IllustrationONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ABS. BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WHENEVER BRAKES WERE APPLIED. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
1997 Chevrolet Blazer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Blazer years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Blazer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 32.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Blazer 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: 171 of 768 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 144 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 129 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
60 crash reports26 fire reports44 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
144 reportsEA94038, IN ICY CONDITION BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO, EFFECTS THE STEERING SYSTEM'S ABILITY TO STEER VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
BRAKES SQUEAKED WHEN PEDAL WAS OR WAS NOT APPLIED. EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURRED. DEALER AWARE OF PROBLEM. REPAIR WORK DONE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *AK
EA94038, THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. *AK
BRAKES LOCKED UP CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. YH
THE BRAKES EXPERIENCED FAILURE CAUSING BRAKES TO FEEL VERY HARD. SOUND LIKE AIR WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES DUE TO THE ABS SYSTEM WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *YC
WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN AND APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE SLIDES, AND THE ABS SYSTEM IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
UPON APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
BRAKE SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE, AND WHEN BRAKES AR E APPLIED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS. TRAVELLING AT 20 MPH A FRONTAL IMPACT OCCURRED, AND AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER CONTACTED, AND REPAIRWORK NOT DONE ON BRAKES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
AT 14000 MILES, THE LEFT FRONT PAD WAS SO WORN THAT IT ATE INTO THE ROTOR. THE BRAKES WERE THEN SERVICED BY THE DEALER FOR FREE. AFTER 7000 MORE MILES THE BRAKING WAS SO POOR THAT I REPLACED THE FRONT PADS AND ROTORS MYSELF. AT 30000 MILES, THE BRAKES WERE FADING SO BAD I HAD TO HAVE THEM SERVICED AGAIN BUT AT A NEARBY DEALER …
Read full complaint
AT 14000 MILES, THE LEFT FRONT PAD WAS SO WORN THAT IT ATE INTO THE ROTOR. THE BRAKES WERE THEN SERVICED BY THE DEALER FOR FREE. AFTER 7000 MORE MILES THE BRAKING WAS SO POOR THAT I REPLACED THE FRONT PADS AND ROTORS MYSELF. AT 30000 MILES, THE BRAKES WERE FADING SO BAD I HAD TO HAVE THEM SERVICED AGAIN BUT AT A NEARBY DEALER (AND PAID THEIR SERVICE FEE ). NOW, THEY ARE STARTING TO FADE YET AGAIN, GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY. AFTER HEARING IN THE NEWS THAT GM HAS TO PAY FOR A SENSOR ON VEHICLES BEFORE 97, I AM TELLING YOU NOW THAT THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD NOT BE OVER! I WAS TALKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT A CHEVROLET DEALER AND HE FLAT OUT TOLD ME THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEMS ON ALL OF GM'S LIGHT TRUCK S AND T PLATFORMS WITHOUT 4 WHEEL DISK BRAKES WERE VERY POORLY ENGINEERED. EVERY TIME I SEE A BLAZER/JIMMY OR GM PICKUP I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF BRAKE DUST ON THE FRONT RIMS. I SWEAR THE REAR DRUMS ARE USELESS! I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP FIXING MY TRUCKS BRAKES EVERY 10,000 MILES.
Official recalls
403V117000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Mar 31, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY THAT CONTAINS AN ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP. SUSTAINED LOADS OF SUFFICIENT MAGNITUDE AND DURATION ON THE BELT IN SEVERE CRASHES COULD FULLY DEPLOY THE BUCKLE ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP, INTRODUCING A TOTAL OF 10 ADDITIONAL INCHES OF WEBBING INTO THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM. THE FREE FALLING LATCH PLATE USED IN THIS SYSTEM MAY ALLOW WEBBING TO DYNAMICALLY DISTRIBUTE BETWEEN THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT AS THE DRIVER'S POSITION CHANGES DURING A MULTIPLE ROLLOVER EVENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP FULLY DEPLOYS IN A SEVERE MULTIPLE ROLLOVER CRASH, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A BELTED DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE PARTIAL OR EVEN COMPLETE EJECTION FROM THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENERGY-ABSORBING SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WITH ONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE ENERGY-ABSORBING LOOP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 8, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
03V093000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
Mar 7, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS MAY DEVELOP A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD RESULT IN AN INOPERATIVE SWITCH, HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND/OR IGNITION OF COMPONENTS IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
01V200000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
Jun 28, 2001
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FAILURE OF AN UPPER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY COULD OCCUR DUE TO CORROSION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN IMPAIRED STEERING OR STEERING LOSS, OR A PARTIAL OR COMPLETE COLLAPSE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 4, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
97V096001 · Seat Belts
Jun 12, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 60/40 FRONT BENCH SEATS AND EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 2-DOOR UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL LOCKING RECLINER BUCKET SEATS. THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE DRIVER'S AND/OR PASSENGER'S SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A FRONTAL IMPACT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THERE WERE SECONDARY CRASH EVENTS OR VEHICLE ROLLOVER, THERE WOULD BE NO BELT RESTRAINT OF THE OCCUPANT AND INCREASED INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.
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
2EA97004 · Seat Belt Webbing Separation
Opened Feb 28, 1997 · Closed Aug 5, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:webbing
NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TESTED A 1997 CHEVROLET S-10 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG.THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS COMPLETELY CUT DURING THE TEST.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seat Belts:front:webbing
NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TESTED A 1997 CHEVROLET S-10 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG.THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS COMPLETELY CUT DURING THE TEST.
Seat Belts:front:webbing
NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TESTED A 1997 CHEVROLET S-10 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVER-SIDE AIR BAG.THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS COMPLETELY CUT DURING THE TEST.
EA94038 · Abs Braking System
Opened Oct 31, 1994 · Closed Feb 28, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.