IllustrationABS BRAKE PROBLEMS; WHEN APPLYIING THE BRAKES, DURING NORMAL STOPPING, THE PEDAL IS VERY SLOPPY AND THERE IS AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS HAPPENS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES ON A DRY ROAD. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 525.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 1500 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
60–25K
1725–50K
2850–75K
3975–100K
35100–150K
22150K+
147 reports with mileage · 408 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.
- Steering. Review the 140 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 123 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
29 crash reports13 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
555 reportsVEHICLE OFF, LOCKED AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. NOT USED FOR 7 HOURS. ELECTRICAL SHORT IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT STARTED A FIRE. IN DISPUTE WITH GM AS TO WHAT CAUSED SHORT. THEY DENY RESPONSIBILITY AND SAY IT WAS AN AFTERMARKET ELECTRICAL ACCESORY THAT WAS INSTALLED 1 1/2 YEARS AGO, BUT GM WILL NOT PROVIDE A COPY OF THE INVESTIGATOR…
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VEHICLE OFF, LOCKED AND PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. NOT USED FOR 7 HOURS. ELECTRICAL SHORT IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT STARTED A FIRE. IN DISPUTE WITH GM AS TO WHAT CAUSED SHORT. THEY DENY RESPONSIBILITY AND SAY IT WAS AN AFTERMARKET ELECTRICAL ACCESORY THAT WAS INSTALLED 1 1/2 YEARS AGO, BUT GM WILL NOT PROVIDE A COPY OF THE INVESTIGATOR'S REPORT TO ME OR MY INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
BRAKES SURGING WITH IRREGULAR BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. IT ALSO FELT LIKE FRONT BRAKES WERE SHIMMING WHEN APPLIED. DEALER TURNED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, AND EXPLAINE DIT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLS. ALSO, WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURN OFF, IT IS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO TURN IT BACK ON. *AK
LUGS: NUTS ARE TURNING TO RUST. CONSUMER FEARS THAT TIRES MAY FALL OFF. NUTS ARE TURNING INTO RUST LIKE DIRT, BUT IT'S RUST. *AK
WIRES IN FUEL PUMP INSIDE GAS TANK OVERHEATED TO THE POINT THAT PLASTIC PARTS MELTED. WE FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE A MAJOR FIRE RISK BECAUSE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY IS INSIDE THE TANK. *AK
THE VEHICLE STEERS AS IF IT WERE TRAVELING ON A ROUGH ROAD (ALTHOUGH IT IS ACTUALLY TRAVELING ON A SMOOTH SURFACE) UNEXPECTEDLY JERKING IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AND FRONT END REALIGNED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THE DRIVER MUST KEEP AN ABNORMALLY FIRM GRIP ON THE STEERING W…
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THE VEHICLE STEERS AS IF IT WERE TRAVELING ON A ROUGH ROAD (ALTHOUGH IT IS ACTUALLY TRAVELING ON A SMOOTH SURFACE) UNEXPECTEDLY JERKING IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AND FRONT END REALIGNED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THE DRIVER MUST KEEP AN ABNORMALLY FIRM GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL.
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & WOULD MAKE TURN AROUND ON CORNER OR CURB AND VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY OVERSTEER BY ITSELF. LATER ,IT WOULD STRAIGHTEN UP ON ITS OWN. DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PROBLEM WOULD BE INTERMITTENT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC OF NO RECALLS. *AK
VEHICLE HAS ERRATIC STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL UNEXPECTEDLY TWITCHES OR JERKS GOING DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS MORE PREVALENT WITH JUST NORMAL DRIVING (STEERING DOWN A ROAD). *AK
STEERING WHEEL WOULD SLIP & THEN JERK OUT OF DRIVER'S HAND WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS & IS INTERMITTENT. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK IT & REPAIR IT. *AK
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.