Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A PROBLEM. FROM TIRES ,ELECTRIC MIRRORS ,ELECTRIC WINDOWS,CLANKING/BANGING DRIVE SHAFT NOISE AND OTHER LITTLE QUIRKS. THE ONLY THING THAT I FEEL THAT WILL LAST (LONGER THAN MY PAYMENTS) IS THE MOTOR. THE DEALER OF THIS AUTO WASN'T MUCH BETTER; "THEY" JUST SAID THAT IT WAS AGOOD THING THAT I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH TOUCHED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE WILL VERVE LEFT OR RIGHT, IN WHATEVER DIRECTION DRIVER IS TRYING TO TURN. FAULTY STEERING SENSOR. *AK
OWNER HAS A HARD TIME STARTING VEHICLE. OWNER HAS TO THROW GASOLINE IN THE THROTTLE BODY IN ORDER TO START. DEALER SAYS VEHICLE NEEDS NEW FUEL PUMP. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL WILL GO FROM DIFFERENT LANES, AND THERE IS VIBRATION WIHTIN THE STEERING WHEEL. GLOVE COMPARTMENT WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY, AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WON'T GO OFF. ALSO, THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SHFITING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR VEHICLE HAD BEEN INTO THE SHOP TWO TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPLIED BRAKES, BUT BRAKES FAILED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
THE POWER STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOSE TENSION. WOULD JERK BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. SPEED IS NOT A FACTOR. NOT NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEED, BUT AT HIGHER SPEEDS. BEEN TO DEALER 8 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. MECHANIC INFORMED OWNER IT'S 4-WHEEL FRONT STEERING SENSOR & REPAIRED IT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
THE PROBLEM WITH THE "WANDER" IS AT ANY SPEED. THE FRONT END WILL SUDDENDLY PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN EVER I HIT THE MOST SMALLEST OF IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL BEOMES HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, STEERING WHEEL TURNED ON ITS ON. *AK
FRONT BRAKES ARE WORN OUT, LEAVING ONLY THE BACK BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS AT A HIGH SPEED THE TRUCK VIBRATES.THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD EIGHTEEN SETS OF BRAKES AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
BRAKING-EXCESSIVE PEDAL TRAVEL, MUST BE PUMPED UP TO CORRECT, DEALER REPLACED FRONT PADS, TURNED ROTORS TO NO AVAIL. STEERING-VEHICLE WANDERS AND PULLS TO RIGHT AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE ARULED OUT CURVATURE OF ROADWAY ALTHOUGH VEHICLE DOES TEND TO TRACK IN TIRE RUTS.
VEHICLE WANDERS WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY DEALER, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. * POWER STEERING MOVED IRRATIONALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO MOVE INTO OTHER LANE. *AK
THE NUMBERS FAILURE AND FATALITIES AND ANYTHING THAT HAS A SERIES OF 9 IS ONLY IN THE BOXES SO THAT THE FORM WOULD ADVANCE TO THE NEXT STEP. EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE TRUCK AS IT IS SHIFTING TO THIRD GEAR THE REAR DIFFERENTAL OR THE TRANMISSION MAKES A LOUD KLUNKING SOUND. I ALSO HAVE A RATTLE UNDER THE VEHICLE THAT THE DEALER SAYS THAT IS THE SHOCKS. THEY HAVE TIGHTENED THEM UP BUT THEY STILL RATTLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM MYSELF BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP. MY VOICE IS JUST NOT LOUD ENOUGH.
AIR CONDITIONER ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY DUE TO THE CLUTCH WITHIN THE A/C COMPRESSOR BURNING OUT, CAUSING HOT AIR TO COME OUT. DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM UNTIL A NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED. *AK *ML
TRUCK PULLS TO RIGHT AT ANY SPEED. EVEN MORE WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES. DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY 150.00 DOLLARS FOR ALLIGNMENT. DEALER SAID KNOCK OUTS HAVE TO BE TAKEN OUT THAT IS WHY IT IS SO MUCH. I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR ALLIGNMENT NOT FOR KNOCK OUTS TO BE REMOVED. ITHINK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE FACTORY.
