IllustrationWHEN TURNING LEFT VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. *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
Steering complaints
140 reports1997 CHEVROLET 1500 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP 2WD WHEN TURNING SLIGHTLY TOWARDS THE RIGHT THE POWER ASSIST BOOST INCREASES CAUSING THE TRUCK TO QUICKLY TURN TOWARDS THE RIGHT. I HAVE NOTICED FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVEN'T KNOWN WHO TO REPORT THIS TO. IT HAPPENS QUICKLY AND I HAVE TO GRAB THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE TRUCK UNDER CONTROL.…
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1997 CHEVROLET 1500 EXTENDED CAB PICKUP 2WD WHEN TURNING SLIGHTLY TOWARDS THE RIGHT THE POWER ASSIST BOOST INCREASES CAUSING THE TRUCK TO QUICKLY TURN TOWARDS THE RIGHT. I HAVE NOTICED FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVEN'T KNOWN WHO TO REPORT THIS TO. IT HAPPENS QUICKLY AND I HAVE TO GRAB THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE TRUCK UNDER CONTROL. I NOTICED THE RECALL NOTICE ON THE 1996 AND 1997 CARS BUT HAVE HAD THIS IDENTICAL OVER ASSIST PROBLEM ON MY TRUCK. *LA
VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STEERS INDEPENDENT OF DRIVER ACTION CAUSING WHELL TO PULL FROM THE DRIVER'S HANDS. NUMEROUS "NEAR ACCIDENTS" HAVE OCCURED DUE TO DEFECT. *AK
THE STEERING OF THE 1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN GIVES AN ALMOST TICKING, OR PULSATING MOVEMENT AS IT GOES THROUGH A STEADY WIDE SWEEPING CURVE. OTHER TIMES IT FEELS THAT THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED INTO A POSITION. IT'S TURNING STRAIGHT AND IT DOES NOT MATTER WHEN IT HAPPENS AND IT HAS TO BE PULLED HARDER IN THE DIRECTION DESIRED; …
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THE STEERING OF THE 1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN GIVES AN ALMOST TICKING, OR PULSATING MOVEMENT AS IT GOES THROUGH A STEADY WIDE SWEEPING CURVE. OTHER TIMES IT FEELS THAT THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED INTO A POSITION. IT'S TURNING STRAIGHT AND IT DOES NOT MATTER WHEN IT HAPPENS AND IT HAS TO BE PULLED HARDER IN THE DIRECTION DESIRED; IN ADDITION, IT GIVES A SLIGHT WHIPPING MOTION WHEN IT BREAKS FREE. *LA
WHILE DRIVING OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING OVER SLIGHT BUMPS, THE STEERING WHEEL EITHER PULLED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS WAS RELATED TO A STEERING SECTOR PROBLEM. *AK *NLM
POWER STEERING TENDS TO OVER-BOOST UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. IT APPEARS TO MANIFEST WHEN THE ENGINE IS LIGHTLY LOADED MAKING A SLOW ARCING TURN WITHOUT APPLYING THE POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE PROBLEM IS LESS PREVALENT.
POWER STEERING ON 1997 CHEVY 1500 HAS MOMENTS OF " FREE FLOATING SENSATION" WHILE TURNING.....ESPECIALLY RIGHT HAND TURNS. THIS CAUSES OVER CORRECTION AND DANGER TO ALL ON THE ROAD. *JB
MY SPEED SENSITIVE STEERING SENSOR KEEPS GOING OUT. I HAD IT REPLACE IN JULY OF 2002 AND HERE IT IS 1 YEAR LATER AND IT'S DOING IT AGAIN. IT KEEPS OVERSTEERING A LOW SPEEDS TURNING RIGHT. WHY HASN'T GM RECALLED THIS.*AK
STEERING HAS MIND OF ITS OWN. ITS LIKE THAT FEELING WHEN YOU ARE SITTING ON A CHAIR AND JUST ABOUT READY TO GO OVER, YOU CATCH YOURSELF... IT HAPPENS IN COLD WEATHER MOST OFTN. WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY, IT JUSTS SEEMS FOR A BRIEF SECOND THE WHEEL IS ATTACHED TO NOTHING. DEALER SAID NOTHING IS WRONG. I THINK I WILL HIT A …
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STEERING HAS MIND OF ITS OWN. ITS LIKE THAT FEELING WHEN YOU ARE SITTING ON A CHAIR AND JUST ABOUT READY TO GO OVER, YOU CATCH YOURSELF... IT HAPPENS IN COLD WEATHER MOST OFTN. WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY, IT JUSTS SEEMS FOR A BRIEF SECOND THE WHEEL IS ATTACHED TO NOTHING. DEALER SAID NOTHING IS WRONG. I THINK I WILL HIT A TRUCK NEXT WINTER........... *AK
AT JUST ABOUT ANY SPEED, WHEN STEERING TO LEFT OR RIGHT, STEERING JERKS. SO FAR, HASN'T CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS. WILL NOT LET MY WIFE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN FEAR OF HER SAFETY AND OUR SON! PROBLEM STARTED INTERMITTENTLY ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF F…
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AT JUST ABOUT ANY SPEED, WHEN STEERING TO LEFT OR RIGHT, STEERING JERKS. SO FAR, HASN'T CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS. WILL NOT LET MY WIFE DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN FEAR OF HER SAFETY AND OUR SON! PROBLEM STARTED INTERMITTENTLY ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF FAILURES. IT HAPPENS AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES A DAY WHILE DRIVING. AFTER TALKING WITH MANY OTHER OWNERS, I REALIZED MY SITUATION WAS NOT UNIQUE. *NLM
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.