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1997 Chevrolet Silverado 2500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 81.

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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

20 reports with mileage · 44 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

64 reports
87,000 miles · Jun 14, 2018
Visibility/wiper

WIPERS QUIT WHEN IN USE. WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THEY ARE UNPREDICTABLE. THEY HAVE BEEN THAT WAY FOR YEARS. MY 1999 TAHOE DOES THE SAME THING. MY 1996 SILVERADO DID THE SAME THING AS WELL AND I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND THE DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM. THESE TWO VEHICLES ARE VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE 1996 SILVERADO, AND ARE SHOWIN…

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WIPERS QUIT WHEN IN USE. WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THEY ARE UNPREDICTABLE. THEY HAVE BEEN THAT WAY FOR YEARS. MY 1999 TAHOE DOES THE SAME THING. MY 1996 SILVERADO DID THE SAME THING AS WELL AND I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND THE DEALER REPAIRED PROBLEM. THESE TWO VEHICLES ARE VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE 1996 SILVERADO, AND ARE SHOWING THE SAME SYMPTOMS. THE WIPERS WILL WORK ERRATICALLY ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A HEAVY RAIN AND CAN QUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION MAKING THE VEHICLE VERY UNSAFE. PLEASE FIND OUT WHY THE 1996 SILVERADO WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL AND THE 1997 SILVERADO AND THE 1999 TAHOE WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THE SAME RECALL WHEN THEY ARE SHOWING THE SAME DANGEROUS FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEMS. AGAIN THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND I'M FRUSTRATED THAT THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM THAT WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL FOR THE 96 SILVERADO. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #11101786

150,000 miles · Aug 14, 2015
Electrical SystemFire

I LOCKED THE TRUCK USING ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS THAT EVENING.GOT UP NEXT MORNING DOOR PANNAL HAD COUGHT FIRE.BUT MUST HAD GONE OUT FROM LACK OXGEN INCAB.

NHTSA ODI #10748616

48,200 miles · Mar 24, 2015
Service Brakes

STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AND PULLED RIGHT. I WENT INTO THE INTERSECTION AROUND 5 FEET. REQUIRED A MASTER CYLINDER AND LEFT FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY TO FIX PROBLEM. COST: 808.57 THIS FOLLOWS REAR BRAKE PROBLEMS AT 27,097 MILES THAT REQUIRED PADS, ROTORS, AND CALIPERS AT A COST OF 668.27. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10701321

125,000 miles · Jul 1, 2012
EngineService BrakesSteering

I HAVE A1997 CHEVROLET 6.5T DIESEL, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK DOING ABOUT 45 MPH CROSSING A STOP LIGHT AND THE TRUCK JUST SHUT OFF FOR NO REASON AND A SEMI WAS BEHIND ME AND ALMOST PLOWED IN TO THE BACK OF MY TRUCK BUT HE WAS ABLE TO GO AROUND AT THE LAST SECOND. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70 MPH AND THE TRUCK DID THE SAME T…

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I HAVE A1997 CHEVROLET 6.5T DIESEL, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK DOING ABOUT 45 MPH CROSSING A STOP LIGHT AND THE TRUCK JUST SHUT OFF FOR NO REASON AND A SEMI WAS BEHIND ME AND ALMOST PLOWED IN TO THE BACK OF MY TRUCK BUT HE WAS ABLE TO GO AROUND AT THE LAST SECOND. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70 MPH AND THE TRUCK DID THE SAME THING JUST SHUT OFF FOR NO REASON AND A CAR ALMOST HIT ME BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME. ON ALL OCCASIONS I LOST ALL POWER TO EVERYTHING BRAKES,STEERING AND ENGINE POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND AFTER THE TWO ABOVE. FOUND OUT THAT GM HAD PUT OUT AN UNDER THE TABLE RECALL OF THE PMD AND INJECTOR PUMP ON THE 6.5T DIESEL MOTOR 12YR/100,000MILES BUT DID NOT PUBLICLY SAY ANYTHING. THE OTHER THING THAT I JUST CAN'T GET OUT OF MY HEAD IS WHAT IF I HAD MY FAMILY WITH ME GOING CAMPING AND TOWING MY TRAILER WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED GOING DOWN A STEP MOUNTAIN PASS AND THE TRUCK TO SHUT OFF WITH NO POWER TO STOP. I KNOW THAT CAR MAKERS HAVE A % OF ACCIDENTS BEFORE THEY WILL LOOK AT RECALLS AND DEATHS ARE INCLUDED IN THOSE %'S AND FOR GM TO HIDE THE RECALL IS VERY DISHONEST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10463886

Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling

CHEVY ADMITS A PROBLEM, I THINK MINE HAS SUCH IT STALLS FOR NO REASON AFTER A COMPLETE $700 TUNE UP..SHOP SAYS HAS SYMPTOMS, WHY NOT RECALL? THIS IS DANGEROUS. $243 LOW TO REPAIR TO $450.. NICE... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10453783

244,537 miles · Oct 29, 2010
Fuel System, DieselVehicle Speed Control

I OWN A 1997 SILVERADO 6.5 DIESEL ENGINE, W/279K MILES, TRUCK WAS RUNNING OK BUT THE LAST FEW MONTHS ENGINE STALLING AND STOP WITHOUT REASON, TOOK IT TO A REPAIR CENTER, DIAGNOSE WITH FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILURE, DIESEL DEALER EXPLAINED THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DEFECT, FUEL INJECTION PUMP HAS AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT (PMD) LOCATED ON…

