Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. 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. 34 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 34, in the owner's own words
I REMOVED BED OFF MY TRUCK TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP AND NOTICED SECTIONS OF MY REAR FRAME MISSING OR JUST PAPER THIN DUE TO ROT/CORROSION AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT'S SAD I'VE OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR 8YEARS AND TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT STILL HAS ALL OF ITS ORIGINAL BODY PANELS IN RUST/ROT FREE AND FLOORS ARE MINT JUST THE FRAME IS JUNK. *TR
TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH I BEGAN FOR AN UPCOMING STOP SIGN, TWO SCHOOL BUSES WERE ALREADY STOPPED AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE PEDDLE WENT QUICKLY TO THE FLOOR WITH LITTLE RESULTS, I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE TRUCK IN LOW GEAR, TURNED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND WITH THE EMER. BRAKE AND WHAT LITTLE BRAKE THAT WAS LEFT I WAS ABLE TO GET STOPPED SAFELY. I WOULD LEARN THE WELDING ON THE UPPER SHOCK BRACKET HAD FAILED ALLOWING MOVEMENT WHICH ALLOWED METAL TO RUB AGAINST THE BRAKE LINE WHICH RUNS PAST THAT AREA. THE LINE FAILED WITH THE LOSE OF FLUID AND THE BRAKES. REPAIRS INCLUDED REPLACING OF THE UPPER FRT.SUSP CONTROL ARM ASSY MISC BRACKETS AND SHELDS AND REWELDING UPPER SHOCK BRACKET. IT ALSO INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE LINE.*AK
WHEN DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT THAT CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO STEER. *AK
THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER ON THE SCENE SAID THAT ALL EVIDENCE (PHYSICAL & WITNESS STATEMENTS) ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE BALL JOINT FAILING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE SCENE, INCLUDING CLOSE-UPS OF THE FAILED BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE IS TOTALED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 TO 45 MPH CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. ALSO, TWO FRONT TIRES TURNED. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED STEERING SPEED SENSORS.
STEERING WHEEL JERKS THE WHEEL THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAN YOU ARE TURNING. *AK
AT 25 MPH AND ABOVE THE VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK WHEN ROUNDING A CORNER OR MAKING A TURN. IT WILL JERK THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING RIGHT AND LEFT. HIGHER SPEEDS TEND TO MAKE THE JERKING WORSE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CERTIFIED MECHANICS EVALUATE THE PROBLEM FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP, GEAR HOUSING OR EVEN THE SENSOR. AFTER REASEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE LOCAL AND NATIONALLY LEVEL, I WOULD LIKE A DEFINATE SOLUTION BEFORE I SINK HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS INTO THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WILL JERK IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WITHOUT WARNING. SENDING YOU TOWARDS TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY CHEVROLET TRUCK. AT 31,000, MILES THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS WENT BAD. AT 41,000 MILES THE BRAKE MASTER CYLENDER AND PITTMAN ARM AND IDLER ARM ASSEMBLIES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BEING THAT IT WAS OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD, I DID NOT TAKE IT TO A CHEVEROLET DEALER INCURRING THE COST MYSELF. AT 49,000 MILES THE REAR U JOINT NEEDED REPAIR. AT THIS POINT, I STARTED TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS MORE TO THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK AS THESE PARTS DO NOT USUALLY NEED REPAIR AT SUCH LOW MILAGE. TO TOP IT OFF, AT 51,000 THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ALL 1991 AND LATER FULL SIZE CHEVY TRUCKS HAVE "KNOCK OUTS" THAT PREVENT FRONT END ALIGNMENT BY THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. MANY TRUCKS ARE BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER WITH WORN TIRES AND THE OWNERS ARE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE ALIGNMENT. A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED DESCRIBING HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. CHEVROLET SHOULD RECALL AND REMOVE ALL KNOCK OUTS FREE OF CHARGE.
NEW DESIGN IF THE FRONT END CAUSED THE TRUCK TO HAVE 'KNOCK OUTS' THE PREVENT THE FRONT END FROM BEING ALIGNED PROPERLY THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN PREMATURELY WORN TIRES. NLM
THE VEHICLE STEERS AS IF IT WERE TRAVELING ON A ROUGH ROAD (ALTHOUGH IT IS ACTUALLY TRAVELING ON A SMOOTH SURFACE) UNEXPECTEDLY JERKING IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AND FRONT END REALIGNED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THE DRIVER MUST KEEP AN ABNORMALLY FIRM GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL.
