DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.
1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all C/k Pickups 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
48 reports with mileage · 24 unknown
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.
- Visibility. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Visibility complaints
30 reportsWINDSHIELD WASHER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY OR QUITS WORKING AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN POOR WEATHER. *NM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY, A HUMMING SOUND CAN BE HEARD, BUT WIPERS WON'T MOVE, THEN THEY WILL START WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROX. 1 AND A HALF YEARS. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT CHEVY WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER MOTOR SOLDER JOINTS AT THE CIRCUIT BOARD, BUT THE LOCAL DEA…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY, A HUMMING SOUND CAN BE HEARD, BUT WIPERS WON'T MOVE, THEN THEY WILL START WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROX. 1 AND A HALF YEARS. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT CHEVY WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER MOTOR SOLDER JOINTS AT THE CIRCUIT BOARD, BUT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP INSISTS MY TRUCK ISN'T IN THAT RECALL, HOWEVER...I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL. *NM
1997 K3500 CHEVY TRUCK. HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE WIPERS NOT WORKING INTERMITTENTIALY FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. CAME ACROSS A CHEVY BULLETIN ( 03023 ) AND NHTSA 03V159000 THAT REFLECTS THE PROBLEM ACCURATLY ALONG WITH THE INTERNAL DEALER/GM NOTICES THAT I OBTAINED FROM ALLDATA.COM. I CONTACTED BOTH MY LOCAL DEALER AND CHEVY CORPORATE…
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1997 K3500 CHEVY TRUCK. HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE WIPERS NOT WORKING INTERMITTENTIALY FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. CAME ACROSS A CHEVY BULLETIN ( 03023 ) AND NHTSA 03V159000 THAT REFLECTS THE PROBLEM ACCURATLY ALONG WITH THE INTERNAL DEALER/GM NOTICES THAT I OBTAINED FROM ALLDATA.COM. I CONTACTED BOTH MY LOCAL DEALER AND CHEVY CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THE ISSUE. (ED MWANGO CASE 1-379680418 CASE NUMBER FROM CHEVY CORPORATE ). THEY SAID THAT MY VIN DID NOT COME UP IN THE RECALL AND IT WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO CONSIDER. ACCORDING TO THE INTERNAL GM DOC THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED REGARDLESS OF AGE OR MILEAGE. I WOULD LIKE GM/CHEVY TO HONOR THIS RECALL. *JB
DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER WOULD USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY WOULD WORK OFF AND ON. THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED ON AUGUST 13, 2005. THE NHTSA RECALL 03V159000/GM RECALL 03023 WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE HE WAS BEING CHARGED FOR THE REPAI…
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DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER WOULD USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY WOULD WORK OFF AND ON. THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED ON AUGUST 13, 2005. THE NHTSA RECALL 03V159000/GM RECALL 03023 WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE HE WAS BEING CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR WORK THAT OTHERS WERE NOT CHARGED. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY STOP OR FAIL TO COME ON. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, MAY HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND MAY COME ON OR GO OFF. MOST OFTEN THIS OCCURS IN RAINY WEATHER. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY MANIPULATED TO WORK. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR 3-4 YEARS BUT BECAME WORSE. TOOK TO A DEALER AND …
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DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY STOP OR FAIL TO COME ON. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, MAY HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND MAY COME ON OR GO OFF. MOST OFTEN THIS OCCURS IN RAINY WEATHER. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY MANIPULATED TO WORK. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR 3-4 YEARS BUT BECAME WORSE. TOOK TO A DEALER AND THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM IN FEB 2003 STATING THAT IF A WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD WOULD BE REPLACED IF IT FAILED BY 70,000 OR FEB 29, 2004. IT FAILED AT 45000 MILES, BUT ON JULY 17, 2005. FORTUNATELY THE FAILURE WAS NOT AT A CRITICAL TIME! THE LETTER CLEARLY IMPLIES THAT GM FELT THEIR WAS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER INSTEAD OF…
