IllustrationEA94-038, THE DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY WHICH CAUSED A MINOR ACCIDENT IN DRY PAVEMENT WITHOUT WARNING. *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 reportsDUE TO A SUSPENSION PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY HAS TROUBLE WITH THE FRONT END SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SOMETIMES GO INTO THE OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC.
WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING TAKES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SYSTEM AND THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STAES STEERING JERKS TO THE LEFT ON ITS OWN, IT NEVER PULLS HARD AND STAYS IT IS A STUTTER PULL OR A SUDDEN JERK, COMPONETS OF THE STEERING HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE.*JB
WHILE DRIVING APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES LOCKED, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND THERE STILL WERE NO BRAKES. THIS BRAKE FAILURE RESULTED IN TRUCK HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
BOTH SWING OUT WINDOWS ON EXTENDED CAB ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP WINDOWS CLOSED, THIS ALLOWS MOISTURE TO ENTER VEHICLE.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE UNKNOWN PRESSURE BUILDS UP IN STEERING WHEEL. PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR AT LOW DRIVING SPEEDS. *AK
VEHICLE BOUNCES IN A FRONT TO REAR MANNER TO THE POINT IT IS UNBEARABLE.
DIFFERENTIAL UNIT FAILED DUE TO OVERHEATING.
REAR WINDOW IN THE EXTENDED CAB DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY, CAUSING THE WINDOW TO POP OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED NORMAL OPERATION. *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.