IllustrationTRANSMISSION IS OVERHEATING, AND THE FLUID LEAKS ALL OVER THE ENGINE. WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE IS SHIFTING VERY HARD. *AK
1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 525.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 1500 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
60–25K
1725–50K
2850–75K
3975–100K
35100–150K
22150K+
147 reports with mileage · 408 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.
- Steering. Review the 140 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 123 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
29 crash reports13 fire reports13 injury reports
Power Train complaints
57 reportsWHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HEARD A GRINDING SOUND IN THE FRONT DRIVE TRAIN . HAD THE VEHICLE AT A REPAIR SHO, AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT TORQUE BEARING FROZE ON LEFT FORWARD INBOARD STUB AXLE. ALSO, FRONT 4-WHEEL DROVE LOCKING HUBS WERE WORN OUT BEYOND THEIR LIMIT.
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.ALSO, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM EXHAUST, FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
DRIVETRAIN CLUNKING NOISES IN TWO OR FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. THERE IS A TSB ON CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS, BUT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THIS VIN NUMBER. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH TO 65 MPH, TRANMISSION SLIPS AND THERE IS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
I BOUGHT THUCK NEW AFTER TAKING PICTURE OF TRAVEL TRAILER AND OWNERS MANUEL IN TO SHOW. WENT TO ALASKA WITH TT BEHIND TRUCK WITH NO PROBLEMS, 3000 MILES LATER REAREND STARTS MAKING NOISE , RON CARTER PUT IN AXLE BEARING, 3000 MILES LATER . SAME NOISE ONLY LOUDER, RING & PINION OVERHAUL, WENT ON VACATION AND ANOTHER RING & PINION…
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I BOUGHT THUCK NEW AFTER TAKING PICTURE OF TRAVEL TRAILER AND OWNERS MANUEL IN TO SHOW. WENT TO ALASKA WITH TT BEHIND TRUCK WITH NO PROBLEMS, 3000 MILES LATER REAREND STARTS MAKING NOISE , RON CARTER PUT IN AXLE BEARING, 3000 MILES LATER . SAME NOISE ONLY LOUDER, RING & PINION OVERHAUL, WENT ON VACATION AND ANOTHER RING & PINION OVERHAUL IN EFFINGHAM, ILL AND 760 MILES LATER OIL AND GREASE AND REAR AXLE SMOKING SO BAD COULDN'T SEE TRAILER ON TRUCK , A COMPLETE AXLE ASSEMBLE PUT IN AT PERRY, OKLA, AND 711 MILES NEW REAREND HOWLING LOAD ENOUGH COULD NOT LISTEN TO RADIO, TOOK BACK TO RON CARTER, ANOTHER COMPLETE ASSEMBLE. (4) REARENDS AND NOTE ON LAST INVOICE SAYS NO MORE. I GUESS I AM SUPPOSED TO SET AND LOOK AT TRUCK AND TRAILER
AXLE SEAL WORN OUT. YH
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO NO REVERSE GEAR. *YC
FRONT AXLE DRIVE SEAL EXPERIENCED FAILURE. *YC
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER
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.