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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 →
555Owner complaints

Model-year median: 525

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
10
19943
19957
1996555
1997361
1998587
1999614
2000
Compare all Silverado 1500 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Steering
140Service Brakes, Hydraulic
123Visibility
75Power Train
57Fuel System, Gasoline
45
All reported categories
Engine And Engine Cooling
35Suspension
34Electrical System
28Air Bags
16Seats
13Structure
12Vehicle Speed Control
9Equipment
8Seat Belts
8Latches/locks/linkages
7Fuel System, Other
6Service Brakes
5Service Brakes, Air
4Tires
4Exterior Lighting
3Unknown Or Other
3Visibility/wiper
3Fuel System, Diesel
2Interior Lighting
2Service Brakes, Electric
2Wheels
2Engine
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

Service Brakes complaints

5 reports
Clear category filter
351,000 miles · Sep 12, 2019
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 351,000.…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 351,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #11255074

58,236 miles · Dec 8, 2014
Service Brakes

MAIN BRAKE LINE THAT FEEDS THE REAR BRAKES FAILED ON MY TRUCK WHILE I WAS AT A GM DEALER PARKING LOT. THE BRAKE LINE ROTTED AWAY. HAD THE BRAKE LINE BROKE A FEW MINUTES EARLIER I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WHILE GETTING OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP! WHEN THIS BRAKE LINE BURST I LOST ALL STOPPING ABILITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10662920

120,000 miles · Apr 7, 2014
Power TrainService BrakesVisibility/wiper

I HAVE SAME PROBLEM AS THE REST , ONLY THING IS ,THERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10578133

159,000 miles · Sep 7, 2013
Service Brakes

NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS ON AND FLICKERING AT TIMES. CHECKED THE FLUID AND NOTICE IT WAS VERY LOW. TOPPED OFF THE FLUID AND NOTICE SPOTS UNDER THE TRUCK. CHECKED CLOSER AND SAW THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING NEAR THE ABS CONTROLLER FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE BRAKE LINES ALL HAD MODERATE TO SEVER RUST ON THEM AN…

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NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS ON AND FLICKERING AT TIMES. CHECKED THE FLUID AND NOTICE IT WAS VERY LOW. TOPPED OFF THE FLUID AND NOTICE SPOTS UNDER THE TRUCK. CHECKED CLOSER AND SAW THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING NEAR THE ABS CONTROLLER FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE BRAKE LINES ALL HAD MODERATE TO SEVER RUST ON THEM AND THIS WAS CAUSING THE LOSS OF FLUID.

NHTSA ODI #10542389

58,841 miles · Sep 26, 2012
Service Brakes

BRAKE FLUID LOST DUE TO HOLE IN LINE ONLY HAD EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10477175

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.