IllustrationFRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *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
Visibility complaints
38 reportsVEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING.*MR WHILE DRIVING IN A SEVERE RAIN STORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. AFTER ARRIVING HOME THE CONSUMER RESEARCHED THE VEHICLE'S RECALLS A FOUND THAT THERE WAS ONE FOR THE WIPER MOTOR (RECALL # 02054) IN GM VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM 1994-1999. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE…
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VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING.*MR WHILE DRIVING IN A SEVERE RAIN STORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. AFTER ARRIVING HOME THE CONSUMER RESEARCHED THE VEHICLE'S RECALLS A FOUND THAT THERE WAS ONE FOR THE WIPER MOTOR (RECALL # 02054) IN GM VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM 1994-1999. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INDICATED THAT HE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED AT A DIFFERENT PLANT. *NM
WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED WHEN THEY WANTED TO. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *NM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING. RECALL 03159000 WAS ISSUED ON WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
THE PASSENGER PUSHED THE BUTTON FOR THE WINDOW TO ROLL UP AND STUCK HIS HEAD OUT, AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE WINDOW CLOSED AND CAUGHT HIS HEAD IN THE WINDOW. DRIVER HIT THE BUTTON FOUR TIMES, THEN IT RELEASED. THE PASSENGER WAS BLUE IN THE FACE, AND HAD TO BE REVIVED BY CPR, AND TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO WORK. SOMETIMES THE OBSTRUCT THE DRIVERS VIEW. THE DEALER STATED NO RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP AND START WORKING . *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COME ON AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING INTERMITTENLY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE PROBLEM. MR CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT DURING A RAINSTORM AND HAD TO SET ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER DID NOT LEAVE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE STORM PASSED…
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WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COME ON AND OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING INTERMITTENLY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE PROBLEM. MR CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT DURING A RAINSTORM AND HAD TO SET ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER DID NOT LEAVE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE STORM PASSED.PH 09-DEC-2002
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.