IllustrationCONSUMER STATED TAILGATE CABLES CORRODED. CONSUMER WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL FAIL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH TAILGATE CABLES FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE. *TC
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
What owners actually said
272 reportsTHE CABLES FOR THE REAR LIFTGATE BROKE ON TWO OCCASIONS. THIS TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL REPLACEMENT OF THE LIFTGATE CABLES. *JB THE CONSUMER WAS CLEANING THE PICKUP AND PUT THE TAILGATE DOWN AND THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE CABLE HAD A BULGE. THE CABLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND ONLY THE RUBBER WAS HOLDING IT TOGET…
Read full complaint
THE CABLES FOR THE REAR LIFTGATE BROKE ON TWO OCCASIONS. THIS TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL REPLACEMENT OF THE LIFTGATE CABLES. *JB THE CONSUMER WAS CLEANING THE PICKUP AND PUT THE TAILGATE DOWN AND THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE CABLE HAD A BULGE. THE CABLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND ONLY THE RUBBER WAS HOLDING IT TOGETHER. *SC
CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1997, STEERING PINION GEAR SEPARATION. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE PULLED TO LEFT OR RIGHT REAL HARD AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE JUST LIKE THE CHEVROLET MALIBU HE HAD WHICH HAD A RECALL ON THE RACK AND PINION, WHICH NEVER EXHIBITED A PROBLEM. *JB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. THEY WORKED INTERMITTENTLY THE CONSUMER HAS MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO THE MANUFACTURER. *JB
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED, CAUSING POOR DRIVER VISIBILITY. VEHICLE WASS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY DURING INCLEMENT CONDITIONS. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
CONSUMER STATED WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY.*AK
RECALL 03V159000 CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY DURING INCLEMENT CONDITIONS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. CURRENTLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE IN ANY CONDITION. THE EDEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE EALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB
FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
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.