IllustrationSTEERING WANTS TO JERK DOWN WHILE TURNING OR IN SLIGHT CURVES
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
What owners actually said
555 reportsSTEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR FAILED WHEN MAKING SHORT OR LONG RIGHT HAND TURNS, THE WHEEL SKIPS OR MOVES ON ITS OWN, WHEN THIS HAPPPENS THE CONSUMERS FIRST RESPONSE IS TO OVERCORRECT THE WHEEL. NLM
STEERING BECOMES ERRATIC AT SPEEDS OVER 35 MPH, VEHICLE WILL TURN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. STEERING POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 30,000 MILES, PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.*AK
MY TRUCK HAS A 6 WAY POWER SEAT. WHEN I RECLINED IT WHILE PARKED, IT DIDN'T LOCK IN POSITION WHEN PUT BACK IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. MY WIFE SAYS IT DID THE SAME THING ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT SHE FINALLY GOT IT TO LOCK; I COULD NOT. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN A FAILURE LIKE THIS UNTIL MY TRUCK, BUT THA…
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MY TRUCK HAS A 6 WAY POWER SEAT. WHEN I RECLINED IT WHILE PARKED, IT DIDN'T LOCK IN POSITION WHEN PUT BACK IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. MY WIFE SAYS IT DID THE SAME THING ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT SHE FINALLY GOT IT TO LOCK; I COULD NOT. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN A FAILURE LIKE THIS UNTIL MY TRUCK, BUT THAT SAME DAY A 1997 GMC TWO WHEEL DRIVE EXTENDED CAB, MADE IN ARLINGTON TX AS WAS MY TRUCK, CAME IN WITH THE SAME FAILURE. I HAD TO PUT A WASH BASKET BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK AND THE REAR SEAT OR THE SEAT BACK WOULD DROP ALL THE WAY BACK AGAINST THE REAR SEAT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, YOU CAN'T DRIVE A VEHICLE LIKE THAT. CHEVROLET REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM, BUT THE DEAL DID HELP BY PAYING HALF THE COST. THE REPAIR COST ME $59.25 WHICH IS NOT THE ISSUE; A SEAT BACK FAILURE SHOULD NEVER OCCUR DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE, AND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, IS A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK
PE00040, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENTON 1997 CHEVROLET, 1500, TIRE SIZE LT24575R16. PASSENGER'S REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT WITH ONLY 5,000 MILES ON IT. SEEMED THAT THE TIRE EXPLODED INTO PIECES. ALSO, ON OCTOBER 9, 2000 FRONT PASSENGER'S TIRE HAD A BULGE IN THE TIRE WHICH MAY INDICATE A PROBLEM WITHIN THE TIRE. *AK THE TIRES WERE MADE…
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PE00040, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENTON 1997 CHEVROLET, 1500, TIRE SIZE LT24575R16. PASSENGER'S REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT WITH ONLY 5,000 MILES ON IT. SEEMED THAT THE TIRE EXPLODED INTO PIECES. ALSO, ON OCTOBER 9, 2000 FRONT PASSENGER'S TIRE HAD A BULGE IN THE TIRE WHICH MAY INDICATE A PROBLEM WITHIN THE TIRE. *AK THE TIRES WERE MADE IN CANADA. THE BLOW OUT OCCURED ON HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. *YH
STEERING GEAR BOX LOCKED . MANUFCTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED .*AK
NO SUMMARY
TIRES WERE REPLACED DO TO CRACKING AROUND THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE. THEY WERE PRORATED AT 60%. THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM FIRESTONE IS HAVING WITH OTHER TIRES.*AK (TIRESIZE: 245R7516)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245R7516 )
EA 99011; CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT 75 MPH WHEN A DEER JUMPED OUT OF THE MEDIAN, CONSUMER SWERVED TO MISS DEER, BUT STEERING WHEEL OVERSTEERED, AND VEHICLE SLID INTO A DITCH AND ROLLED OVER.*AK
FUEL PUMP FAILED AFTER RULING OUT THAT THE RELAY WAS O.K. THE VEHICAL WAS TOWED TO HALLOWELL CHEVROLET AT ROADSIDES ASSISTANCE AND INFORMED ME THAT ALL COSTS WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BUT DUE TO THE WARRANTEE HAD ALREADY EXPIRED,PER THE DEALER, I WAS STUCK WITH THE COST REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE.
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.