1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO STEER ON ITS OWN, MOVING RIGHT TO LEFTAND BECOME VERY HARD TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC MODULE ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY KNEW THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90000.

1997 CHEVY SILVERADO BRAKE PROBLEM. AT SLOW SPEEDS THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOOR DURING A SUDDEN STOP WITH GREATLY INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE REQUIRED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND IS APPARENTLY VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING IS COPIED FROM A POST TO THIS SITE WHICH DESCRIBES EXACTLY THE PROBLEM: "I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO TRUCK. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING RANDOM FAILURE IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, THEY ENGAGE IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS NO REASON TO. RECENTLY I VIEWED A REPORT THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS INVESTIGATING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 1999 - 2002 MODELS, BUT THE PROBLEM IN THAT INVESTIGATION EXACTLY DESCRIBES MY PROBLEM. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS RANDOM, YOU CANNOT BE PREPARED WHEN YOU DON'T QUITE STOP AS FAST AS EXPECTED. MY TRUCK IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND I CANNOT EXPECT MY SON TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION AS HE IS AN IN-EXPERIENCED DRIVER. I WAS GOING TO SCHEDULE SOON TO HAVE IT FIXED WHEN I VIEWED THE ARTICLE ABOUT A POTENTIAL RECALL. I AM AWAITING TO HEAR YOUR DECISION AND HOPING YOU INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS (1997) SUCH AS MINE IF THERE IS A RECALL." I CONCUR WITH THE ABOVE STATEMENT ENTIRELY. IF YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR THIS SAME COMPLAINT, YOU WILL FIND A DISTURBING NUMBER OF CONSUMERS WHO ARE FACING THIS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY FLAW. THE PROBLEM IS FAR TO COMMON TO BE DISMISSED AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A DESIGN FLAW IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF FAULTY COMPONENTS. THE NEXT PERSON INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS VEHICLE MAY BE SOMEONE YOU KNOW AND LOVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K1500 WHICH WAS OBTAINED IN 2005. HE STATED THAT THE COOLANT CONTINUED TO LEAK EXCESSIVELY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WATER PUMP; HOWEVER, THE COOLANT CONTINUED TO LEAK. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PRESSURE NIPPLE WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 117,100.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. WHILE DRIVING ONLY 35 TO 45 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL ACTS AS IF IT IS GOING TO LOCK AND IT ONLY HAPPENS AT THOSE SPEEDS. HE WAS FORCED TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT; HOWEVER, IT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DRIVE IN THE DESIRED DIRECTION. THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED THE ECM IN THE STEERING COLUMN FOR SEVERAL CHEVROLET K1500 VEHICLES. THE DEALER GAVE THE CONTACT AN ESTIMATE OF $70 TO REPLACE THE ECM; HOWEVER, DO NOT HAVE THE PART SINCE THE VEHICLE IS 12 YEARS OLD. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,400. UPDATED 12/17/09 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD TO UNPLUG THE CONNECTION TO THE STEERING PUMP TO DETERMINE IF THE CAUSE OF THE HARD SPOT IN THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER DID SO AND THE CONDITION STOPPED. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED WHILE MAKING A TURN AT ABOUT 35-45 MPH. THE CONSUMER WOULD EXPERIENCE A HARD SPOT AND EXTRA FORCE WAS NEEDED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS EITHER THE SENDING UNIT IN THE STEERING COLUMN OR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 12/21/09

MY 16 YR. OLD SON PURCHASED A 1997 CHEVY K1500/SILVERADO W/ 5.7LITER GAS ENGINE; 160K+ MILES. PREVIOUS OWNER EXPLAINED THE TRUCK WAS ON ITS THIRD FUEL PUMP. SURE ENOUGH, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED ON US ALSO AT 163,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY IT FAILED ONLY 100 FEET FROM HOME AS HE DROVE DOWN OUR RESIDENTIAL STREET. IMAGINE THE HAZARD POTENTIAL HAD IT DIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOWING AND REPAIRS TOTALED $800. A REMANUFACTURED PUMP (WITH 1 YR WARRANTY) WAS INSTALLED PLUS A NEW FUEL FILTER. THE DYING FUEL PUMP SHED DEBRIS THAT CLOGGED THE FILTER WHICH STARVED THE ENGINE. A GOOGLE SEARCH DETAILS HOW PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH CHEVY FUEL PUMPS IN TRUCKS RANGING FROM 1991S TO 2002S; PERHAPS NEWER IF I SEARCHED LONGER. I CAN ILL AFFORD TO REPLACE A FUEL PUMP LIKE THAT AGAIN. WITH THE HISTORY OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES WELL DOCUMENTED (REF: GOOGLE SEARCH), WHY HASN'T CHEVY ENGINEERED A FIX YEARS AGO?? *TR

GOING THROUGH A LEFT HAND CURVE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 30MPH TO 60MPH I GET A FEELING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WANTING TO DIVE & A BRIEF LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN GOING AROUND A LONG SWEEPING CURVE. IT HAPPENS ON EVERY LONG SWEEPING LEFT HAND CURVE. IF YOU AREN'T READY FOR IT YOU COULD LOSE CONTROL & HIT AN ONCOMING CAR HEAD ON. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE SENSOR & I WILL KEEP THE OLD PART. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THESE SENSORS IS THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THESE ISSUES & SOME THAT HAD THEM REPLACED UP TO 3 TIMES IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. ALL AGREED THAT IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE PART INVOLVED IS CALLED THE "POWER STEERING SPEED SENSOR" (VARIABLE ASSIST POWER STEERING) & IS LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE PARTS THAT FAIL BUT THERE ARE NO WARNINGS THAT WOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS PART IS FAILING UNTIL IT HAPPENS & IT IS A STRANGE FEELING. YOU DON'T ACTUALLY LOSE CONTROL BUT IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DO WHICH COULD LEAD YOU TO LOSING CONTROL. IF THE PARTS ARE FAILING AS OFTEN AS I HAVE READ ABOUT THEN SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO MAKE THEM BETTER & TO KEEP THE PEOPLE SAFELY ON THE ROAD. *TR