IllustrationWHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONSUMER FELT THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *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
What owners actually said
75 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME LOOSE. THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS MAKING RIGHT AND LEFT HAND TURN. THE DEALERSHIP'S MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NM
STEERING SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER HAS TO REPLACE STEERING SENSOR FIVE TIMES SINCE BUYING THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW.*AK
WHILE PARKING VEHICLE, I TURNED TO LOOK BACK, UPON WHICH THE DRIVER SEAT BACK SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING COLLASPED, SPRINGING MY NECK. THE VEHICLE IS NO DRIVERABLE DUE TO THE SEAT BACK CAN NOT BE LOCKED INTO POSITION. DT
THE VEHICLE?S HOOD OPENED UP INTO THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED IT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF A CORRODED HOOD LATCH. ( CONSUMER WRITING IN ON BEHALF OF HER HUSBAND) *YH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. *JB THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERATIVE WHILE PARKING. *MJ
AT SLOW SPEEDS APROXIMATLY 5-10 MPH THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM KICKS IN AND THE BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE.MOSTLY COMING TO A SLOW STOP SUCH AS IN A PARKING LOT.I HEAR THE ABS MOTOR RUNNING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPS THE VEHICLE THEN FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP IN TIME.THIS IS ON A GOOD TRACTION SURFACE AND THERE IS NO …
Read full complaint
AT SLOW SPEEDS APROXIMATLY 5-10 MPH THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM KICKS IN AND THE BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE.MOSTLY COMING TO A SLOW STOP SUCH AS IN A PARKING LOT.I HEAR THE ABS MOTOR RUNNING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPS THE VEHICLE THEN FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP IN TIME.THIS IS ON A GOOD TRACTION SURFACE AND THERE IS NO WHEEL LOCK UP.IT SEEMS TO ACT UP ALMOST EVERY STOP FOR DAYS AND THEN I MAY NOT HAVE IT OCCUR FOR A FEW DAYS THEN IT RETURNS.*AK
A JERKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. IT WILL JERK OR TRY TO TURN ON ITS OWN WHILE GOING STRAIGHT OR ON A TURN. IT HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE STEERING ACTS UP AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND SPEEDS AND CANNOT BE PREDICTED. *AK
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL CONVIENCE STORE THE VACUUM BOOSTER FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE EXTREMELY RIGID. MY WIFE WA DRIVING AT THE TIME AND HAD (3 MONTHS PRIOR) UNDERGONE BACK SUGERY. IT CAUSED HE TREMENDOUS PAIN TO FORCE THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN IN ORDER TO STOP. SHE PROCEEDED TO PARK THE VEHICL…
Read full complaint
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL CONVIENCE STORE THE VACUUM BOOSTER FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE EXTREMELY RIGID. MY WIFE WA DRIVING AT THE TIME AND HAD (3 MONTHS PRIOR) UNDERGONE BACK SUGERY. IT CAUSED HE TREMENDOUS PAIN TO FORCE THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN IN ORDER TO STOP. SHE PROCEEDED TO PARK THE VEHICLE AND CALL ME. (AT HOME) I INSPECTED THE TRUCK AND DETERMINED THE BOOSTER HAD IN FACT FAILED. ( I AM AN AUTO TECHNICIAN BY TRADE) THE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED ($168) AND THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS ALIEVEATED. IF THIS WERE TO HAVE HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING AT A GREATER SPEED, IN A TRAFFIC SITUATION, I BELIEVE AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE RESULTED AND HER INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING. *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.