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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.

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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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

57 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2001
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

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

NHTSA ODI #739068

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2000
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

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

NHTSA ODI #875673

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER AS A PROBLEM WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. WHEN HE APPLIES BRAKES PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. PEDAL IS SOFT. HE WILL CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #870214

Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL HARD BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT WILL NOT FLASH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #869669

Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BOTH FRONTAL ABS BRAKE SENSORS HAVE GONE BAD WHICH CAUSES BRAKE FAILURE. UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A STOP, THE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. COMPLETE HUB AND SENSOR SYSTEM HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #864733

Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

UPON DEPRESSING BRAKES UNDER NORMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS, BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY SLOPPY WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, PROBLEM TENDED TO OCCUR MORE ON DRY PAVEMENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #863682

Mileage unknown · May 12, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury

CONSUMERS MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY WHILE DRIVING AND SHE CRASHED INTO THE HIGHWAY DIVIDER, AS A RESULT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYEND, TRAPPING AND SUFFOCATING HER. THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BECAME FILLED WITH SMOKE, THE DOORS WERE JAMMED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN TH…

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CONSUMERS MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY WHILE DRIVING AND SHE CRASHED INTO THE HIGHWAY DIVIDER, AS A RESULT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYEND, TRAPPING AND SUFFOCATING HER. THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BECAME FILLED WITH SMOKE, THE DOORS WERE JAMMED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE UNTIL SOMEONE CAME TO HER VEHICLE AND OPENED THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. NLM

NHTSA ODI #552235

Mileage unknown · May 5, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS PROBLEMS; INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL FEELS VERY SPONGY AND GOES DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD. THIS HAPPENS ON NORMAL ROAD SURFACES. NO DIFFERENCE ON WET ROAD SURFACES. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #861495

Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDERS HAD BLOWN THEIR SEALS CAUSING CONSUMERS TO EXPERIENCE LOW BRAKE PEDAL. NLM

NHTSA ODI #551758

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO COLLISIONS DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. WHILE APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WOULD START TO PULSATE AND HARDEN. VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE ON WITHOUT STOPPING. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #859421

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Chevrolet Silverado problems