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I OWN A 1997 SILVERADO 6.5 DIESEL ENGINE, W/279K MILES, TRUCK WAS RUNNING OK BUT THE LAST FEW MONTHS ENGINE STALLING AND STOP WITHOUT REASON, TOOK IT TO A REPAIR CENTER, DIAGNOSE WITH FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILURE, DIESEL DEALER EXPLAINED THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DEFECT, FUEL INJECTION PUMP HAS AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT (PMD) LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE PUMP WHEN ENGINE GETS HOT SENT FAILURE SIGNAL TO THE MAIN COMPUTER. CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE TO VERIFIED THE ISSUE, ANSWERED THAT YES INDEED THEY AGREED ABOUT THE PROBLEM ALSO SAID THEY HAD 'CAMPAIGN' NOT A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT DIDN'T MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT TO PUBLIC. I ASKED FOR HELP TO FIX THE PROBLEM WAS TOLD THAT I RUN OUT OF OPTIONS THEY ONLY HONOR THIS PROBLEM FOR 10 YEARS OR 120K MILES? I WAS NOT AWARE AND NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GMC. THIS IS A ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN WITH TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES, IF THE ENGINE STOPS OR STALL GOING DOWN THE HILL IN ANY URBAN OR RURAL AREA; PASSING ANOTHER CAR IN A BUSY HIGHWAY AND STALLING OR JUST THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. CROSSING A BUSY INTERSECTION WITH KIDS INSIDE AND NO POWER (HORRIBLE ACCIDENT WITH SERIOUS INJURIES AND CASUALTIES!!) I USUALLY AM TOWING A HORSE TRAILER ON BUSY HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY STALL OR STOPPING IN FRONT OF A SEMI-TRAILER, CROSSING A RAIL ROAD AND STALLING IN THE MIDDLE WITH PEOPLE INSIDE A TRAIN COMING ITS WAY! THESE ARE A FEW CONSEQUENCES THIS FAILURE CAN CREATE, WHILE THIS IS A FACTORY FAILURE AND POOR DESIGN. I HAD REPLACED THE (PMD) AND AFTER SPENDING OVER $2500.00 STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AT THE PRESENT TIME I AM NOT DRIVING THE TRUCK MUCH UNTIL I CAN GET THIS RESOLVED FROM YOUR AGENCY TO SEE THE RESULTS OF YOUR INVESTIGATION. IS THIS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF SOAKING THE PUBLIC WITH REPAIR BILLS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. I NOW HAVE HAD THE PMD REPLACED ONE YEAR AFTER THE FIRST INJECTION PUMP SERVICE AND AGAIN ONE MORE YEAR LATER THIS PROBLEM HAS NOW RETURNED AND ANOTHER $2500 IS REQUIRED TO FIX IT YET AGAIN. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10362951

54,000 miles · Oct 12, 2010
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAUSE THEY WOULD FUNCTION PROPERLY ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS AS TH…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAUSE THEY WOULD FUNCTION PROPERLY ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR COSTS AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL RELATED TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS (COULD NOT FIND THE RECALL IN NHTSA DATABASE). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000. UPDATED 01/11/2011*LJ UPDATED 03/28/11

NHTSA ODI #10360104

143,548 miles · Mar 1, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 DIESEL TRUCK. THE SENSOR IN THE ENGINE HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, AND ALLOW IT TO RESET. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST TWICE A DAY SINCE THE FALL OF 2009. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 DIESEL TRUCK. THE SENSOR IN THE ENGINE HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, AND ALLOW IT TO RESET. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST TWICE A DAY SINCE THE FALL OF 2009. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED THE 120,000 MILE WARRANTY. HIS VEHICLE CAN BE REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE FOR $1200. THE GM MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE THE WARRANTY LIMIT HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,548.

NHTSA ODI #10315233

20,000 miles · Dec 20, 2008
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

MY BRAKES HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. THE DEALER HAS SAID THEY WORK PROPERLY AND ABS SYSTEMS WORK DIFFERENT THAN THE OLD SYSTEMS. IF I HAVE TO HIT THE BRAKE QUICKLY, THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP. BRAKES NEED TO BE PUMPED TO STOP EFFECTIVELY BUT THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE…

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MY BRAKES HAVE NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. THE DEALER HAS SAID THEY WORK PROPERLY AND ABS SYSTEMS WORK DIFFERENT THAN THE OLD SYSTEMS. IF I HAVE TO HIT THE BRAKE QUICKLY, THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP. BRAKES NEED TO BE PUMPED TO STOP EFFECTIVELY BUT THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY IN CITY DRIVING. I HAVE HAD MANY MANY CLOSE CALLS AND HAVE BUMPED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME ONCE AND SMASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE ONCE. MY INSURANCE RATES WERE RAISED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS A RESULT. I HAVE TO DRIVE THIS PICK-UP TRUCK VERY CAUTIOUSLY BUT I'M WORRIED THAT SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS COULD HAPPEN TO ME OR MY WIFE WHILE DRIVING. GM HAS A RECALL ON 1999-2002 SILVERADOS FOR THIS TYPE OF BRAKE PROBLEM. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THEY DON'T SEEM TO CARE THAT I HAVE THE SAME SAFETY HAZARD WITH MY 1997 SILVERADO WITH 44,000 MILES ON IT. WHY ISN'T MY VEHICLE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL? THESE BRAKES HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE DAY 1. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10252329

90,000 miles · Sep 25, 2007
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C2500. THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MECHANIC THEN STATED THAT THE METAL CRUMBLED FOR THE WORM STEERIN…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C2500. THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MECHANIC THEN STATED THAT THE METAL CRUMBLED FOR THE WORM STEERING SHAFT. HE MADE THE REPAIR AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #10204061

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.