IllustrationWHENEVER BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. WAS AT DEALER PRIOR TO BRAKE PEDAL PROBLEM. HAS HAPPENED 5 OTHER TIMES BEFORE. *AK
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 reportsWHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AT THE TURN AND CONSUMER HAD TO WIGGLE IT TO COME OUT OF TURN. AFTER HE STRAIGHTENED OUT THE STEERING BECAME FREE, TURNING. *AK CONSUMER STATES SINCE THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT, THE WHEEL WOULD CATCH WHEN THE TILT WAS USED, THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS, HOWEVER IT STI…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AT THE TURN AND CONSUMER HAD TO WIGGLE IT TO COME OUT OF TURN. AFTER HE STRAIGHTENED OUT THE STEERING BECAME FREE, TURNING. *AK CONSUMER STATES SINCE THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT, THE WHEEL WOULD CATCH WHEN THE TILT WAS USED, THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS, HOWEVER IT STILL WOULD NOT WORK CORRECTLY, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER NOT TO USE THE WHEEL TO PULL THEMSELVES INTO THE VEHICLE, ONCE THE WHEEL WAS REPLACED THERE WERE LOTS OF SHAVED BROKEN METAL PARTS INSIDE THE COLUMN WHERE THE WHEEL MOUNTS, CONSUMER TRADED VEHICLE IN. *SLC
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, VEHICLE ROLLED IN REVERSE. DEALER TOOK TRANSMISSION AND REAR END APART AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM.
WHEELS BEND CAUSING TIRE BLOW OUTS AND VIBRATION.
OWNER LOOKING FOR RECALL INFORMATION ON VEHICLE.
WHILE TRAVELING AT 40-50 MPH VEHICLE'S FRONT DOVE SHARPLY AND SMOKE BEGAN TO POUR FROM FRONT END.
TRANSMISSION/OVERDRIVE MELTED.
THE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING CAUSING A REAR END ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. *AK
WHEELS CONTINUE TO BEND CAUSING TIRE FAILURE(BLOWOUTS) AFTER SEVERAL REPAIRS.
WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK AND SLOWING DOWN TO COME TO A STOP THERE IS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE IN A WHILE THIS HAPPENS WHEN MAKING A COMPLETE STOP AND PICKING UP SPEED. AS SOON AS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ITMAKES A CLUNKING SOUND. DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS A NORMAL NOISE. *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.