IllustrationINFLATER MODULE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE INFLATOR MODULE WAS DESIGNED POORLY. THE WIRES BREAK DUE TO WEAR IN THE STEERING WHEEL, PROBABLY FROM TILTING OF STEERING WHEEL. THIS CAUSES THE AIR BAG COMPUTER TO SHORT OUT. *JB
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
What owners actually said
272 reportsGM DEX COOL PROBLEM. I HAVE REPLACED MY TRANISMISSION. COOLANT LEAKS ONTO THE ENGINE. SMELLS LIKE BURNING COOLANT ALL THE TIME.
CONSUMER STATES ABS BRAKE MODULE STILL RUN AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF, CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO GO UNDER HOOD AND PULL FUSE. DEALER HAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
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 P…
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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
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY DON'T HOLD. THEN THEIRS A KNOCKING NOISE AND BRAKES WILL ENGAGE. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK DOESN'T LATCH INTO PLACE. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COME ON AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING INTERMITTENLY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE PROBLEM. MR CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT DURING A RAINSTORM AND HAD TO SET ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER DID NOT LEAVE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE STORM PASSED…
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WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COME ON AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING INTERMITTENLY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE PROBLEM. MR CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT DURING A RAINSTORM AND HAD TO SET ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER DID NOT LEAVE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE STORM PASSED.PH 09-DEC-2002
WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT VEHICLE WAS CREEPING FOWARD, CONSUMER PRESSED BRAKE A LITTLE HARDER AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER COULD HEAR VACUUM HISSING WHEN PRESSING BRAKE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM
CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION FALIURE. SHOULD LOOK INTO OTHER INSTANCES. *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.