1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Visibility Problems

THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD TO GET THE WIPERS TO WORK I CALLED A FRIEND AND HE SAID TO TAP THE WIPER MOTOR AND IT DID GET THE WIPERS TO WORK UNTIL I GOT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY I CALLED AND GOT A NEW WIPER MOTOR AND INSTALLED IT ON MY TRUCK AND I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. THE WIPER MOTOR WAS NOT CHEAP AND I'M ON A FIXED INCOME. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE WIPER MOTOR I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE TIME IT TOOK ME TO REPLACE IT. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN HELP ME OUT WITH THIS MATTER. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10918150

Incident

Jul 14, 2004

Mileage

76,000 mi

I GOT THE TRUCK IN 2011 AND WHEN THE TITLE CAME IN THE MAIL IT HAD A NOTE THAT THE TRUCK HAD BEEN A DEALER LEMON LAW BUYBACK. MY PROBLEM NOW IS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. I CALLED CHEVROLET FOR SOME ASSISTANCE AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE A CHEVROLET DEALER DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE MOST OF THE CHECK ENGINE RELATED PARTS AND SENSORS AT A COST TO ME OF ABOUT $4000.00. I THINK THAT I AM BEING OVER SOLD. I PAID THE $85.00 AND HAD 2 OTHER TEST AND 2 DIFFERENT DIAGNOSE COST FROM $1500 TO CHANGE INJECTORS. ANOTHER.GM RECALL BUT MILEAGE PROBLEM. CHEVROLET DECLINED ANY HELP. I THINK IF IT WAS A LEMON THERE MUST HAVE HAD A BIG PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE TRUCK IT STILL LOOKS GOOD. ALSO THE WIPERS DON'T WORK AT TIMES THERE WAS A RECALL ON THEM BUT AGE AND MILES MAY BE A PROBLEM. I COULD USE SOME HELP. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621202

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

164,000 mi

I HAVE SAME PROBLEM AS THE REST , ONLY THING IS ,THERE ALL AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10578133

Incident

Apr 7, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPER DEFECT: WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE CORRECTLY, OR AT ALL, DURING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THIS EQUIPMENT FAILURE PUTS A DRIVER AND ALL PASSENGERS AT RISK OF HARM DUE TO INHIBITED VISIBILITY. HAVE HAD TO SUDDENLY CHANGE LANES ON HIGHWAY DURING HEAVY RAIN, PULL OFF, STAND ON EDGE OF DOOR TRIM WITH TRAFFIC DRIVING BY, AND PUSH THE WIPERS MANUALLY UP AND DOWN TO GET THEM WORKING AGAIN. SOMETIMES I WILL HAVE TO OPEN THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK, PUSH THE FUSE TIGHT, PUSH THE WIPERS TO START THEM, AND THEN GO. OUR 1996 CHEVY SUBURBAN WAS RECALLED DUE TO A WINDSHIELD WIPER DEFECT, THEY HAVE WORKED FINE SINCE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COMPONENT WAS REPLACED.. I HAVE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP TWICE TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DEFECT REPAIRED ON THE 1997 C1500 TRUCK. SINCE THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID NOT DO IT WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE VIN NUMBER ON THE TRUCK DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL ( THE SERVICE MANAGER PULLED UP THE RECALL AND CHECKED THE VIN NUMBER OF OUR TRUCK AGAINST THE NUMBERS ON THEIR LIST ON 08/06/2011 AT 12:20 P.M.), THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT. THIS IS BECAUSE, AS IT IS NOW NOT UNDER WARRANTY, THEY WOULD NOT BE REIMBURSED BY GM, REGARDLESS OF MY REMINDING THEM THAT NOT REPLACING IT REMAINS A SAFETY RISK TO THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEGAN IN 2001. SINCE OUR SON IS GOING TO GET HIS LICENSE, AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE TRUCK, I WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE HIS VEHICLE IS A SAFE ONE. IF I HAD KNOWN WHERE TO FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS MATTER, I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS 8 YEARS AGO. THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, EXCEPT REPLACE THE PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10418422

Incident

Nov 28, 2010

Mileage

142,265 mi

VERY SIMILIAR TO GM RECALL NO. 03023, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V159000. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE ON RANDOM INTERMITTEN OCCASIONS. THIS FAILURE OCCURS RANDOMLY AND WITHOUT ANY LEADING INDICATORS. THE FAILURE OCCURS IN THE EVENT WHEN FUNCTIONALITY OF THE WIPERS ARE MOST NEEDED AND HENCE IT EFFECTS THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SHORT IN THE IN THE WIPER CIRCUIT MODULE DUE TO CRACK/STRUCTURE FAILURE OF THE PCB (PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD). THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS SAME ISSUE HOWEVER ON THE SAME VEHICLE BUT ONLY KNOWN FAILURE VIN, NOT ALL VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10366572

Incident

Mar 1, 2010

Mileage

129,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. UPON CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER TO INQUIRE ABOUT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000, VISIBILITY, WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER, HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL COULD NOT BE PERFORMED ON HIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER HAVING RECALL DATA RECORDS. THE RECALL WAS REPORTED BY THE MANUFACTURER APRIL 28, 2003. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 114,000.

