IllustrationBRAKING-EXCESSIVE PEDAL TRAVEL, MUST BE PUMPED UP TO CORRECT, DEALER REPLACED FRONT PADS, TURNED ROTORS TO NO AVAIL. STEERING-VEHICLE WANDERS AND PULLS TO RIGHT AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE ARULED OUT CURVATURE OF ROADWAY ALTHOUGH VEHICLE DOES TEND TO TRACK IN TIRE RUTS.
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 reportsVEHICLE WANDERS WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY DEALER, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. * POWER STEERING MOVED IRRATIONALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO MOVE INTO OTHER LANE. *AK
THE NUMBERS FAILURE AND FATALITIES AND ANYTHING THAT HAS A SERIES OF 9 IS ONLY IN THE BOXES SO THAT THE FORM WOULD ADVANCE TO THE NEXT STEP. EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE TRUCK AS IT IS SHIFTING TO THIRD GEAR THE REAR DIFFERENTAL OR THE TRANMISSION MAKES A LOUD KLUNKING SOUND. I ALSO HAVE A RATTLE UNDER THE VEHICLE THAT THE DEALER SAYS …
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THE NUMBERS FAILURE AND FATALITIES AND ANYTHING THAT HAS A SERIES OF 9 IS ONLY IN THE BOXES SO THAT THE FORM WOULD ADVANCE TO THE NEXT STEP. EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE TRUCK AS IT IS SHIFTING TO THIRD GEAR THE REAR DIFFERENTAL OR THE TRANMISSION MAKES A LOUD KLUNKING SOUND. I ALSO HAVE A RATTLE UNDER THE VEHICLE THAT THE DEALER SAYS THAT IS THE SHOCKS. THEY HAVE TIGHTENED THEM UP BUT THEY STILL RATTLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM MYSELF BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP. MY VOICE IS JUST NOT LOUD ENOUGH.
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
TRUCK PULLS TO RIGHT AT ANY SPEED. EVEN MORE WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES. DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY 150.00 DOLLARS FOR ALLIGNMENT. DEALER SAID KNOCK OUTS HAVE TO BE TAKEN OUT THAT IS WHY IT IS SO MUCH. I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR ALLIGNMENT NOT FOR KNOCK OUTS TO BE REMOVED. ITHINK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE FACTORY.
WHILE BACKING INTO THEIR DRIVING WAY, GOING APPROX. 5 MPH OR LESS, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO BACK THROUGH GARAGE DOOR WHILE FOOT WAS STILL APPLYING BRAKES. TWO INJURIES WAERE RECEIVED BY PASSENGER IN BACK AND HEAD. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER; UNABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER SHOP NOT KNOWING IF SOMTHING ELSE MAY HAPPEN. AGIN YOUR…
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WHILE BACKING INTO THEIR DRIVING WAY, GOING APPROX. 5 MPH OR LESS, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO BACK THROUGH GARAGE DOOR WHILE FOOT WAS STILL APPLYING BRAKES. TWO INJURIES WAERE RECEIVED BY PASSENGER IN BACK AND HEAD. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER; UNABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER SHOP NOT KNOWING IF SOMTHING ELSE MAY HAPPEN. AGIN YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER ARE NEEDED.
VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES 30 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. CAN NHTSA HELP OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND PICKING UP SPEED, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO WANDER TO THE RIGHT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTEN POWER ASSIST STEERING BOOST AND CAUSES THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL TEMPERARILY
SHIFT CABLE CLIP FELL OFF CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE, SHIFT CABLE HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR IN 1997. MJS
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.