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND PICKING UP SPEED, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO WANDER TO THE RIGHT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES 30 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. CAN NHTSA HELP OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE BACKING INTO THEIR DRIVING WAY, GOING APPROX. 5 MPH OR LESS, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO BACK THROUGH GARAGE DOOR WHILE FOOT WAS STILL APPLYING BRAKES. TWO INJURIES WAERE RECEIVED BY PASSENGER IN BACK AND HEAD. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER; UNABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER SHOP NOT KNOWING IF SOMTHING ELSE MAY HAPPEN. AGIN YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER ARE NEEDED.
VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTEN POWER ASSIST STEERING BOOST AND CAUSES THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL TEMPERARILY
SHIFT CABLE CLIP FELL OFF CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE, SHIFT CABLE HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR IN 1997. MJS
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS NEEDED.*ADJ
WIRES WHICH ARE LOCATED WITHIN GAS TANK SHORTED OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BLOW FUSE AND STALL. ALSO BURNED THE INSULATION OF THE WIRING. *AK
REOCCURRING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING SENSOR FAILING TO OPERATE PROPERLY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO CORRECT PROBLEM BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. SEEKING HELP OR PROVIDE ADDTIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
I AM GLAD TO DISCOVER THAT I AM NOT CRAZY, AND THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS REPORTED THIS PROBLEM. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THIS TRUCK, THE "GAP" IN STEERING DEVELOPED, AND AFTER CARRYING BACK TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, PART # 26064468 WAS REPLACED ON 3/12/98, 38158 MILES(HAD REPORTED PRIOR TO 36,000 MILE WARRANTY RUNNING OUT). THIS STOPPED THE PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME, AND NOW IT AGAIN IS DOING THIS SAME THING. I HAVE BEEN TOLD PART IS VERY EXPENSIVE, AND HAVE NOT PAID TO HAVE FIXED, NOT KNOWING HOW LONG IT WILL LAST. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE THREE TIMES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
FUEL PUMP BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE A NO START CONDITION. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
TRUCK IS CONSIDERED A LEMON BUT DEALER STATES THAT IT DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR A BUY BACK. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
THE STEERING HAS "TOO MUCH PLAY IN IT" WHICH CAUSES STEERING DIFFICULTY. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL GO TO THE RIGHT WHICH MAY CAUSE CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE SENSOR WHEEL ROTATION WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO WANDER TO THE RIGHT. DEALER SAYS THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED DURING THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY 99. PROBLEM STILL EXIST.
THE AIR-CONDITIONER WAS COOLING FINE ONE DAY THEN THE NEXT IT WOULDN'T BLOW COOL AIR AT ALL. SO I TAKE IT TO THE CHEVROLET MECHANIC HE SAID THE COMPRESSOR WAS SHOT AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $700 TO FIX IT. ONE EVENING I WENT TO CRANK MY TRUCK AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT CLICK WELL GUESS WHAT IT WAS THE STARTER NOT CHEAP ANOTHER $60. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE COP STOPS ME AND TELLS ME THAT I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE LUCKILY HE WARNED ME BUT A NEW HARNESS COST LIKE $50.ALSO MY POWER STERRING PUMP THAT HAS WENT OUT TWICE IN LESS THAN A YEAR COSTING ABOUT $80 EACH TIME.THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT THIS MAY BE THE LAST CHEVY THAT I EVER OWN AND THAT IS SAYING A LOT BECAUSE I MYSELF HAS OWNED FOUR MY FAMILY THREE THAT IS SEVEN IF I CAN ADD, SO THAT COULD BE ALOT OF VEHICLES THAT COULD GO TO ANOTHER MAKE ALL TOGETHER. THIS IS NOT A THREAT JUS WANT MY AIR-CONDITIONER FIXED, BUT THEY SAY THAT THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER JUST MY LUCK. *AK
LOOSE BACK BENCH SEAT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT CONDITION WAS NORMAL FOR THAT SEAT. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
