IllustrationTRUCK HAS HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH MAJOR COMPONENTS OTHER THAN WEAR AND TEAR. IT IS NOT USED FOR NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
123 reportsTHE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE HAS A FAULTY BRAKE SYSTEM, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING IN DAMP, FOGGY, SNOWY AND RAINY WEATHER, THE BRAKES GRAB AND FEEL SPONGY, THE DEALER HAS REPALCED THE ROTORS, PADS AND BRAKE BOOSTER. NLM
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON CONSUMER WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING.*AK BEARING SPLINTERED, CAUSING METAL PIECES INTO TRANSMISSION OIL, THE REACTION CARRIER, OVERRUNNING CLUTCH, CLUTCH SUPPORT, OVER CLUTCH RACE, AND TORQUE CONVERTER ALL FAILED. LEFT REAR DOOR PANEL BAD, RATTLE IN SIDE DOOR, REAR SIDE DOOR REPAIRED, RIGHT SIDE DOORS TRI…
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TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON CONSUMER WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING.*AK BEARING SPLINTERED, CAUSING METAL PIECES INTO TRANSMISSION OIL, THE REACTION CARRIER, OVERRUNNING CLUTCH, CLUTCH SUPPORT, OVER CLUTCH RACE, AND TORQUE CONVERTER ALL FAILED. LEFT REAR DOOR PANEL BAD, RATTLE IN SIDE DOOR, REAR SIDE DOOR REPAIRED, RIGHT SIDE DOORS TRIM PANELS BECOME LOOSE, DOOR PANLES REPLACED, SIDE DOOR PANEL RATTLES. VEHICLE HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, REAR TAIL LIGHTS NOT AT SAME HEIGHT, LEFT WINDOW SWITCH REPLACED, DOORS LOCKED WITH KEYS IN VEHICLE, INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON WHILE DRIVING, BATTERY FAILED FIVE TIMES, ANTITHEFT LIGHT ON RADIO CAUSING IT NOT TO WORK. AIR CONDITIONER WAS BLOWING HOT AIR AND VENT WOULD NOT ADJUST FROM SIDE TO SIDE. WINDOWS KEPT GETTING STUCK. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. POWER STEERING WAS NOISY, DEALER REPAIRED POWER STEERING, POWER STEERING BECAME NOISY AGAIN. REAR SHOES WERE REPLACED. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE, MANUFACTURER REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, VEHICLE HAS LOW MILEAGE. NLM
WHEN ROADS ARE WET AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO A SKID. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
UPON APPLYING BRAKES LEFT REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP ON WET PAVEMENT. ALSO, FRONT BRAKES OVERHEATED AND THERE WAS A SMELL. *AK
GMC STILL HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM, THE FRONT BRAKES. THEY LAST ABOUT 6000 MILES. I TRIED AFTER MARKET AND NOW THE DEALER. THE FRONT ROTORS COST $350 EA PLUS LABOR AND PARTS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS EVERTY 6000 MILES. THE MASTER CYLINDER RUBBER PARTS SLOWLY LEAK AND THE ANTI LOCK SYSTEM EITHER MAKES THE USUAL NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES LOCK UP…
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GMC STILL HAS A BRAKE PROBLEM, THE FRONT BRAKES. THEY LAST ABOUT 6000 MILES. I TRIED AFTER MARKET AND NOW THE DEALER. THE FRONT ROTORS COST $350 EA PLUS LABOR AND PARTS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS EVERTY 6000 MILES. THE MASTER CYLINDER RUBBER PARTS SLOWLY LEAK AND THE ANTI LOCK SYSTEM EITHER MAKES THE USUAL NOISE WHEN THE BRAKES LOCK UP OR OTHER TIMES THE WHEELS SKID. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THERE IS NO POSTING ATTHE DEALER AND NO NOTICE BY GM, BUT THE DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. THE ROTORS HAVE A TENDENCY TO WARP EASY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH STEERING WHEEL IS VERY LOOSE, CAUSING ERRATIC POWER STEERING OR LOSS STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY SCARY, AND AVOIDS DRIVING VEHICLE. ALSO, ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM HAS POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE. *AK
DEALER CLAIMED FLR DUE TO IMPROPER FLUIDS, DEALER PERFORMED ALL MAINTAINCE SINCE NEW. SUMMARY NOT CLEAR AS TO SAFETY DEFECT. *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.