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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

What owners actually said

272 reports
70,000 miles · Aug 30, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE ISSUE THAT HAS JUST CAUSED THE 800,000 VEHICLE RECALL FOR GM, THE ISSUE WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, IS ON VEHICLES OLDER THAN THE 1999. I HAVE A 1997 SILVERADO AND WAS HAVING THE PROBLEM OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGING AT LOW SPEEDS, IT STARTED HAPPENING IN 1999 AND GOT WORSE OVER TIME. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS AN…

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THE ISSUE THAT HAS JUST CAUSED THE 800,000 VEHICLE RECALL FOR GM, THE ISSUE WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, IS ON VEHICLES OLDER THAN THE 1999. I HAVE A 1997 SILVERADO AND WAS HAVING THE PROBLEM OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGING AT LOW SPEEDS, IT STARTED HAPPENING IN 1999 AND GOT WORSE OVER TIME. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS AND THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR THAT TRIGGERS THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKES, AT A COST OF SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. THEY SAID THIS SENSOR GETS DIRTY AND THEN FAILS. I AM CONCERNED AS TO WHY THE RECALL IS ONLY GOING BACK TO THE 1999 MODELS WHEN IN FACT THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING IN OLDER MODELS AS WELL, AS I SAID MINE IS A 1997 SILVERADO.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10134776

Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE INTAKE ANTI-FREEZE LEAK IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 1997 CHEVY TRUCKS AND SHOULD BE A FACTORY PAID FOR FIX. BUT NO THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, WE AS CONSUMERS HAVE PAID AS MUCH AS 600.00 TO 700.00 TO HAVE GM DEALERS TO DO THIS. WITCH I THINK IS WRONG!!!!!!!!!*JB

NHTSA ODI #10131166

36,000 miles · Aug 2, 2005
Visibility

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A RURAL HIGHWAY, IT BEGAN TO DOWNPOUR. I TURNED MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I BECAME FRANTIC AND TRIED TO PULL OVER, WITHOUT EVEN SEEING WHERE I WAS GOING. UPON INTERNET RESEARCH, AND THIS WEBSITE, I AM NOW AWARE OF A RECALL EFFECTING CERTAIN BATCHES OF MY MODEL. THE RECALL INFO IS AS…

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WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A RURAL HIGHWAY, IT BEGAN TO DOWNPOUR. I TURNED MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I BECAME FRANTIC AND TRIED TO PULL OVER, WITHOUT EVEN SEEING WHERE I WAS GOING. UPON INTERNET RESEARCH, AND THIS WEBSITE, I AM NOW AWARE OF A RECALL EFFECTING CERTAIN BATCHES OF MY MODEL. THE RECALL INFO IS AS FOLLOWS: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V159000 I'VE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHO THEN TOLD ME THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME UNLESS IT WAS IN WRITING FROM GM. I CALLED GM, HOWEVER THEY CAN NOT AND WILL NOT ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN TELLING ME THAT MY WIPER MOTOR FAILURE IS "COINCIDENCE" AND JUST HAPPENS TO FALL INTO THE SAME CATEGORY OF THE RECALL.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10131100

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2005
Visibility

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 CHEVROLET, SILVERADO 3500. HE STATED THAT THERE WERE NHTSA RECALLS 03V159000 AND 03V210000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS DUE TO VIN. ON JULY 30, 2005 WHILE IN A RAIN STORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT 4 TIMES. ALSO, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON JULY 31,2005. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10130921

51,000 miles · Jul 22, 2005
Visibility

MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO P/U HAS A PROBLUM WITH THE WIPERS THEY WORK SOME OF THE TIME AND SOME OF THE TIME THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. YOUR WEB SITE SAYS THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLUM (03V15900 YOUR RECALL #) AND WHEN I CONTACTED GM ABOUT IT I WAS TOLD BY CHRIS LAMAR THAT THERE WAS AND TO TAKE TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER F…

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MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO P/U HAS A PROBLUM WITH THE WIPERS THEY WORK SOME OF THE TIME AND SOME OF THE TIME THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. YOUR WEB SITE SAYS THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLUM (03V15900 YOUR RECALL #) AND WHEN I CONTACTED GM ABOUT IT I WAS TOLD BY CHRIS LAMAR THAT THERE WAS AND TO TAKE TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEN WAS TOLD WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN . CONTACTED GM ONCE AGAIN AND MR. L AMAR SAID IT DID NOT COVER MY TRUCK BUT IN THE FIRST CONVERSATION WITH HIM HE SAID THAT ALL GM FULL SIZE P/U WERE RECALLED FOR THE 97 MODEL YEAR FROM START OF PRODUCTION TO THE END OF PRODUCTION. WHEN I SPOKE TO HIS SUPERVISOR SHE SAID THAT BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS NOT PURCHASED FROM A CHEVROLET DEALER THAT THEY WOULD NOT NOR EVER WOULD REPAIR THIS TRUCK UNDER ANY NOW OR FUTURE RECALLS. THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE TRUCK AND I AM THE SECOUND OWNER.

NHTSA ODI #10129716

42,000 miles · Jun 7, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DT: WHILE GOING AT A SLOW SPEED THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIVATE AND THE BRAKES DON'T WORK. HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND DO A COMPUTER CODE CHECK, BUT NOTHING SHOWED UP BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING. HAD TO DEACTIVATE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. *NM *NM

NHTSA ODI #10120626

71,000 miles · May 26, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER STATES: ABS BRAKES ACTIVATED WHILE STOPPING AT LOW SPEED AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. ABS SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *SB *NM

NHTSA ODI #10119558

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2005
Service Brakes, Air

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL PUSHES BACK AND PULSES HEAVY. THIS HAPPENS AT EVEN SLOW SPEEDS.

NHTSA ODI #10121142

Mileage unknown · May 9, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DT: THE ABS IS KICKING IN WHEN IT IS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE WORKING. THE ABS ONLY KICKS ON ON LOW SPEEDS LIKE 5-15 MPH, PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT OR STOPPING AT STOP SIGNS. THE ABS IS WORSE IN COLD WEATHER. NO PRIOR WARNING TO THE FAILURE. IT STARTS MAKING A ANTI-LOCK BRAKING NOISE WHEN THE ABS KICKS ON. TOOK TO THE CHEVROLET DEALE…

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DT: THE ABS IS KICKING IN WHEN IT IS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE WORKING. THE ABS ONLY KICKS ON ON LOW SPEEDS LIKE 5-15 MPH, PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT OR STOPPING AT STOP SIGNS. THE ABS IS WORSE IN COLD WEATHER. NO PRIOR WARNING TO THE FAILURE. IT STARTS MAKING A ANTI-LOCK BRAKING NOISE WHEN THE ABS KICKS ON. TOOK TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION AND HE TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS THE ABS RIGHT OFF.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10120486

130,671 miles · May 6, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline

THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER TRIED WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. DRIVER NOTICED THAT STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKES FAILED, AND WOULD NOT WORK WHEN APPLIED. THE DRIVER HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PU…

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THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER TRIED WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. DRIVER NOTICED THAT STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKES FAILED, AND WOULD NOT WORK WHEN APPLIED. THE DRIVER HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THIS IS THE THIRD PUMP INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. WHEN THE PUMP FAILED THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES, THE VEHICLE JUST ROLLED TO A STOP. *BF *NM

NHTSA ODI #10115192

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.

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