1997 Chevrolet Silverado problems & reliability
272 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
13 complaints report injuries (20 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 59 | 22% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 57 | 21% |
| Visibility | 38 | 14% |
| Power Train | 35 | 13% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 20 | 7% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 20 | 7% |
| Suspension | 19 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 16 | 6% |
| Seats | 13 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 8 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 81,000 miles (middle 50% between 54,947 and 107,750 miles), based on 64 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Engine is a 6.5 turbo diesel. I bought this vehicle used so have no previous history whether it happened before I owned it. Vehicle engine started to die while driving, occasionally at first. It would restart immediately sometimes and sometimes it had to sit for a while. This problem started in years previous to 2010…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Oct 23, 2014
“Approximately in 2006, with only 30,000 miles, I noticed antifreeze pooling under my 1097 silverado pickup. I took my vehicle to an auto repair shop and was told that it needed a new radiator. The radiator was replaced. Approximately one month later the same problem. The radiator was again leaking. The radiator was…”
Electrical System · filed Oct 20, 2014
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet silverado. The contact stated that while parked, the driver's side panel caught on fire. Also, the contact mentioned that the power locks and the power windows failed to operate properly. The fire department was not contacted. The vehicle was not destroyed. The vehicle had not…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Aug 22, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
15 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado. The 10 most recent:
Reduced steering effort (diagnose/replace steering wheel position sensor). *kb
070232001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2007
Antilock brake (abs) activation at low speeds. *tt
020525006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Diagnosis of cracked or broken transmission case. *tt 2006 and prior cars and light duty trucks. *tt
020730024A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2005
Replacement of connector when replacing fuel tank module/fuel pump module. *tt
040604088 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2005
Revised diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p1345 crankshaft position (ckp) - camshaft position (cmp) correlation diagnostic procedure. *tt
040604068 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2004
Rattle noise in engine. *tt
030601024A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2004
Engine coolant leak at intake gasket. * mj
01225 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Malfunction indicator lamp on with a p0300 set and a misfire. Various models including 1996 - 1999 p32 models. Sit bulletin 1416475. *tt
00149D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Spring slap noise from the rear of the gmt 400 series truck. *mn
01570 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Malfunction 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
00149C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 2003
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Chevrolet Silverado?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 81,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.