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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
350,000 miles · Sep 6, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL LINE IS LEAKING FROM FUEL INJECTION CAUSING FUEL GO THROUGHT THE WORE HARNESS AND EAT AWAY HARNESS THEN INTO THE COMPUTER. THEN THE ENGINE DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSING IT TO BE HARD TO STEER AND CONTROL. POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE AND STALL HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10037335

138,000 miles · Sep 2, 2003
Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUN INTERMITTENTLY, AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AND DO NOT SHUT OFF WHEN THE SWITCH IS MOVED TO THE OFF POSITION. I HAVE WRITTEN TO GM AND BEEN TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED DUE TO A VIN CUTOFF IN THE RECALL PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME DEFECT AND PART AS IN THE VEHICLES COVERED IN…

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WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUN INTERMITTENTLY, AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, AND DO NOT SHUT OFF WHEN THE SWITCH IS MOVED TO THE OFF POSITION. I HAVE WRITTEN TO GM AND BEEN TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED DUE TO A VIN CUTOFF IN THE RECALL PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME DEFECT AND PART AS IN THE VEHICLES COVERED IN THE RECALL. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.. [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10037072

100,000 miles · Sep 2, 2003
Visibility

THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK WIPERS WERE INTERMITTENT. THE WIPERS HAD BEEN RECALLED UP TO 96' AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REFERENCED TO THE THIS VEHICLE AS WELL (97'). *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10033580

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 2003
Visibility

WHILE TRAVELING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10032049

90,300 miles · Jul 21, 2003
Power Train

1997 CHEVROLET C-1500 P/U AUTO TRANS HAS HARD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND A LARGE NUMBER OF G/M OWNERS HAVE EXPERINCED THIS DEFECT AND G/M HAS NOT OR WILL NOT RECALL OR REPAIR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10028699

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2003
EquipmentSteering

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

NHTSA ODI #10026130

70,000 miles · Jul 7, 2003
Steering

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

NHTSA ODI #10025540

127,000 miles · Jun 27, 2003
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE ROTORS FAILED. *AK THE CENTER PART OF THE ROTOR SEPARATED.*TS ALSO THE TRANSMISSION, FUEL PUMP AND ABS SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10022658

60 miles · Jun 2, 2003
Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WILL NOT WORK ON OCCASION. NEARLY WRECKED LAST WEEKEND WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING IN A HARD RAIN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10020891

87,671 miles · May 28, 2003
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 87,671 MILES LOST SECOND GEAR, REVERSE GEAR AND OVERDRIVE DUE DEFECTIVE PART INSTALLED THAT WAS NOT HARDENED STEEL AS PER SPECIALTY TRANSMISSION THAT DID THE REBUILD OF MY TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #10020623

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.