ON TWO OCCASIONS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TOTAL SHUT DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. PREVIOUSLY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM. BUT DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR LESS AND WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AT ABOUT 48000 MILES I STARTED EXPERIENCING A HARD SHIFT BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT. IT DIDN'T MATTER IF IT WAS A LONG DRIVE OR SHORT . IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 3 TIMES. WHENEVER IT HAPPENS ALL I NEED TO DO IS PULL OVER, TURN THE ENGINE OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS, TURN IT ON AGAIN AND IT'S GONE TILL THE NEXT TIME. SOMETIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON SOMETIMES IT'S OFF, DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY CONNECTION TO THE FREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM OCCURING. I DO NOT DRIVE MY TRUCK HARD. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY READ THE COMPUTER CODE AND TOLD ME THE THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING INTERNALLY AND WOUD COST ABOUT $1500 TO RE-BUILD IT. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST BAD LUCK UNTIL YESTERDAY. I RAN INTO A REGGIE WILLIAMS WHO HAS THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL TRUCK, SAME ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION AND THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM DOWN TO THE MILAGE WHEN IT STARTED HAPPENING, HE WILL ALSO BE SENDING IN A FORM. SINCE MEETING REGGIE I HAVE BECOME VERY SUSPICIOUS. I'VE HAD OTHER CHEVY TRUCKS AND THEY LAST A LONG TIME WITHOUT PROBLEM, AND THOSE I HAVE HAD ARE MINOR. I CONTACTED THE CHEVY CUSTOMER SUPPORT PEOPLE AND THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WHAT MYSELF AND REGGIE ARE EXPERIENCING. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET FOR 50MPH AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OVER 90MPH THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE GAS PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. OWNER HAD TO LITERALLY STAND ON THE BRAKES, AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK TO GET IT TO STOP. THE WHEELS WERE STILL SPINNING EVEN WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. WHEN CAR WAS STARTED BACK UP THE WHEELS WERE STILL SPINNING AT A HIGH RATE. DEALER HAD FIXED THE VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. *AK
WHEN AT SLOW SPEED THERE IS A POPPING NOISE WHEN GEARS CHANGE, DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. *MJS
IN APPROXIMATELY A FIVE WEEK PERIOD, MY TRUCK HAS FAILED TO START TWICE AND DIED ONCE AS I CROSSED A BUSY INTERSECTION. BOTH TIMES THE TRUCK FAILED TO START, THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW FUEL PUMP, (NOW ON MY THIRD PUMP) AND AFTER THE VEHICLE DIED IN THE INTERSECTION WHILE MOVING ABOUT 20 MPH, A NEW DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR WAS INSTALLED BUT THE FAILURE COULD ALSO BE FUEL PUMP RELATED. IN BOTH CASES THE MECHANIC STATED ON THE REPAIR ORDER THAT THE WIRING HAD SHORTED OUT. THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATES THAT HE HAS NO SOLUTIONS AND THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURANCE. THE FACT THAT ONE NEVER KNOWS IF HE WILL SUCCESSFULLY MAKE IT ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT THE ENGINE QUITTING IS INHERENTLY UNSAFE. A CALL TO CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE INDICATES THAT THEY ARE VERY SORRY BUT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW JUST WHAT TO TELL ME.
FRONT BRASS BUSHING SHATTERED AND FILINGS RAN THROUGH TRANSMISSION. REPAIRING DEALER INDICATES THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD SUCH CASE IN TWO DAYS. CONTACTED SELLING DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT SEVERAL CASES HAD BEEN SEEN THERE FOR SAME TRANSMISSION ISSUE. SLI
ANTI LOCK BRAKE MODULE FAILED CAUSING BRAKES PEDAL TO GO COMPLETLY TO THE FLOOR BOARD WHEN APPLIED.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
ENGINE IDLE VERY ROUGH; LOSS OF POWER; SPANTANEOUS ONSET, DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FUEL INJECTOR, WHICH NEEDED REPAIR AND CLEANING FROM CONTAMINATION OF GAS. *YC
WIRING HARNESS IN STEERING COLUMN FAILED. *YC
FRONT ROTORS FAILED CAUSING WARPING. *YC
ENGINE OIL LEAK. *YC
STEERING GEAR BOX LEAKING. MJS
PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTING MECHANISM FAILED. YH
MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION WITH SEVERAL INJURIES. YH
WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL FAILED.
ABS BRAKE FAILURE; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TRUCK SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE, BUT DID NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, CAUSING DRIVER TO REAREND ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED ON DRY PAVEMENT, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER. DRIVER HAD PLENTY OF BRAKING DISTANCE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WITH MAJOR BUMPER DAMAGE. *AK
TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. HAD ENTIRE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM REPLACED ALONG WITH FUEL PUMP & WIRING. *AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado → · Every Silverado year → · How the figures are calculated →