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1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Limited mileage data: 6 of 12 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 2 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

Engine complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2014
Engine

MY HUSBAND WROTE A LENGTHY LETTER DETAILING THE PROBLEM AND EVENTS AROUND THE TIME WE WERE FORCED TO TRADE OUR VAN FOR A TAHOE IN JULY/AUGUST 2001. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 40 NEAR CROSSVILLE, TN, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT LEAVING ME WITH LITTLE CONTROL AND BARELY ABLE TO MOVE IT SAFELY TO THE ROADSIDE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE CHEVY…

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MY HUSBAND WROTE A LENGTHY LETTER DETAILING THE PROBLEM AND EVENTS AROUND THE TIME WE WERE FORCED TO TRADE OUR VAN FOR A TAHOE IN JULY/AUGUST 2001. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 40 NEAR CROSSVILLE, TN, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT LEAVING ME WITH LITTLE CONTROL AND BARELY ABLE TO MOVE IT SAFELY TO THE ROADSIDE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE CHEVY DEALER IN CROSSVILLE, WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. AFTER MULTIPLE EVENTS LATER THE SAME TYPE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON A CROWDED TALLAHASSEE, FL, ROAD WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION. THEIR CHEVY DEALER TRIED TO FIND THE PROBLEM BUT COULDN'T EITHER. WE DROVE IT HOME ON BACK HIGHWAYS TO OUR TOWN OF TULLAHOMA,TN, VERY CAREFULLY, BUT IT STALLED OUT AGAIN 50 MILES FROM HOME. THE CHEVY DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT QUITE 3 YEARS OLD, AND INSISTED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. WE WERE FORCED TO TRADE OUR VAN, AND THE DEALERSHIP SOLD IT TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THAT DANGEROUS CONDITION. THAT'S WHY MY HUSBAND REPORTED IT TO YOU AT THAT TIME; WE DIDN'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO BE HURT OR DIE FROM THE PROBLEM. THE IGNITION SHUTTING OFF, LIKE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY OTHER GM CARS, IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO OUR VAN. NOW I BELIEVE GM HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A LONGER TIME. I JUST HEARD ON THE NEWS THAT IT HAS BEEN TRACED BACK TO 2001; IT MUST BE EVEN OLDER THAN THAT. I CAN PROVIDE THE VIN # WHEN WE GET BACK TO TN AS MY HUSBAND IS WORKING A JOB IN FL RIGHT NOW. ALSO, WE DROVE ANOTHER GM VAN THE DAY BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CHEVY VAN AND IT DID THE SAME THING ON THE WAY HOME FROM A TRIP TO FRANKLIN, TN, THEREFORE WE RETURNED IT, AS THE GM DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. YES, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME AND I AM THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10569027

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.