1997 Chevrolet Pickup

Routine

Owners filed 75 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip16
303
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System6
100
Steering5
000
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor4
000
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar4
101
Suspension › Front3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum3
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission3
000
Tires › Tread/Belt2
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc2
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Headlights08E050000
Filed Aug 11, 20081,921 vehiclesK2 Motor Corporation

Defect. K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Risk. WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Body › Door
Filed Nov 13, 2012WA

1997 CHEVROLET PICKUP 1500. CONSUMER STATES DRIVER DOOR HANDLE BROKE OFF FROM INSIDE *TGW

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Jan 23, 2008138,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET PICKUP. WHILE TURNING LEFT AT 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND PLACED THE GEAR INTO PARK. HE THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED. HE HAD TO DO THIS TWICE BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER DID NOT WANT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR TWO DAYS AND CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 138,000.

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Mar 2, 2005KS

THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOOSE AT LOW SPEEDS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THUS, INCREASING THE CHANCE OF A CRASH. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE OVERSTEERS. *TC

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Oct 12, 2004SC

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENLY. CONSUMER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. *AK *SC

Tires
Filed Aug 30, 2004OH

VEHICLE'S LEFT FRONT FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRE CAME APART WHILE DRIVING. *MR THE TIRE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. *SC *JB

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Aug 9, 200431,200 milesWV

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. RECALL 03V159000 WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Jun 29, 2004153,000 milesWI

THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE RIGHT SEAT BELT DUE TO AN INTERNAL PROBLEM CAUSED THE BELT NOT TO COME OUT. *SC *JB

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Jun 8, 2004OK

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed May 5, 200488,000 milesTX

WHEN THE TANK IS FULL A FOUL ODOR SEEPS THROUGH THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *AK

Steering › Column
Filed Apr 21, 200481,000 milesIN

STEERING COLUMN STABILIZER SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE. *AK

Steering › Column Locking › Anti-theft Device
Filed Jan 28, 2004200 milesMA

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONSUMER FELT THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Steering
Filed Jan 15, 200463,000 milesTX

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME LOOSE. THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS MAKING RIGHT AND LEFT HAND TURN. THE DEALERSHIP'S MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM BUT THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *NM

Steering
Filed Aug 27, 2003100,000 milesFL

STEERING SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER HAS TO REPLACE STEERING SENSOR FIVE TIMES SINCE BUYING THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW.*AK

Seats1 injured
Filed Dec 9, 2002FL

WHILE PARKING VEHICLE, I TURNED TO LOOK BACK, UPON WHICH THE DRIVER SEAT BACK SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING COLLASPED, SPRINGING MY NECK. THE VEHICLE IS NO DRIVERABLE DUE TO THE SEAT BACK CAN NOT BE LOCKED INTO POSITION. DT

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
Filed Sep 30, 2002MA

THE VEHICLE?S HOOD OPENED UP INTO THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED IT OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF A CORRODED HOOD LATCH. ( CONSUMER WRITING IN ON BEHALF OF HER HUSBAND) *YH

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Aug 8, 2002PA

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Steering
Filed May 2, 2002CO

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. *JB THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERATIVE WHILE PARKING. *MJ

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jan 26, 2002PA

AT SLOW SPEEDS APROXIMATLY 5-10 MPH THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM KICKS IN AND THE BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE.MOSTLY COMING TO A SLOW STOP SUCH AS IN A PARKING LOT.I HEAR THE ABS MOTOR RUNNING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPS THE VEHICLE THEN FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP IN TIME.THIS IS ON A GOOD TRACTION SURFACE AND THERE IS NO WHEEL LOCK UP.IT SEEMS TO ACT UP ALMOST EVERY STOP FOR DAYS AND THEN I MAY NOT HAVE IT OCCUR FOR A FEW DAYS THEN IT RETURNS.*AK

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System
Filed Jan 13, 2002IN

A JERKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. IT WILL JERK OR TRY TO TURN ON ITS OWN WHILE GOING STRAIGHT OR ON A TURN. IT HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE STEERING ACTS UP AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND SPEEDS AND CANNOT BE PREDICTED. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum
Filed Nov 9, 2001AZ

WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL CONVIENCE STORE THE VACUUM BOOSTER FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE EXTREMELY RIGID. MY WIFE WA DRIVING AT THE TIME AND HAD (3 MONTHS PRIOR) UNDERGONE BACK SUGERY. IT CAUSED HE TREMENDOUS PAIN TO FORCE THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN IN ORDER TO STOP. SHE PROCEEDED TO PARK THE VEHICLE AND CALL ME. (AT HOME) I INSPECTED THE TRUCK AND DETERMINED THE BOOSTER HAD IN FACT FAILED. ( I AM AN AUTO TECHNICIAN BY TRADE) THE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED ($168) AND THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS ALIEVEATED. IF THIS WERE TO HAVE HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING AT A GREATER SPEED, IN A TRAFFIC SITUATION, I BELIEVE AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE RESULTED AND HER INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING. *AK

20 of 75 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1995
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200310000Routine
200217000Routine
200117000Routine
200032000Routine
199939000Routine
199874120Routine
1997 — this page75100Routine
199660110Routine
199579110Routine
199458110Routine
199213010Routine
199116010Routine
199011000Routine

Compare every Pickup year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 11, 2008. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.