IllustrationBRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING BECAUSE THE NEGATIVE CABLE FROM THE BATTERY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK WORE A HOLE IN THE METAL BRAKE LINE.
1997 Chevrolet Van
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Van 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: 2 of 27 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.
- Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Equipment. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
27 reportsTHIRD FAILURE OF THIS ITEM, DEALER AND CHEVROLET WILL NOT KNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. NO DEFECT STATED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER READS IMPROPERLY,PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, ALSO BRAKE ROTORS ARE FAULTY, POSSIBLE MANUFACTURING FLAW. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE SHUT DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT DOOR MOUNTED SHOULDER BELTS PROHIBITING ENTERING/EXITING OF VEHICLE WHEN CONNECTED AND WHEN DISCONNECTED HANG LOOSELY.
CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT DOOR MOUNTED SHOULDER BELTS PROHIBIT ENTERING/EXITING OF VEHICLE WHEN CONNECTED, WHEN NOT CONNECTED, THEY HANG LOOSELY.
SEAT BELT ATTACHES TO DOOR WHICH BLOCKS ENTRANCE AND EXIT OF VEHICLE, ALSO WHEN DISCONNECTED THEY HANG LOOSELY IN FRONT OF ENTRANCE/EXIT.
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.