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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 →

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

What owners actually said

555 reports
Mileage unknown · May 10, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE GETTING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DRUMS, ROTORS, PADS, MASTER CYLINDER AND THE BRAKE LINE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10073358

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2004
Power Train

I HAD A TORQUE CONVERTER PUT IN MY 97 CHEVY Z71. WHILE THE REPAIRES WERE DONE, THE REPAIR SHOP BROKE MY SHIFT CABLE AND I WAS CHARGED FOR THAT. A $70 CABLE COST ME $140.00. THEY BROKE IT, NOT ME. THEY SHOULD BE RESPONDSIBLE FOR THE COST OR AT LEAST SPLIT THE BILL ON THAT CABLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10068059

49,888 miles · Apr 26, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

97 CHEVROLET TRUCK 50000 MILES INTAKE GASKET FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067872

80,000 miles · Apr 2, 2004
Steering

POWER STEERING SENSOR CAUSING THE STEERING TO "OVER STEER" IN CURVES. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED BY GM, HOWEVER NO RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THIS APPEARS TO CREATE A SAFETY CONCERN. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10064418

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2004
Visibility

1997 SILVERADO Z71 WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP & START ON OWN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10064149

Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2004
Visibility

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10063573

124,614 miles · Mar 22, 2004
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

I HAVE HAD A DANGEROUS SITUATION OCCUR WITH A FAILURE IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, INVOLVING THE WIRING HARNESS AND VEHICLE CONTROL MODULE (VCM) OF MY 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO A CHEVROLET DEALER, FOR SERVICE DUE TO A CRANK BUT NO-START ISSUE ON JANUARY 29, 2004. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE MECHANICS, THEY DET…

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I HAVE HAD A DANGEROUS SITUATION OCCUR WITH A FAILURE IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, INVOLVING THE WIRING HARNESS AND VEHICLE CONTROL MODULE (VCM) OF MY 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO A CHEVROLET DEALER, FOR SERVICE DUE TO A CRANK BUT NO-START ISSUE ON JANUARY 29, 2004. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE MECHANICS, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM HAD SOMEHOW DEVELOPED A LEAK, WHICH CAUSED FUEL PRESSURE TO BUILD-UP WHERE THE WIRING-HARNESS ENTERED THE UNIT. THEN, FUEL WAS FORCED AT HIGH PRESSURE BETWEEN THE WIRES AND INSULATION UNTIL IT POOLED UP INSIDE THE VCM. THE DEALER'S MECHANIC, PER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, STATED THAT THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW VCM, WIRING HARNESS, AND INJECTOR SYSTEM IS NECESSARY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONSULTED WITH A DIFFERENT GM MECHANIC FROM ANOTHER DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAID I WAS LUCKY IT DID NOT EXPLODE, AND RECOMMENDED THAT I CONTACT GM OWNERS ASSISTANCE ABOUT THIS MATTER, HOWEVER THEY WERE OF NO HELP AND WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE DANGER OF THIS SITUATION. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A DAMAGING ENGINE FIRE AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR WORSE. THEREFORE, I AM REQUESTING THAT A RECALL WOULD BE PLACED ON THIS PROBLEM TO PREVENT POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHERS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10062793

98,000 miles · Mar 18, 2004
Steering

THE POWER STEERING "GRABS", SORT OF LIKE IT OVER ASSISTS WHEN MAKING TURNS AND THEN "LETS GO" SUDDENLY CAUSING A PERSON TO OVER STEER TRYING TO CORRECT WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO TURN TOO FAR. THIS HAPPENS WITH BOTH LEFT & RIGHT TURNS. THE TURNS CAN BE GRADUAL AND IF LONG, LIKE FREEWAY EXITS, IT DOES THIS PHENOMENON…

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THE POWER STEERING "GRABS", SORT OF LIKE IT OVER ASSISTS WHEN MAKING TURNS AND THEN "LETS GO" SUDDENLY CAUSING A PERSON TO OVER STEER TRYING TO CORRECT WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO TURN TOO FAR. THIS HAPPENS WITH BOTH LEFT & RIGHT TURNS. THE TURNS CAN BE GRADUAL AND IF LONG, LIKE FREEWAY EXITS, IT DOES THIS PHENOMENON REPEATEDLY DURING THE TURN. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED IN AUG. 2000 AND I HEARD ON A LOCAL RADIO STATION THAT GM WAS GOING TO NOTIFY OWNERS IN FEB, 2004 OF THIS PROBLEM AND FIX IT FOR FREE. I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AS YET.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10062570

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINE CONSUMER NOTICED THE ENGINE SKIPPING. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED A MISS FIRING CODE. DEALERSHIP HAD THE ENGINE HEADS REPAIRED FOR THE THIRD TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10063175

Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2004
Fuel System, GasolineSteering

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT VERY CLEAR AND TO THE POINT. I HAVE BEEN VIEWING THE COMPLAINTS LOCATED ON YOUR WEBSITE AND FEEL THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PUPOSE FOR RECALLING THESE VEHICLES. I PURCHASED A 1997 CHEVY K20 APPROX 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO WORK FINE UNTIL A FEW MONTHS LATER. I STARTED TO EXPER…

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I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT VERY CLEAR AND TO THE POINT. I HAVE BEEN VIEWING THE COMPLAINTS LOCATED ON YOUR WEBSITE AND FEEL THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PUPOSE FOR RECALLING THESE VEHICLES. I PURCHASED A 1997 CHEVY K20 APPROX 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO WORK FINE UNTIL A FEW MONTHS LATER. I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE SOME STEERING PROBLEMS. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF I AM DRIVING AROUND A CORNER OR STRAIGHT BUT THE STEERING WILL BECOME VERY LOOSE AND VEER INTO ONE DIRECTION ALL ON ITS OWN. THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH OWNING THIS VEHICLE. I NOW HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THERE IS EVEN A GREATER THREAT TO MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY FAMILY BECAUSE I HAVE NOW BEEN INFORMED THAT MY FUEL GAUGE AND FUEL PUMP WIRES, INSIDE THE GAS TANK, MELTED INSULATION AND BURNT THE CONNECTOR. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF AND THAT OF ANYONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME IF IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE PRIOR TO MY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS INFORMATION. I FEEL THAT THE FIRST SIGN OF THIS PROBLEM IS THAT THE GAS GAUGE WILL START TO MALFUNCTION, WHICH LEAVES YOU GUESSING AT THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE TANK. I FEEL THIS MATTER NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION DUE TO THE FACT THAT OWNERS/DRIVERS OF VEHICLES ARE REQUIRED TO CARRY AUTO INSURANCE, HOWEVER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US HAS ANY CONTROLL OVER. IF WE WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE BECOMES INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THAT WOULD SEEM SENSELESS THAT POSSIBLY SOMEONES LIFE WOULD HAVE TO END BEFORE THIS SITUATION BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I HAVE TO DEMAND THAT SOME ACTION BE TAKEN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE FOR SOMEONE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10060768

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.