1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

1997 K1500 CHEVROLET SILVERADO KELSEY HAYES ABS ACTIVATES ON DRY PAVEMENT (NO WHEEL SLIP) BETWEEN 5-10 MPH WHEN BRAKES APPLIED HARD OR SOFTLY. THIS LEADS TO INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE UNLESS BRAKES RELEASED AND REAPPLIED QUICKLY. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR MISS COLLISIONS WITH PARKED VEHICLES (NO COLLISION HAS YET OCCURRED.) ONE FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACED BY DEALER ON 9/2005 (PART NOT AVAILABLE) THIS TEMPORARILY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT ~4 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM BEGAN RECURRING. A SECOND DEALER STATED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN #05V379000) DUE TO RUST ACCUMULATING AROUND FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSORS BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 1997 MODEL YEAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN OWNED AND OPERATED PRIMARILY IN MN, SD, AND NY. *NM

OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS AND 80,000 MILES OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE THE FUEL PUMP HAS DIED ON ME 5 TIMES. ALL 5 TIMES THE PUMP WAS REPLACED WITH AC DELCO PARTS FROM GM. THE LAST TWO TIMES IT WENT OUT I HAD IT REPLACED BY A CHEVY DEALER IN TAMPA. THE SECOND TO THE LAST FAILURE CAUSED A DOMINO EFFECT THAT ENDED UP BEING VERY COSTLY TO ME. FRAGMENTS FROM THE PUMP TRAVELED TO THE FILTER, SOMEHOW MADE IT PAST THE FILTER AND RUINED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. FRAGMENTS FROM THAT TRAVELED FURTHER ALONG AND DESTROYED THE THROTTLE BODY METERING VALVE AND ALL 8 FUEL INJECTORS. AFTER HAVING ALL THIS WORK DONE, THE LAST FUEL PUMP ONLY WORKED FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS BEFORE IT WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME IT LUCKILY DID NOT RUIN THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE GM PART BEING DEFECTIVE, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE CONSUMER SHOULD HAVE TO PUT UP WITH AS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. I'VE NEVER LET THE TANK GET BELOW 1/3 FULL BECAUSE I KNOW IT CAN DAMAGE THE PUMP BELOW 1/4 FULL. THE PUMP FAILS WITHOUT WARNING AND HAS CAUSED A DANGER TO MYSELF AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. ON 08/30/06, THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AFTER OBSERVING THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #03V159000, REGARDING THE VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER ON OTHER MODELS MADE BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - *NM

MY SON WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE POWER ASSIST WAS LOST. THIS MADE THE TRUCK ALMOST UNDRIVEABLE AND VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. I HAVE REMOVED THE PUMP AND FOUND THE INTERNAL SHAFT HAD BROKEN. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN WITH OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS A MANAGER FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT FLEET. I NETWORK WITH A LARGE GROUP OF EXPERIENCED TECHNICIANS INCLUDING INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE ON THESE TRUCKS. *NM

NO CRASH OR DAMAGE OR INJURY. JUST ABS ON A 1997 TAHOE THAT HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. THEY ENGAGE AT LOW SPEED BRAKING, THE VEHICLE SLIDES AND WHEN THEY ENGAGE YOU CAN HEAR WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A BIG SPRING ENGAGING, WEIRD SOUND. WE HAD NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WITH ABS SO DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS ABNORMAL SOUNDING AND FEELING BUT DIDN'T LIKE IT AND FELT UNCOMFORTABLE. I KEPT TALKING TO PEOPLE AND THEY SUGGESTED I CHECK OUT SERVICE NOTICES/RECALLS. WAS GLAD TO SEE A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH THE 1999 TO 2002 BUT OF COURSE THAT DOESN'T COVER MY 1997. *NM