IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILS TO OPERATE. WORKS SOMETIME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPS WORKING. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WIPER STOP WORKING. ALMOST RAN OFF THE HIGHWAY COULD NOT SEE BECAUSE OF HEAVY RAIN AND NO WIPERS. GM HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ONLY RECALLING SELECT MODELS. WIPER MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. *JB
1997 Chevrolet C/K Series
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all C/k Series years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
4 reportsDT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE WIPERS FAIL MORE OFTEN IN WET WEATHER; HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDE…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE WIPERS FAIL MORE OFTEN IN WET WEATHER; HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SPORADICALLY. ON 6/27 DURING A THUNDERSTORM, THE WIPERS SUDDENLY CEASED WORKING AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FROM THIS SITE I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL TRUCK (RECALL NUMBER 03V159000). I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL DID NOT APPL…
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THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SPORADICALLY. ON 6/27 DURING A THUNDERSTORM, THE WIPERS SUDDENLY CEASED WORKING AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FROM THIS SITE I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL TRUCK (RECALL NUMBER 03V159000). I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY TRUCK BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER. ALTHOUGH THE MANIFESTATION OF THE PROBLEM ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE WOULD INDICATE THAT THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL WAS TOO NARROW, CHEVROLET REFUSED TO OFFER ME COST ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS REPAIRED. *JB
FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE MAKING NOISE, INNER BRAKE PADS WILL GO OUT BEFORE CONSUMER WILL NOTICE THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATED FRONT PADS NEVER MADE ANY NOISE, UNTIL FRONT PAD INNER SIDE WORE OUTAND FELL OFF, WHEEL CYLINDER HIT ROTOR TO STOP SWERVE.*SLC
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1EA01013 · Vacuum Brake Booster Failure
Opened May 22, 2001 · Closed Dec 15, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ODI UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO CONDUCT A FULL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, INCLUDING TESTING.THE TESTING AND ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT A TORN DIAPHRAGM IS A SLOW PROGRESSIVE TYPE OF FAILURE.THE TEAR PROPAGATES IN A SLOW METHODICAL MANNER AND BRAKING PERFORMANCE IS SIMILAR TO AN UNTORN UNIT UNTIL THE TEAR EXCEEDS 1/2 INCH.ODI'S TESTING INDICATES THAT TEARS GREATER THAN 1/2 INCH REQUIRED INCREASED PEDAL EFFORT.HOWEVER, AS THE LENGTH OF THE TEAR INCREASED BEYOND 1/2 INCH, A HISSING SOUND COULD BE HEARD EMITTING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHERE THE MASTER CYLINDER PLUNGER PASSED THROUGH THE FIREWALL. ODI HAS DETERMINED THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.ODI'S COMPLETE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS WITH TEST DATA IS ATTACHED.