IllustrationGAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED AND WENT OUT WHICH DID NOT INDICATE THE ACTUAL FUEL READING. ALSO, WHEN BACKING UP VEHICLE WAS MAKING A NOISE, CONTACTED MECHANIC. MECHANIC SAID PROBABLY THERE WASN'T ANY GREASE PUT IN AT FACTORY RESULTING IN THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS WERE DRY AND RUSTED. UNIVERSAL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. *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
What owners actually said
555 reportsTRANSMISSION FAILED @ 63K MILES - VERY LITTLE TOWING - MOSTLY CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS AND RESULTED IN A 3RD TRANSMISSION BEING INSTALLED. CONCERN IS THAT 63K MILES IS NOT MUCH FOR A TRANSMISSION. REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FAILED AND ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS, THIS IS A COMMO…
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TRANSMISSION FAILED @ 63K MILES - VERY LITTLE TOWING - MOSTLY CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS AND RESULTED IN A 3RD TRANSMISSION BEING INSTALLED. CONCERN IS THAT 63K MILES IS NOT MUCH FOR A TRANSMISSION. REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FAILED AND ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IN ADDITION TO THE FAILED TRANSMISSIONS, WHEN THE 1ST REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED, 2 BOLTS THAT SECURE THE CRANKSHAFT WERE NOT SECURED. THEY CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, AND PART OF THE CRANKSHAFT GOT BENT AND A ZERK BROKE OFF. I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WHAT RECOURSE I HAVE IF IT IS. SEEMS TO ME THAT IF IT'S A REAL PROBLEM WITH GM TRUCKS, THEN I MAY BE INLINE FOR SOME COMPENSATION.*AK
WHILE MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL FEELS LOOSE, AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT. TECHNICIAN SAID THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH AVA CENTER.*AK
NO SUMMARY
NO SUMMARY
REPORTING SEAL AROUND FUEL PUMP FAIL AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAKAGES; DEALER / MFR'S NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT PART WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALLS AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER COST. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:
CONNECTION IN WIRING HARNESS CAME LOOSE AND STARTED TO MELT. CONSUMER SAID THAT THIS WIRE IS WITHIN THE GAS TANK, AND COULD POSSIBLY EXPLODE. *AK
WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN STEERING WHEEL WILL ACTUALLY TURN MORE, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. STEERING SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN APRIL 1998/ AUG 1998, AND APRIL1999. SENSOR WAS STARTING TO GO AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN THE TRUCK WAS BOUGHT WE TOLD THE SELLER OF THE PROBLEMS HE SAID THEY WOULD BE FIXED. THEY DIDN'T GET IT, A WEEK LATER IT STARTED TO LOSE CHARGE OF BATTERY I NOTICED THERE WAS AICD ON THE BOTTOM SO I REPLACED IT THATS WHEN IT ALL STARTED, I 'VE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 5X'S. IT HAS HAD 2 ALTERNATORS, 2 BATTERIES, IN THE LAST 3 1/…
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WHEN THE TRUCK WAS BOUGHT WE TOLD THE SELLER OF THE PROBLEMS HE SAID THEY WOULD BE FIXED. THEY DIDN'T GET IT, A WEEK LATER IT STARTED TO LOSE CHARGE OF BATTERY I NOTICED THERE WAS AICD ON THE BOTTOM SO I REPLACED IT THATS WHEN IT ALL STARTED, I 'VE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 5X'S. IT HAS HAD 2 ALTERNATORS, 2 BATTERIES, IN THE LAST 3 1/2 MONTHS
BATTERY LEAKING ACID ON TOP OF THE BRAKE HOSE, CAUSING A LOSS OF BRAKES. *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.