1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Routine

Owners filed 16 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip3
000
Visibility2
000
Steering2
000
Service Brakes2
000
Electrical System2
010
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor1
000
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer1
000
Seats1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline1
000
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Feb 10, 2018350,000 milesMO

ANTI-LOCK SYSTEMS OVERRIDES AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES.

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 6, 2012132,000 milesFL

BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. AROUND MARCH 2008 I WAS TRAVELING ON THE SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY IN LONG ISLAND, NY WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH WAS CAUSED BY BRAKE FLUID HITTING THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED A HOLE IN THE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. ONLY THAT PARTICULAR LINE WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF REPLACING ALL LINES FROM FRONT TO BACK. TODAY AUGUST 6, 2012 I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ONCE AGAIN IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT DUE TO THE BRAKE FLUID HITTING THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND ANOTHER BRAKE LINE THAT HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED A HOLE IN THE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND INCIDENT THE TRUCK HAD 141,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jul 26, 2011197,000 milesOK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BURNED WIRES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 197,000.

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer
Filed Feb 1, 201180,000 milesCT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FUNCTION WHEN IN ACTIVATION; AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE QUALIFIED DUE TO THE MODEL YEAR, EXCESSIVE MILEAGE; AND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED. THE CONTACT DISAGREED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER AND STATED THAT THE RECALL SUMMARY DID NOT MENTION THOSE FACTORS AS A REQUIREMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

Electrical System
Filed Jun 8, 2010139,000 milesWI

WHEN IT BEGAN TO RAIN, I TURNED ON THE WIPER SWITCH TO HAVE NOTHING HAPPEN BUT A SOFT BUZZING NOISE. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING AND INTERMITTENT, SINCE IT BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2003. I NOW FIND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND NOW WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. GM RECALL NO. 03023. GM REFUSES TO HELP AS THE RECALL HAS BEEN "CLOSED", AND THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THE REPAIR WAS MADE. I OWNED THE VEHICLE DURING THAT ENTIRE TIME. IT WAS NOT REPAIRED! *TR

Visibility
Filed May 28, 2009120,000 milesIA

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY SOMETIMES. SOMETIMES HAVE TO SPIN THE CONTROLLER A FEW TIMES TO GET THEM WORKING. EVEN THEN THEY MAY NOT WORK. FRUSTRATING! *TR

Visibility
Filed May 28, 2009100,000 milesIA

SIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS.....ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER ONLY MOVES THE EITHER MIRROR DOWNWARD. WILL NOT MOVE EITHER MIRROR LEFT, RIGHT, OR UP. HAVE REPLACED THIS CONTROLLER TWICE BEFORE FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. ONE WITH THE DEALER AND ONE ON MY OWN. BOTH TIMES BRAND NEW PARTS. THERE IS ANOTHER RECALL FOR THIS ITEM BUT APPARENTLY DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VIN. !!!! *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed May 7, 2009165,000 milesID

1997 SUBURBAN - FUEL GAUGE PEGS AT PAST FULL. FUEL PUMP FAILS. I AM NOT SURE OF THE REASON FOR THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN ABUT IT KEEP RECURRING AND I DO NOT HAVE THE CASH TO BE GOING TO A MECHANIC EVERY 2 TO 3 MONTHS. I HAVE LOOKED THIS PROBLEM UP ON THE NET MANY TIMES AND THE LIST OF PEOPLE WITH THIS AND SIMILAR PROBLEMS APPEARS TO BE GROWING. *TR

Steering
Filed Nov 20, 2008130,000 milesMN

POWER STEERING SURGES, UNCONTROLLABLE. *TR

Seats
Filed May 19, 2008175,000 milesWA

NO REAL EVENTS, NO COLLISION, ETC. JUST NORMAL USE, GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR. DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTING MECHANISM, STRUT(S) CONTROLLING FRONT ELEVATION BROKE AND SEAT FRONT WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER. SEAT STILL MOVES FROM REAR AND FORWARD AND BACK. SEAT IS NOT STABLE AND PIVOTS BACK ON REAR MOUNTING /ADJUSTING POINTS. WE NO LONGER SEAT ANYONE BEHIND THE DRIVERS-SIDE FRONT SEAT BECAUSE IT COULD CRUSH THE REAR PASSENGER IF SUBJECTED TO ENOUGH IMPACT. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY A BODY SHOP THAT WE JUST RE-WELD, BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO GUARANTEE IT WILL HOLD WITH IMPACT. *TR

Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights
Filed Mar 7, 200890,000 milesWA

BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNAL MECHANISM THE WIPERS STOP ON THERE OWN AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND NOW THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AT ALL, PER THE DEALERS INSPECTION. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE YET AS I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL OF A VERY SERIOUS MATTER! *TR

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Motor
Filed Feb 18, 2008308,433 milesMD

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING DURING A RAINSTORM. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jun 23, 200798,500 milesOH

ARBITRARY ACTIVATION OF THE ABS BRAKES AT SLOW SPEEDS OR WHEN PARKING. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO NOT STOP AND CONTINUE MOVING FOR A FEW INCHES TO A FEW FEET. VARY HAZARDOUS WHEN PARKING IN TIGHT AREAS OR AROUND CHILDREN IN A PARKING LOT. HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM ON CHEVY 1999 SILVERADO K1500 PICKUP THAT RESULTED IN A RECALL. WOULD SUGGEST THE SAME ON THIS VEHICLE TO AVOID SAME HAZARDOUS SITUATION. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jun 18, 20072,000 milesTX

FRONT BRAKES WEARING OUT EVERY 6,000 MI, REAR BRAKES SHOW VIRTUALLY NO WEAR AFTER 138,000 MI. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES FEEL SPONGY AND VEHICLE WON'T STOP PROPERLY. WHY DOES SOME ONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE YOU PEOPLE LISTEN. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Nov 7, 200628,154 milesMA

ANTI LOCK BRAKES PULSATE AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT. ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK. *NM

Steering
Filed Aug 15, 2006ID

EXTREME OVER STEERING AT SPEEDS OVER 45 MPH. NEARLY CAUSED A FREEWAY ACCIDENT WITH CAR FULL OF KIDS. PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 93 SUBURBAN WITH NO COMPLAINTS. HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS ONE 4 MONTHS AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE THE STEERING IS SO ERRATIC. ALSO TRAVEL FREQUENTLY WITH HORSE TRAILER AND WORRY THAT THE OVER STEERING WILL CAUSE THE TRAILER TO SWERVE, CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC. *JB

16 of 16 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2007
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202614300Do not drive
202530100Routine
20240100Routine
202317100Routine
20211000Routine
201180210Routine
201053100Routine
200955000Routine
2008101000Routine
2007190060Routine
200631220Routine
200594120Routine
2004182140Routine
2003175110Routine
2002120111Fatalities reported
200192140Routine
200067110Routine
199974000Routine
199814000Routine
1997 — this page16010Routine
19969000Routine
19958010Routine
19949000Routine

Compare every Suburban 1500 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.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.