Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 135 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 135, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 351,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
MAIN BRAKE LINE THAT FEEDS THE REAR BRAKES FAILED ON MY TRUCK WHILE I WAS AT A GM DEALER PARKING LOT. THE BRAKE LINE ROTTED AWAY. HAD THE BRAKE LINE BROKE A FEW MINUTES EARLIER I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WHILE GETTING OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP! WHEN THIS BRAKE LINE BURST I LOST ALL STOPPING ABILITY. *TR
I HAVE SAME PROBLEM AS THE REST , ONLY THING IS ,THERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR
NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS ON AND FLICKERING AT TIMES. CHECKED THE FLUID AND NOTICE IT WAS VERY LOW. TOPPED OFF THE FLUID AND NOTICE SPOTS UNDER THE TRUCK. CHECKED CLOSER AND SAW THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING NEAR THE ABS CONTROLLER FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE BRAKE LINES ALL HAD MODERATE TO SEVER RUST ON THEM AND THIS WAS CAUSING THE LOSS OF FLUID.
BRAKE FLUID LOST DUE TO HOLE IN LINE ONLY HAD EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET 1500 PICKUP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE REAR BRAKES. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHEN HE NOTICED AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHO REPAIRED THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO PROVIDED A PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000. UPDATED 09/05/12*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED WHENEVER HE APPLIED THE BRAKES. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
WHEN DRIVING ON COMPLETELY DRY PAVEMENT IN SUMMER WEATHER, I APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THE ABS ENGAGED AND EXTENDED MY STOPPING DISTANCE GREATLY WHERE I PROCEEDED PAST THE STOP SIGN. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPENED WHEN GOING 5-10 MPH OR LESS UNDER DRY PAVEMENT CONDITIONS. I INQUIRED WITH A MECHANIC WHOM DISENGAGED THE ABS CONNECTION AT THE WHEEL. *TR
ABS ENGAGES AT LOW SPEED RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. OR WHEN STOPPED AND BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED VEHICLE WILL TRAVEL FORWARD UNLESS BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED FURTHER. *TR
1997 CHEVY SILVERADO BRAKE PROBLEM. AT SLOW SPEEDS THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELS TO THE FLOOR DURING A SUDDEN STOP WITH GREATLY INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE REQUIRED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND IS APPARENTLY VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING IS COPIED FROM A POST TO THIS SITE WHICH DESCRIBES EXACTLY THE PROBLEM: "I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO TRUCK. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING RANDOM FAILURE IN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, THEY ENGAGE IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS NO REASON TO. RECENTLY I VIEWED A REPORT THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS INVESTIGATING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 1999 - 2002 MODELS, BUT THE PROBLEM IN THAT INVESTIGATION EXACTLY DESCRIBES MY PROBLEM. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS RANDOM, YOU CANNOT BE PREPARED WHEN YOU DON'T QUITE STOP AS FAST AS EXPECTED. MY TRUCK IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND I CANNOT EXPECT MY SON TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION AS HE IS AN IN-EXPERIENCED DRIVER. I WAS GOING TO SCHEDULE SOON TO HAVE IT FIXED WHEN I VIEWED THE ARTICLE ABOUT A POTENTIAL RECALL. I AM AWAITING TO HEAR YOUR DECISION AND HOPING YOU INCLUDE EARLIER MODELS (1997) SUCH AS MINE IF THERE IS A RECALL." I CONCUR WITH THE ABOVE STATEMENT ENTIRELY. IF YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR THIS SAME COMPLAINT, YOU WILL FIND A DISTURBING NUMBER OF CONSUMERS WHO ARE FACING THIS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY FLAW. THE PROBLEM IS FAR TO COMMON TO BE DISMISSED AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A DESIGN FLAW IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF FAULTY COMPONENTS. THE NEXT PERSON INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS VEHICLE MAY BE SOMEONE YOU KNOW AND LOVE. *TR
AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 5 MPH, EACH TIME I APPLY THE BRAKES TO STOP, THE ABS SYSTEMS ENGAGES AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT BRAKE TO AN IMMEDIATE HALT. NUMEROUS TIMES I BARELY AVOIDED COLLISIONS WITH OTHER VEHICLES AND BUILDINGS. I UNDERSTAND THAT GM IS AWARE OF THIS OR A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON 1999 AND LATER TRUCKS AND HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR A REPAIR ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, BUT NOT ALL. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I DISCOVERED THAT BY REMOVING THE ABS SYSTEM FUSE THE ABS DOES NOT ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE WILL COME TO A STOP UPON APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. I HAVE NOW REMOVED THE ABS SYSTEM FUSE TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM. I NOW KNOW THAT THIS IS A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT GM SHOULD STAND BEHIND OR AT LEAST OFFER TO DISABLE THE ABS SYSTEM (AND THE ABS LIGHT) SO THE CONVENTIONAL BRAKES WILL FUNCTION. *TR
AN UNNECESSARY ACTIVATION OF THE ABS, THE SAME AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA RECALL #05V379000, HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH MY 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. I WAS UNAWARE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, UNTIL RECENTLY. ACCORDING TO THE MAJORITY OF ON-LINE, CHEVY OWNER FORUMS I'VE READ, THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL IN PRE-1999 CHEVY TRUCKS, YET RECALL #05V379000 DOESN'T COVER THEM. IN ORDER TO AVOID A CRASH, I'VE DISCONNECTED THE ABS ON MY TRUCK. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR
I HAVE A 1997 CHEVY TRUCK THAT CONTINUES TO HAVE BRAKE FAILURE. I SEE THE RECALL IS FROM 1999-2003 BUT AM HORRIFIED THAT THE PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL. I HAVE REPLACED EVERY PART OF MY BRAKING SYSTEM AND IT STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I CAN'T STOP!! MY BRAKES ARE GOING TO FAIL AND I HOPE NO ONE GETS KILLED IN THE PROCESS. GM NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ARE ON THE WEB FROM THE 1997 YEAR TRUCK! *TR
97 CHEVY K1500 ABS FALSE ACTIVATION. DEALERS RESPONSE WAS THERE IS NO KNOWN PROBLEM AND IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE WITHOUT PAYMENT. ABS ACTIVATES AT SLOW SPEED AND WHEN BRAKES ARE NOT APPLIED AT ALL. CAUSED MINOR COLLISION WHICH WAS NOT REPORTED. *TR
FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR IN 1997 CHEVY K1500 UNWANTED ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) ACTIVATION THIS CAN CAUSE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING LOW-SPEED BRAKE APPLICATIONS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 10MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ABS ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP FOR ABOUT 10 FEET. THE WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF UNEVEN PAVEMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FRONT ABS RUSTED WHICH CAUSED AN IMPROPER SIGNAL TO THE ABS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 87000.
