHICLE HAS VARIABLE SPEED SENSOR THAT FAILED CAUSING STEERING PROBLEMS WHEN CORNERING........HAPPENED ON A SLICK ROAD AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT.....I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT 1997 1998 AND 1999 TRUCKS HAD THIS TYPE STEERING..AS MANY OWNERS AS I COULD FIND HAVE ALL HAD THIS PROBLEM AND EVERY CHEVROLET DEALER I CALLED HAVE HAD ADMITTED THEY HAVE HAD COUNTLESS TRUCKS IN FOR THIS REPAIR. *AK
STEERING IS UNPREDICTABLE, IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY STILL CANT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS I SEE ON THIS WEBSITE WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.*AK
I OWN A 1997 CHEVROLET C1500 PICKUP TRUCK. I HAVE HAD POWER STEERING PROBLEMS WITH IT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. I HAVE HAD WIPER PROBLEMS WITH IT ONCE.
REDUCED STEERING EFFORT WHILE DRIVING. FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING, LIKE THERE IS NO RESISTANCE IN THE WHEEL. THIS OCCURS MOSTLY IN TURNS BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN STRAIGHT LINE. ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET THIS IS DUE TO A BAD SPEED SENSOR AND BEARING ASSEMBLY. WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PA…
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REDUCED STEERING EFFORT WHILE DRIVING. FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING, LIKE THERE IS NO RESISTANCE IN THE WHEEL. THIS OCCURS MOSTLY IN TURNS BUT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN STRAIGHT LINE. ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET THIS IS DUE TO A BAD SPEED SENSOR AND BEARING ASSEMBLY. WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT??? WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL? THIS OCCURANCE IS VERY COMMON IN 1997-98 CHEVROLET AND GMC C/K, M/L AND G-VAN WITH EVO.*AK
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.