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I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM IN FEB 2003 STATING THAT IF A WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD WOULD BE REPLACED IF IT FAILED BY 70,000 OR FEB 29, 2004. IT FAILED AT 45000 MILES, BUT ON JULY 17, 2005. FORTUNATELY THE FAILURE WAS NOT AT A CRITICAL TIME! THE LETTER CLEARLY IMPLIES THAT GM FELT THEIR WAS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING ALL RESPONSIBILITY THEY ALSO IMPLIED THAT NOT EVERY UNIT WOULD FAIL. THE TWO CHECKPOINTS WERE TIME OR MILEAGE. IF, HOWEVER ONE IS NOT A "HARD" USER OF A VEHICLE, THEN ONE WOULD EXPECT THE MILEAGE TO BE THE KEY, NOT THE TIME. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE LIKE A SOLDER JOINT (PROPOSED IN THIS CASE). I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A GM DEALER AND IT WAS NOT LISTED AS A RECALL (IT NEVER WAS), AND I AGREED TO HAVE THE WORK DONE AND PAY FOR IT (IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE!). IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILURE OF THE CIRCUIT MODULE AND THE MODULE WAS REPLACED. I CALLED GM ABOUT THE ISSUE, TWO PLEASANT PEOPLE PLACATED ME BUT REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. HOWEVER A DEALERS AGENT IMPLIED THAT HAD I TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN BEFORE FEB. 29TH, 2004, THE MODULE WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED, EVEN THOUGH WORKING - CLEARLY OUTSIDE THEIR POLICY. THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT AGENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WAS THE CASE - THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED "IF DIAGNOSED". HOWEVER IF THE MODULE WAS STILL WORKING, HOW WOULD IT HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS BROKEN! CLEARLY GM JUST USING TIME TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS COMPONENTS FAILURE. HAD THE WIPER FAILED DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM ON A FREEWAY OR A MOUNTAIN ROAD, WHERE I TYPICALLY USE THE VEHICLE, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC - EASILY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES. I BELIEVE GM SHOULD HAVE WORDED THEIR LETTER IN A WAY THAT STATED THEIR OPERATING INTENT TO REPLACE THE MODULE, EVEN IF CURRENTLY WORKING. I DO NOT WISH TO IMPLY I KNOW THEIR MOTIVES, BUT IT CERTAINLY SEEMS THAT THEY WERE DELIBERATELY MISREPRESENTING THEIR INTENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GM REPLACE EVERY MODULE. *NM
ON 6/12/05, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCK FAILED DURING A SUDDEN RAINSHOWER. I CHECKED THE BREAKER PANEL AND FOUND THAT THE FUSE FOR THE WIPER MOTOR HAD NOT BLOWN. PRIOR TO TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, I CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE TO RESEARCH IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL COVERIN…
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ON 6/12/05, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCK FAILED DURING A SUDDEN RAINSHOWER. I CHECKED THE BREAKER PANEL AND FOUND THAT THE FUSE FOR THE WIPER MOTOR HAD NOT BLOWN. PRIOR TO TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, I CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE TO RESEARCH IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL COVERING THIS REPAIR. I LOCATED GM RECALL #03023/ NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #03V159000 WHICH COVERED CERTAIN PICKUPS OF MY MODEL YEAR. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND I SPENT $148.95 TO HAVE A "FAULTY CIRCUIT BOARD MODULE" REPLACED. THIS IS THE SAME REPAIR CALLED FOR UNDER THE AFOREMENTIONED RECALL. A COINCIDENCE???
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET C1500 PICKUP TRUCK WILL STOP WORKING WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. TODAY IT WAS RAINING FAIRLY HARD AND I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT 55MPH AND THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED. IT WAS LIKE DRIVING BLINDFOLDED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE. I DID SO…
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THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET C1500 PICKUP TRUCK WILL STOP WORKING WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. TODAY IT WAS RAINING FAIRLY HARD AND I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT 55MPH AND THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED. IT WAS LIKE DRIVING BLINDFOLDED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. I FOUND A RECALL ON THE NHTSA.GOV SITE FOR MY YEAR AND MAKE TRUCK. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000 I WENT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG, BUT TOLD ME MY TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN BE.
(1) FAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR DURING RAIN STORM (2) REDUCED VISIBILITY DRIVING IN RAIN (3) NONE
Official recalls
103V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 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.
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
2EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
PE01001 · Vacuum Brake Booster
Opened Jan 8, 2001 · Closed May 22, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ALLEGED THAT THE VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER CAN FAIL RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.
Illustration