UPON ACCELERATION TRUCK WANTS TO GO LEFT, ON DEACCELERATION WITH NO BRAKE APPLIED, TRUCK WANTS TO GO RIGHT. CAN STEER DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD BY USING THROTTLE ONLY WITH NO STEERING WHEEL INPUTS. MIGHT BE A LEAF SPRING BUSHING MAY BE WORN AND SLOPPY.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE IS DRIFTING FROM LANE TO LANE DUE A FRONTALIGNMENT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SERVICED. WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER, THE CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT WITH BOTH HANDS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING AND JERKING. *AK
DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OUTSIDE SIDEVIEW POWER MIRRORS WILL SHAKE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. MANUFACUTRER IS AWARE OF DEFECT. *AK
BOUGHT NEW, PULLED 26FT TRAILER TO ALASKA AND BACK, NO PROBLEMS. 6000+- MILES AFTER GETTING HOME REAREND STARTER MAKING NOISE, NO TRAILER PULLING. REAREND OVERHAUL. LEFT FOR MICHIGAN ON FAMILY REUNION, GOT THERE AND STARTED HOME, BLEW REAREND EFFANLIHAMM,IL OVERHAULER AND 760 MILES LATER REAREND GREASE COVERED TRAILER AND ALMOST FIRE, SMOKING BAD, NEW REAREND ASSEMBLE ORDERED FROM CANADA, INSTALLED AND 711 MILES LATER NOISEY BAD. LAST NEW ASSEMBLE NOISEY NOW , #5 FOR TRUCK. DEALER SAYS NOT PULL TRAILER AND WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM. TOWING PACKAGE 350FI,373 REAREND, TRUCK DON'T KNOW TRAILER BACK THERE, ALTERNATOR WENT OUT IN ENNIS AND LEFT STRANDED IN MIDDLE I45 AND WIFE AND KIDS SCARED TO LEAVE TOWN IN TRUCK. CHEVY WON'T OR CAN'T FIX, JUST PUT ANOTHER REAREND IN TO GET ME OUT OF THE WAY. ALLMOST GOT WHOLE FAMILY AND YORKIE DOG WIPED OUT ON I45 STOPPAGE. DEAD IN ROAD. ***AT 35.000 MILES TOOK BACK TO RON CARTER AND SAID PLEASE TAKE NOISE OUT OF TRUCK SO I CAN SELL. LEFT SET ON LOT FOR 3 SAYS AND SAID DAMAGED RONN
MY 1997 C-1500 PICKUP HAS THE PROBLEM OF VEERING AT HIGH SPEED. MY RESPONSE IS DUE TO A ARTICLE THAT I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM. MY TRUCK DOES THIS MORE OFTEN IF THERE HAS BEEN A SUDDEN CHANGE IN THE WEATHER OR IF IT IS COLD WEATHER. THE PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICED WHEN NEGOTIATING CURVES AT HIGH SPEED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF OVER 40 MPH THE TRUCK WILL SUDDENLY VEER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT WITHOUT WARNING. BEARINGS AND ALIGNMENT HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND ARE OKAY. DEALER HAS NOT YET SEEN THE VEHICLE, BUT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED BY PHONE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
REPEAT CONCERNS OF VEHICLE WANDERING. FEELS LOOSE AND CONSTANTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. GM HAS A TSB (76-30-01), ADDRESSING THIS CONCERN. BOTH DEALER AND CHEVROLET DIVISION REFUSED COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY, REGARDLESS OF REVISED ALIGNMENT SPECS DETAILED IN TSB (CHEVROLET CASE # 990279369). *AK
DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE RIGHT. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH OR HIGHER VEHICLE VIBRATES,CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE. *AK
WHILE MAKING A FULLY LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN THE TIRES HIT THE CONTROL ARM AND SWAY BARS, PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM COMPLETING THE TURN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATES NORMAL OPERATIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE IS WEARING OUT BRAKE PADS TOO SOON FOR NORMAL WEAR AT 28000 MILES. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT NOTHING COULD BE DONE AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR REPAIR AND SERVICE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE IS NOISE IN THE REAR AXLE AREA WHILE TRAVELING OVER BUMPS, DEALER UNABLE TO LOCATE RATTLE. *SLC
UNSAFE BOUNCING ON CERTAIN PAVEMENT, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE.
STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK TO THE RIGHT/STRAIGHT AWAY AND TURNING CURVES. DEALER CONTACTED ABOUT TEN TIMES FOR THE FRONT END REPAIR WORK, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY, DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
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.
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