IllustrationWHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY LOCK UP AND SKID, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSING A COLLISION. THER E WERE NO INJURIES, BUT ONE FATALITY. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *AK
1997 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 81.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 2500 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
30–25K
225–50K
450–75K
275–100K
6100–150K
3150K+
20 reports with mileage · 44 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
64 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WE TOOK DELIVERY OF OUR NEW ORDERED PICKUP ON 3/21/97. FROM THE FIRST DAY WE EXPERIECED FRONT WHEEL LOCKUP AND SKIDDING OF OUR FRONT TIRES, IT ALSO PULLS VERY HARD TO THE SIDE THAT LOCKS UP. IT SEEMS TO LOCK UP ONE WHEEL AT A TIME, NOT BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS INTERMITTENT AND WE CAN NOT TELL WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN THE NEXT…
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WE TOOK DELIVERY OF OUR NEW ORDERED PICKUP ON 3/21/97. FROM THE FIRST DAY WE EXPERIECED FRONT WHEEL LOCKUP AND SKIDDING OF OUR FRONT TIRES, IT ALSO PULLS VERY HARD TO THE SIDE THAT LOCKS UP. IT SEEMS TO LOCK UP ONE WHEEL AT A TIME, NOT BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS INTERMITTENT AND WE CAN NOT TELL WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN THE NEXT TIME. WE HAVE HAD IT IN GOOTEE CHEVROLETS REPAIR SHOP SEVERAL TIMES AND IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR MANY DAYS, THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM SO THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. MY WIFE IS NOW SO SCARED SHE DOESN'T WANT TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE. SHE HAS HAD MANY, MANY CLOSE CALLS BY ALMOST HITTING OTHER CARS. I HAVE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF I CAN USE THEIR SCAN TOOL AND PLUG IT INTO TO TRUCK SO THAT WHEN IT HAPPEN IT WILL PICK IT UP, BUT THEY WOULD DO IT. THEY ARE TELLING ME THEY CAN'T FIND IT SO I SHOULD CONTACT GM. GOOTEE SAID IT'S NOT THEIR PLOBLEM IF THEY CAN'T PICK IT UP ON THEIR SCAN TOOL WHILE THEY HAVE OUR PICKUP. I HAVE A CLAIM NUMBER WITH GM FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT WAS FILED SHORTLY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE PICKUP, THE NUMBER IS 9801159918.
BRAKE PEDAL SANK COMPLETELY TO FLOOR AND REMAINED AT FLOOR FOR APPROXIMATELY 0.5 TO 1 SECOND BEFORE BRAKE SYSTEM BEGAN OPERATION AND PEDAL BEGAN TO RETURN TO NORMAL FEEL. CONDITION HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE. DURING MOST RECENT INCIDENT, I HAD TO REACT QUICKLY TO VEHICLES STOPPING IN FRONT OF ME, ENGINE LOAD WENT FRO…
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BRAKE PEDAL SANK COMPLETELY TO FLOOR AND REMAINED AT FLOOR FOR APPROXIMATELY 0.5 TO 1 SECOND BEFORE BRAKE SYSTEM BEGAN OPERATION AND PEDAL BEGAN TO RETURN TO NORMAL FEEL. CONDITION HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE. DURING MOST RECENT INCIDENT, I HAD TO REACT QUICKLY TO VEHICLES STOPPING IN FRONT OF ME, ENGINE LOAD WENT FROM MAINTAINING STEADY 55 MPH TO DECELERATION. BRAKE BOOSTER ON THIS VEHICLE IS HYDRAULIC, DRIVEN BY THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE DELAY IN BRAKE OPERATION IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH, IN MY OPINION, THAT THE VEHICLE COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. HAVE NOT HAD SYSTEM SERVICED BECAUSE I CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
WHEN DRIVING UNDER WET CONDITIONS BRAKES LOCK UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE WHEN THEY ARE APPLIED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED WHEN DRIVING OVER ANYTHING THAT CAUSED THE AXLE TO MOVE. ALSO, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO THE NEXT LANE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 50MPH, STOPPED, APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE . ABS DID NOT KICK IN. DEALER CONTACTED, AND REPAIRWORK DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. IN ORDER FOR G.M TO PAY FOR MY TRUCK THE WOULD REQUIRE ME TO SIGN A RELEASE FOR ALL LIABILITY. *AK.ET.
WHENEVER MAKING A TURN, STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE IT'S FREE WHEELING. WOULD LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENS. MAINLY OCCURS WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS. WAS INFORMED MIGHT BE STEERING COLUMN. *AK
SUBJ: 1997 CHEV. K2500 P/U LEMON DATE: 10/22/98 10:56:25 PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME FROM: TBARROB1 TO: [XXX] HI, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD STEER ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ABOUT A VEHICLE THAT I HAVE AND SINCE IT WAS NEW, BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES AND THE MANUFACTURER STATES THAT IT IS O.…
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SUBJ: 1997 CHEV. K2500 P/U LEMON DATE: 10/22/98 10:56:25 PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME FROM: TBARROB1 TO: [XXX] HI, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD STEER ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ABOUT A VEHICLE THAT I HAVE AND SINCE IT WAS NEW, BURNS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES AND THE MANUFACTURER STATES THAT IT IS O.K. ! THAT THIS IS O.K. TO BURN A QUART OF OIL ANYWHERE FROM 500 TO 1,000 MILES. DOESN'T THAT HURT THE ENVIRONMENT? ISN'T THERE A LAW AGAINST IT? I WOULD REALLY LIKE SOMEONE TO HELP GET G.M. TO MAKE GOOD ON THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE DROP ME A LINE IF YOU CAN HELP AT ALL! ETERNALLY GRATEFUL, [XXX] P.S. MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT WAS FOR VALVETRAIN NOISE! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
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.