1997 K1500 CHEVROLET SILVERADO KELSEY HAYES ABS ACTIVATES ON DRY PAVEMENT (NO WHEEL SLIP) BETWEEN 5-10 MPH WHEN BRAKES APPLIED HARD OR SOFTLY. THIS LEADS TO INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE UNLESS BRAKES RELEASED AND REAPPLIED QUICKLY. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR MISS COLLISIONS WITH PARKED VEHICLES (NO COLLISION HAS YET OCCURRED.) ONE FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACED BY DEALER ON 9/2005 (PART NOT AVAILABLE) THIS TEMPORARILY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT ~4 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM BEGAN RECURRING. A SECOND DEALER STATED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN #05V379000) DUE TO RUST ACCUMULATING AROUND FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSORS BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 1997 MODEL YEAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN OWNED AND OPERATED PRIMARILY IN MN, SD, AND NY. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AT LOW SPEEDS, THE ABS ENGAGED RESULTING IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE ABS MOTOR BEGINS SPINNING WHEN THE VEHICLE TRAVELS UNDER 10 MPH. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THERE MUST BE SOMETHING DEFECTIVE WITH THE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.
NO CRASH OR DAMAGE OR INJURY. JUST ABS ON A 1997 TAHOE THAT HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. THEY ENGAGE AT LOW SPEED BRAKING, THE VEHICLE SLIDES AND WHEN THEY ENGAGE YOU CAN HEAR WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A BIG SPRING ENGAGING, WEIRD SOUND. WE HAD NEVER DRIVEN A VEHICLE WITH ABS SO DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS ABNORMAL SOUNDING AND FEELING BUT DIDN'T LIKE IT AND FELT UNCOMFORTABLE. I KEPT TALKING TO PEOPLE AND THEY SUGGESTED I CHECK OUT SERVICE NOTICES/RECALLS. WAS GLAD TO SEE A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH THE 1999 TO 2002 BUT OF COURSE THAT DOESN'T COVER MY 1997. *NM
1997 CHEVY SILVERADO K1500 Z71. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE WAS PREVENTING ME FROM STOPPING AT LOW SPEEDS. THEY HAVE RECALLED ALL THE NEWER MODELS TO FIX THE DEFECT, BUT NOT THE OLDER MODELS. THE ONLY WAY TO DISABLE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE IS TO CUT THE ANTI-LOCK SPEED SENSOR FOR IT. ANTI-BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AFTER. AT LEAST, I HAVE BRAKES. I WAS INVOLVED IN MANY ACCIDENTS, FORTUNATELY, WITH NO MAJOR INJURIES OTHER THAN MANY BUMPER SCRATCHES AND DENTS. TO AVOID HITTING A CAR AT STOP, I HAD TO RUN OFF THE ROAD INTENTIONALLY MANY TIMES. THIS TRUCK COULD GET PEOPLE KILLED IF THEY ARE NOT RECALLED. *JB
WHILE EXITING A RAMP IN LEXINGTON, KY, THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ON MY PICK-UP FAILED, RESULTING IN MY TRUCK NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP. THIS RESULTED IN MY TRUCK ENTERING ON-COMING TRAFFIC AND CAUSED AN NON-INJURY ACCIDENT. MY FAMILY WAS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING MY 3 YEAR OLD SON. THE TRUCK WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME, AND IS PREPARING TO BE REPAIRED. THE BRAKING SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MAL-FUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING, REDUCING OR ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM KICKS IN CONSTANTLY, AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE TRUCK WILL NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP. *NM
FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ AND RESEARCHED, MY 1997 CHEVROLET K1500 FROM MINNESOTA HAS THE CORRODED ABS SPEED SENSORS. AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN STOPPING THE ABS COMES ON EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. THIS HAS CAUSE ME ROLL OUT INTO INTERSECTIONS UNABLE TO STOP. THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DEFECT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL, BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE 1997 OR MINNESOTA WHICH MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE CONSIDERING THE PROBLEM AND ITS POTENTIAL RISKS. *NM
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ON 1997 CHEVROLET K1500 ACTIVATING AT LOW SPEEDS - JUST STARTED. THIS IS ON A TRUCK 2 YEARS OLDER THAN CURRENTLY BEING RECALLED IN OTHER STATES. *JB
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES COME ON AT 6 MPH REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS MAKES THE TRUCK HARDER TO STOP AT LOW SPEEDS BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL AUTOMATICALLY PUMPS. *JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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