1997 Chevrolet Van problems & reliability
27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Chevrolet Van. 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 7 | 26% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 15% |
| Equipment | 4 | 15% |
| Structure | 4 | 15% |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 11% |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 11% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 11% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 11% |
| Steering | 3 | 11% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 13 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I have a 1997 chevy venture. I have been having problems with the rack and pinion. There is a recall on them but chevy says there is no recall. I first talked to someone on the phone and they told me that yes there was a recall. They told me to take it to the chevy dealer. I took it and they said there was no recall…”
Steering · filed Nov 26, 2007
“In only four months, all 4 of my goodyear regatta tires with only 50,000 miles on them blew out while on the highway. (4 different incidents). The company had audacity to tell me that these were all the results of "road hazards" and that the same could happen to any tire. I have been driving for 40 years and have…”
Tires · filed Jun 22, 2007
“Dt: the consumer stated the headlights were blinding to other vehicles. The headlights have been adjusted numerous times and have been replaced about 10 times.*ak”
Exterior Lighting · filed Jul 6, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
5 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Chevrolet Van.
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17-NA-073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 21, 2023
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the media disc player with the latest calibrations to correct a condition of the rear entertainment system not operating as intended in colder ambient…
16NA260 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2016
Vehicle Recalls
Recalls · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 30, 2014
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
130089009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2013
Special policy for safety belt guide cover. *yc
98030 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 1998
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 Van 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 Van?
- · 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.