IllustrationNO SUMMARY
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
Steering complaints
59 reportsPOWER STEERING ERRATIC, SWITCHES FROM FIRM TO SUPER LOOSE WITHOUT NOTICE. MOST FREQUENTLY AT AROUND 35 MPH IN GENTLE SWEEPING CURVE, CAUSING QUICK PULL IN DIRECTION OF TURN. YOU GOTTA BE ALERT.
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…
Read full complaint
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.
EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A PROBLEM. FROM TIRES ,ELECTRIC MIRRORS ,ELECTRIC WINDOWS,CLANKING/BANGING DRIVE SHAFT NOISE AND OTHER LITTLE QUIRKS. THE ONLY THING THAT I FEEL THAT WILL LAST (LONGER THAN MY PAYMENTS) IS THE MOTOR. THE DEALER OF THIS AUTO WASN'T MUCH BETTER; "THEY" JUST SAID THAT IT WAS AG…
Read full complaint
EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A PROBLEM. FROM TIRES ,ELECTRIC MIRRORS ,ELECTRIC WINDOWS,CLANKING/BANGING DRIVE SHAFT NOISE AND OTHER LITTLE QUIRKS. THE ONLY THING THAT I FEEL THAT WILL LAST (LONGER THAN MY PAYMENTS) IS THE MOTOR. THE DEALER OF THIS AUTO WASN'T MUCH BETTER; "THEY" JUST SAID THAT IT WAS AGOOD THING THAT I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!
THE POWER STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOSE TENSION. WOULD JERK BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. SPEED IS NOT A FACTOR. NOT NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEED, BUT AT HIGHER SPEEDS. BEEN TO DEALER 8 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. MECHANIC INFORMED OWNER IT'S 4-WHEEL FRONT STEERING SENSOR & REPAIRED IT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, STEERING WHEEL TURNED ON ITS ON. *AK
VEHICLE WANDERS WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY DEALER, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. * POWER STEERING MOVED IRRATIONALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO MOVE INTO OTHER LANE. *AK
TRUCK PULLS TO RIGHT AT ANY SPEED. EVEN MORE WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES. DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY 150.00 DOLLARS FOR ALLIGNMENT. DEALER SAID KNOCK OUTS HAVE TO BE TAKEN OUT THAT IS WHY IT IS SO MUCH. I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR ALLIGNMENT NOT FOR KNOCK OUTS TO BE REMOVED. ITHINK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE FACTORY.
VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTEN POWER ASSIST STEERING BOOST AND CAUSES THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL TEMPERARILY
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS NEEDED.*ADJ
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.