IllustrationCONSUMER HAS EXPERIANCED PORBLEMS WITH LOSING POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. CHECKED FLUIDS, AND THE FLUIDS LOOKED FINE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WILL REPLACE A PUMP IN ENGINE. *AK
1997 Chevrolet Pickup
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Pickup 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: 8 of 75 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 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
7 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
25 reportsNHTSA SAYS THAT THERE ARE DEFECTS WITH THIS VICHICLE, GM SAYS THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS, MY FRONT BRAKES WHERE REPLACED AT 24,000 REAR BRAKES WHERE CHECK SHOWED NO SIGN OF WEAR.THE PASSENGER SEAT WILL NOT LOCK AT TIMES , SOMETIMES YOU GET A STRONG ODER OF GAS AT REAR OF TRUCK. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
BRAKES ON DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE WHLE CONSUMER STILL HAS FOOT ON BRAKE. OTHER TIMES, BRAKES FEEL SOFT, AND OTHER TIMES, BRAKES KIND OF KICK BACK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER CLAIMED THAT THEY HAVE FIXED PROBLEM ALREADY. *AK
REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES PADS TWICE( 20,000-48,500) AND REPLACEMENT OF CALIPERS. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN ACTING UP FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS. WHEN I TOOK THE TRUCK TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED, THE MECHANIC SAID A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE ON THIS TRUCK BUT HAS NOT BEEN SENT OUT. HE CHARGED ME FOR A NEW BRAKE JOB ON THE FRONT BRAKES BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TWICE AND HE WENT THROUGH EVERTHING AGAI…
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THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN ACTING UP FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS. WHEN I TOOK THE TRUCK TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED, THE MECHANIC SAID A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE ON THIS TRUCK BUT HAS NOT BEEN SENT OUT. HE CHARGED ME FOR A NEW BRAKE JOB ON THE FRONT BRAKES BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TWICE AND HE WENT THROUGH EVERTHING AGAIN BUT I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM. I SAW A RECALL ON SOME '97 CHEVY VEHICLES ON THE NEWS BUT HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON THIS TRUCK? PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU. RW. *AK
BAD STEERING SENSOR. MJS
AT LOW SPEEDS THE REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP SUDDENLY OR SKID. ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS CHECKED BY DEALER, AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITY WITH NO CAUSE IDENTIFIED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT 30-35MPH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. HAD NO STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER CONTACTED AND NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *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.