IllustrationTHE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MAKES A GRINDIND NOISE AND DOES NOT STOP THE TRUCK PROPERLY.I HAVE DRIVEN PAST DRIVEWAYS AND ALMOST WENT THROUGH A STOP SIGN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WORK FOR THE CITY SO GETTING TO WORK TO PLOW IS IMPORTANT, BUT I CANT TRUST THE TRUCK TO GET ME THERE SAFELY
1997 Chevrolet Silverado
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Silverado years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado are substantially higher than the model-year median of 76.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 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
Limited mileage data: 64 of 272 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.
- Steering. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports6 fire reports13 injury reports
Equipment complaints
4 reportsWHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL GIVES AND CAUSES TEMPORARY STEERING LOSS. TS THE VEHICLE ALSO SUSTAINED THE FOLLOWING FAILURES, THE PCV VALVE MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE #2 AND #3 HEAT SHIELDS IN THE TRANSMISSION TO CRACK. THIS MALFUNCTION WAS REPAIRED AND NOW THE 4 LOW GEAR IS INOPERABLE. ALSO, THE FUEL P…
Read full complaint
WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL GIVES AND CAUSES TEMPORARY STEERING LOSS. TS THE VEHICLE ALSO SUSTAINED THE FOLLOWING FAILURES, THE PCV VALVE MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE #2 AND #3 HEAT SHIELDS IN THE TRANSMISSION TO CRACK. THIS MALFUNCTION WAS REPAIRED AND NOW THE 4 LOW GEAR IS INOPERABLE. ALSO, THE FUEL PUMP, OXYGEN SENSOR, AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND PUMP MALFUNCTIONED. NOTICEABLY AFTER PURCHASE, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT GIVES WHEN BRAKING. *JG
AIR CONDITIONER ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY DUE TO THE CLUTCH WITHIN THE A/C COMPRESSOR BURNING OUT, CAUSING HOT AIR TO COME OUT. DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM UNTIL A NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED. *AK *ML
THE AIR-CONDITIONER WAS COOLING FINE ONE DAY THEN THE NEXT IT WOULDN'T BLOW COOL AIR AT ALL. SO I TAKE IT TO THE CHEVROLET MECHANIC HE SAID THE COMPRESSOR WAS SHOT AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $700 TO FIX IT. ONE EVENING I WENT TO CRANK MY TRUCK AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT CLICK WELL GUESS WHAT IT WAS THE STARTER NOT CHEAP ANOTHE…
Read full complaint
THE AIR-CONDITIONER WAS COOLING FINE ONE DAY THEN THE NEXT IT WOULDN'T BLOW COOL AIR AT ALL. SO I TAKE IT TO THE CHEVROLET MECHANIC HE SAID THE COMPRESSOR WAS SHOT AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $700 TO FIX IT. ONE EVENING I WENT TO CRANK MY TRUCK AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT CLICK WELL GUESS WHAT IT WAS THE STARTER NOT CHEAP ANOTHER $60. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE COP STOPS ME AND TELLS ME THAT I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE LUCKILY HE WARNED ME BUT A NEW HARNESS COST LIKE $50.ALSO MY POWER STERRING PUMP THAT HAS WENT OUT TWICE IN LESS THAN A YEAR COSTING ABOUT $80 EACH TIME.THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT THIS MAY BE THE LAST CHEVY THAT I EVER OWN AND THAT IS SAYING A LOT BECAUSE I MYSELF HAS OWNED FOUR MY FAMILY THREE THAT IS SEVEN IF I CAN ADD, SO THAT COULD BE ALOT OF VEHICLES THAT COULD GO TO ANOTHER MAKE ALL TOGETHER. THIS IS NOT A THREAT JUS WANT MY AIR-CONDITIONER FIXED, BUT THEY SAY THAT THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER JUST MY LUCK. *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.