IllustrationSTEERING VEERING TO LEFT UNCONTROLLABLY, NORMAL CONDITIONS PULLS TO THE RIGHT, REPLACE STEERING GEAR BOX, ALIGNED FRONT END, STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR, TO NO AVAIL.
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
Steering complaints
140 reportsVEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY HAS TROUBLE WITH THE FRONT END SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SOMETIMES GO INTO THE OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC.
WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING TAKES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SYSTEM AND THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STAES STEERING JERKS TO THE LEFT ON ITS OWN, IT NEVER PULLS HARD AND STAYS IT IS A STUTTER PULL OR A SUDDEN JERK, COMPONETS OF THE STEERING HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE.*JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE UNKNOWN PRESSURE BUILDS UP IN STEERING WHEEL. PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR AT LOW DRIVING SPEEDS. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN TURNED TO ITS TRAVEL LIMIT IN EITHER DIRECTION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE SPEED SENSITIVE POWER STEERING HAS PROBLEMS THERE IS LOW RESISTANCE AT HIGH SPEEDS, CAUSING OWNER TO MAINTAIN A TIGHT CONTROL. TOOK TO SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT STEERING PUMP HAS LOW PRESSURE. *AK
STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER.
UPON STARTING UP EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE, CAN ONLY TURN ONE REVELATION BEFORE STEERING BINDS, AND BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEEL. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 40MPH, EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE, REQUIRED EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO CONTROL VEHICLE, DEALER'S ALSO REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP …
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UPON STARTING UP EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE, CAN ONLY TURN ONE REVELATION BEFORE STEERING BINDS, AND BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN WHEEL. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 40MPH, EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE, REQUIRED EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO CONTROL VEHICLE, DEALER'S ALSO REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP TWICE, AND POWER STEERING GEAR BOX ONCE, PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK
WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOSES ITS POWER STEERING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *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.