IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO COMPLETE STOP AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE FIRST TO THE SECOND GEAR, WON'T SHIFT, AND MAKES LOUD NOISE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *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
What owners actually said
768 reportsWHILE DRIVING THERE WAS NOISE FROM THE BRAKE MOTOR THEN THE ABS WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A FAILURE IN THE ABS SENOR, AND IT NEEDED REPLACEMENT.*AK
RECEIVED RECALL 03V117000 NOTIC ECONCERNING SEAT BELT BUCKLE. A SEAT BELT BUCKLE DEFECT OCCURRED, AND CONSUMER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES BECAUSE WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTIFICATION.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DRIVING, RESULTING IN NO VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.*AK
CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE FOR AN HOUR WHEN FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
I HAVE A 1997 CHEROLETY BLAZER AND HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT THE MODEL YEAR 2000-2001 RECALL COVERS. MY BOTTOM BRAKE LIGHTS ARE INOPERATIVE AS WELL AS MY HAZARD LIGHTS. THE UPPER CENTER BRAKE LIGHT WORKS FINE. IF I PUSH MY HAZARD SWITCH TO THE SIDE, MY BOTTOM BRAKE LIGHTS WORK AND THE TOP ONE DOESN'T. I HAVE ALREADY CALLE…
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I HAVE A 1997 CHEROLETY BLAZER AND HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT THE MODEL YEAR 2000-2001 RECALL COVERS. MY BOTTOM BRAKE LIGHTS ARE INOPERATIVE AS WELL AS MY HAZARD LIGHTS. THE UPPER CENTER BRAKE LIGHT WORKS FINE. IF I PUSH MY HAZARD SWITCH TO THE SIDE, MY BOTTOM BRAKE LIGHTS WORK AND THE TOP ONE DOESN'T. I HAVE ALREADY CALLED GM AND HAVE NO SATISFACTION AFTER EXPLAINING THE SITUATION. THIS BRAKE LIGHT/HAZARD SIGNAL IS ALSO A PROBLEM ON THE 1998 MODELS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY OWNERS OF EARLIER MODELS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THEIR BRAKE AND HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. IS THERE A WAY TO GET GM TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODEL YEAR SUVS INTO THIS RECALL? *AK
THE RIGHT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT OF MY 1997 BLAZER FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING ON A PUBLIC HIGHWAY. I IMMEDIATELY HAD MY BLAZER REPAIRED AND REPORTED IT TO CHEVROLET UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V200000. I COMPLIED WITH CHEVROLET'S DIRECTIONS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THEIR AGENTS AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. CHEVROLET…
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THE RIGHT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINT OF MY 1997 BLAZER FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING ON A PUBLIC HIGHWAY. I IMMEDIATELY HAD MY BLAZER REPAIRED AND REPORTED IT TO CHEVROLET UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V200000. I COMPLIED WITH CHEVROLET'S DIRECTIONS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THEIR AGENTS AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. CHEVROLET REFUSES TO PROVIDE ME WITH A WRITTEN EXPLANATION OF WHY IT HAS NOT ISSUED PAYMENT OF MY CLAIM. *NLM
VEHICLE WILL NOT START OR QUITS RUNNING WHILE ON ROADWAY OR IN TRAFFIC. *NLM
THE REAR SEAT BELT WAS INOPER ATIVE. *AK *CB *JB
PROBLEMS WITH FRONT BALL JOINTS,WINSHIELD WIPER BLADES, AND FUEL PUMP.THE FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED ALSO THE WIND SHIELD MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO GET A NEW FUEL PUMP FOR THE COST OF $400.00. CONSUMER FELLS DEALERSHIP SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. *MR *CB
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.