DEFECTFILE
Vehicles / Chevrolet / Silverado / 1997

1997 Chevrolet Silverado

272 federal complaints (365 component records) · 0 recall campaigns on file · 15 service bulletins · 1 Canadian recall
See all 34 model years of the Chevrolet Silverado →
Federal complaints
272
Recall campaigns
0
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.

Fault profile

Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.

Brakes
72
Steering
60
Glass & wipers
39
Power train
38
Fuel system
27
Engine & cooling
23
Suspension
21
Electrical system
16
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.

When it fails

The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.

Vehicle age when the failure occurred

0 years old: 17 complaints01 years old: 26 complaints2 years old: 31 complaints3 years old: 27 complaints4 years old: 16 complaints5 years old: 24 complaints56 years old: 15 complaints7 years old: 22 complaints8 years old: 21 complaints9 years old: 3 complaints10 years old: 1 complaints1011 years old: 1 complaints12 years old: 1 complaints13 years old: 1 complaints14 years old: 0 complaints15 years old: 0 complaints1516 years old: 0 complaints17 years old: 1 complaints18 years old: 1 complaints19 years old: 0 complaints20+ years old: 0 complaints20+
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 208 of 272 complaints with a usable failure date.

Odometer when the failure occurred

0,000 - 20,000 miles: 2 complaints020,000 - 40,000 miles: 8 complaints40,000 - 60,000 miles: 8 complaints40k60,000 - 80,000 miles: 14 complaints80,000 - 100,000 miles: 11 complaints80k100,000 - 120,000 miles: 12 complaints120,000 - 140,000 miles: 3 complaints120k140,000 - 160,000 miles: 2 complaints160,000 - 180,000 miles: 3 complaints160k180,000 - 200,000 miles: 1 complaints200,000+ miles: 0 complaints200k+
Owner-reported mileage at failure, in 20,000-mile bands. Based on 64 of 272 complaints reporting a plausible odometer (500 to 500,000 miles; unverified).

Known issues

The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.

Brakes

72 complaint records2 fire reports8 crash reports
"WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL HARD BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT WILL NOT FLASH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →

Steering

60 complaint records2 fire reports1 crash report
"STEERING WHEEL FAILED BECAUSE THE SHAFT IN STEERING CLOLUMN WAS NOT BOLTED TO THE SHAFT GOING TO POWER STEERING PUMP. YH..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse steering parts in the directory →

Glass & wipers

39 complaint records1 fire report
"THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. THEY WORKED INTERMITTENTLY THE CONSUMER HAS MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO THE MANUFACTURER. *JB..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse glass & wipers parts in the directory →

Transport Canada recalls

Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.

RecallSystemUnits (CA)Summary
2003064
2003-03-17
Other323,584Certain vehicles (not involved in recall 98-150), may experience a windshield wiper failure due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board.

Service bulletins and warranty extensions

Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.

BulletinTypeComponentSummary
070232001
Mar 2007
SteeringREDUCED STEERING EFFORT (DIAGNOSE/REPLACE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR). *KB
020525006
Jan 2006
Service BrakesANTILOCK BRAKE (ABS) ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS. *TT
020730024A
Aug 2005
Power TrainDIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT
040604088
Mar 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingREPLACEMENT OF CONNECTOR WHEN REPLACING FUEL TANK MODULE/FUEL PUMP MODULE. *TT
040604068
Oct 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingREVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P1345 CRANKSHAFT POSITION (CKP) - CAMSHAFT POSITION (CMP) CORRELATION DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE. *TT
Show 10 more bulletins
BulletinTypeComponentSummary
030601024A
Mar 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingRATTLE NOISE IN ENGINE. *TT
01570
Jan 2004
SuspensionSPRING SLAP NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE GMT 400 SERIES TRUCK. *MN
00149D
Jan 2004
Electrical SystemMALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH A P0300 SET AND A MISFIRE. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 1996 - 1999 P32 MODELS. SIT BULLETIN 1416475. *TT
01225
Jan 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingENGINE COOLANT LEAK AT INTAKE GASKET. * MJ
01410
Nov 2003
Power TrainPOOR PERFORMANCE FROM A STOP IN 2WD, AUTO OR 4WD HI. 2003, 2003 CADILLAC EXT ALSO INCLUDED. *TT
00149C
Nov 2003
Electrical SystemMALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH A P0300 SET AND A MISFIRE. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1996-1999 P32 AND THE 1996-2002 GMC C/K TRUCK. *TT
030601024
Aug 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingRATTLE NOISE IN ENGINE. *TT
020525006A
Dec 2002
Service BrakesANTILOCK BRAKE (ABS) ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS ON VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1995 AND 1996 ENVOY. *TT
990730016A
Oct 2002
Power TrainDIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT
3325
Fuel SystemSUPPLEMENT TO BULLETIN 99-06-04-047A FOR FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING. *TT

Before you buy this vehicle

A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.

  1. Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
  2. Drive one straight highway stretch and one slow parking lot.Wander or a shimmy over bumps at speed, and heavy or dropped assist at low speed, are the two faces of this vehicle's steering cluster. A clunk on turn-in points at the linkage.
  3. Run the wipers and washers, and test every window.Slow or stuck regulators, streaking wipers, and windshield cracks are this vehicle's visibility complaints.
  4. Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.

Parts search directory

The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.

Open the parts directory for this Chevrolet Silverado →