IllustrationACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION VALVE IS FAILING AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND IS TEMPERATURE RELATED.*AK
1997 Chevrolet Silverado
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Silverado years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado are substantially higher than the model-year median of 76.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 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
Limited mileage data: 64 of 272 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports6 fire reports13 injury reports
Power Train complaints
35 reportsTRANSMISSION SLAMS FROM 1ST TO 2ND WHEN HOT OR VEHICLE IS CARRYING A LOAD. TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. MANUFACTURER DENIES A PROBLEM EXISTS.
I DROVE THE TRUCK TO THE GAS STATION AND IT WAS FINE. I RESTARTED THE TRUCK TO LEAVE AND WHEN I SHIFTED TO REVERSE, NOTHING HAPPENED. I PUSHED THE TRUCK BACK AND IT WOULD GO FORWARD IN ONLY 1ST AND 3RD GEAR. *AK
WHILE DRIVING A LOUD NOISE OCCURRED FOLLOWING LOCKING UP OF TRANSMISSION CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AT 62,000 MILES FAN CLUTCH BROKE AND NOW TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, 2ND GEAR IS GONE. THE REAR SEAL IS LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED ALREADY AT 18,600 THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPAIRED AT 25,600 THEN AT 35,300 THE ENTIRE FRONT BRAKES COMPLETELY REPLACED ROTORS AND ALL(PROBLEMS WITH CALIPERS) THE REPAIRING DEALER CLAIMED IT W…
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AT 62,000 MILES FAN CLUTCH BROKE AND NOW TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, 2ND GEAR IS GONE. THE REAR SEAL IS LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED ALREADY AT 18,600 THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPAIRED AT 25,600 THEN AT 35,300 THE ENTIRE FRONT BRAKES COMPLETELY REPLACED ROTORS AND ALL(PROBLEMS WITH CALIPERS) THE REPAIRING DEALER CLAIMED IT WSN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH ALL REPAIRS WE DONE BY CHEVROLET DEALERS. NOW I AM FACING APPROXIMATELY $2,000. IN REPAIRS TO THE TRANSMISSION.......CHEVROLET GIVE ME A BRAKE. E.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT AND APPLYING BRAKES, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES KICKED IN. THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. ALSO, DEALER SAID BEARINGS WERE WORN OUT. *AK
A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE MIDDLE CONSOLE, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON A RIGHT HAND CURVE THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO TRY TO TURN RIGHT BY ITSELF. YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT STEADY TO KEEP IT FROM GOING OFF THE ROAD. *AK
THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS GONE OUT, I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES AND GET A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, THE ALTERNATER WENT OUT, AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. IT CLANKS LOUDLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, DOESN'T IDLE CORRECTLY, AND SHUTS OFF. I HAVE HAD IT REBUILT…
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THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS GONE OUT, I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES AND GET A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, THE ALTERNATER WENT OUT, AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. IT CLANKS LOUDLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, DOESN'T IDLE CORRECTLY, AND SHUTS OFF. I HAVE HAD IT REBUILT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON ONE OCCASION IT EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE TRANSMISSION IS BACK IN THE SHOP NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 INCH )
STEERING WAS KNOWN TO LOCK UP SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRUCK WAS OWNED FOR LESS THEN SIX MONTHS. WAS IN SHOP FOR STEERING SIX TIMES. FOUR WHEEL DRIVE THEN WENT OUT. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE TRANSMISSION. NO REVERSE AND ONLY HAD 1ST AND 2ND. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY COSTLY. MY DREAM IS NOW A NIGHTMARE. THE STEERING COULD BE FATA…
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STEERING WAS KNOWN TO LOCK UP SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRUCK WAS OWNED FOR LESS THEN SIX MONTHS. WAS IN SHOP FOR STEERING SIX TIMES. FOUR WHEEL DRIVE THEN WENT OUT. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE TRANSMISSION. NO REVERSE AND ONLY HAD 1ST AND 2ND. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY COSTLY. MY DREAM IS NOW A NIGHTMARE. THE STEERING COULD BE FATAL TO ANY DRIVER I JUST GOT LUCKY AND WASN'T DRIVING FAST WHEN IT LOCKED UP.
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.