NHTSA ID

10320531

Incident

Mar 17, 2010

Mileage

114,000 mi

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND THEN WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THIS MAKE AND MODEL MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS THIS IS A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SAFETY DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10299557

Incident

Jan 11, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THE FAILURE SHE IS EXPERIENCING IS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2008, WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. WHEN HE ARRIVED HOME, HE LIFTED THE HOOD, MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER OR A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED IN THE CONTACT'S GARAGE SINCE THE LAST FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10242235

Incident

Sep 1, 2008

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY ON HER VEHICLE. SHE WOULD HAVE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, OPEN THE HOOD, STRIKE THE WIPER MOTOR WITH A HAMMER OR PLACE SOMETHING UNDER IT FOR IT TO FUNCTION AT ALL. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 152,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10240768

Incident

Feb 13, 2007

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT THEY WOULD NOT WORK. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY MOVE THE WIPERS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO WORK. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER EXTENDS HALFWAY OVER THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,772 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10227920

Incident

Apr 27, 2007

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C1500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. HE MISPLACED THE NOTICE, BUT WHEN HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY STATED THAT HIS VIN DID NOT APPLY TO ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 03/14/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT ACTIVATE OR TURN OFF.

NHTSA ID

10211385

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C1500. THE CONTACT FELT THAT HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND GRABBED THE WIPER ARM BLADE, WHICH CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO TURN ON AND OFF. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 01-10-08. *KB UPDATED 12/31/07

NHTSA ID

10207683

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE WIPER MOTOR STOPS WITH NO WARNING AND I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE TRUCK AND HIT THE WIPER MOTOR TO GET IT GOING AGAIN. I CALLED GM ABOUT THIS AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY WILL ONLY FIX TRUCKS UP TO 1996. MY TRUCK IS A 1997 MODEL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10206867

Incident

Sep 10, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. WHILE DRIVING DURING A RAINSTORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.

NHTSA ID

10193023

Incident

Oct 6, 2006

Mileage

161,000 mi

MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM AND A RECALL WAS RECOMMENDED BY NHTSA. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK, DON'T WORK, OR WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN EVER THEY ARE TURNED ON. CHEVROLET HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO DATE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10178936

Incident

Jun 15, 2004

Mileage

90,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. ON 08/30/06, THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AFTER OBSERVING THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #03V159000, REGARDING THE VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER ON OTHER MODELS MADE BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 9/13/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10167077

Incident

Aug 27, 2006

Mileage

55,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT WORK. IT STARTED OUT THE WASHER WOULDN'T ALWAYS WORK AND THEN THE WIPERS FOLLOWED SUIT. THE FIRST TIME MY WIPERS DIDN'T WORK MY VISIBILITY DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY AND IT WAS A DANGEROUS DRIVE HOME. I LOOKED UP THIS PROBLEM ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND SAW THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE DID NOT GET RECALLED. OTHER MODELS IN MY YEAR WERE RECALLED AND MY MODEL IN PREVIOUS YEARS WERE RECALLED. CHEVY DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE ME $175 TO REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD. I REMOVED THE BOARD CLEANED IT RE-SOLDERED IT AND REINSTALLED IN 30 MINUTES. EVERYTHING WORKS GREAT NOW. *JB

NHTSA ID

10158186

Incident

May 15, 2006

Mileage

109,300 mi

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THE CHEVROLET SILVERADO I OWN WILL SUDDENLY QUIT WORKING LEADING TO VERY POOR VISIBILITY. THEY WILL WORK FINE FOR THE FIRST 15-20 MINUTES WHILE IT IS RAINING AND THEN SUDDENLY QUIT MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I HAVE NOTICED OTHER RECALLS FOR VEHICLES VERY SIMILAR TO MINE REGARDING A "CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD" FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I CALLED CHEVROLET AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157240

Incident

Apr 14, 2006

Mileage

152,000 mi

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET C-1500 PICK-UP TRUCK FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY. AT THE FIRST RAIN OF THE SEASON, THE WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. THIRTY MINUTES LATER, THE WIPERS BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. THE WIPERS HAVE FAILED TO FUNCTION ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS NOW. FOR AN UNEXPLAINABLE REASON, THEY RESUME WORKING AFTER WAITING A PERIOD OF TIME RANGING FROM TEN TO THIRTY MINUTES. THE TRUCK CANNOT BE DRIVEN WHEN THE WIPERS ARE NOT WORKING. (SAFETY ISSUE AND VEHICLE CODE VIOLATION) NO REPAIRS YET TAKEN. RUMOR CIRCULATING THAT GM MAY RECALL THE WIPER CIRCUITRY BOARD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10145863

Incident

Oct 29, 2005

WIPER MOTOR INTERMITTENTLY QUITS WORKING. THE WIPERS QUIT WHEN RAINING OR SNOWING CAUSING ZERO VISABLILITY AND THE VERY HIGH RISK OF CRASHING. THERE WAS A 2003 RECALL FOR A BAD SOLDER JOINT IN THE MOTOR, BUT IT ONLY INCLUDED VEHICLES WITH 70, 000 MILES OR LESS THUS ELIMINATING 95 PERCENT OF THE 1997'S ON THE ROAD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10145735

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

90,000 mi

I OWN A 1997 CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK VIN [XXX]. MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO WORK AT VARIOUS TIMES. I'VE ALMOST HAD TWO WRECKS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED GENERAL MOTORS AND THEY TOLD ME MY TRUCK IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE RECALL PROBLEM WITH MY WIPERS. GM TOLD ME TO HAVE IT FIXED AND TO SAVE MY RECEIPT FOR A FUTURE RECALL. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10144841

Incident

Dec 5, 2005

Mileage

97,000 mi

HAVE A 1997 CHEVY C1500 FULL SIZE TRUCK AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THEY WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO AND THEY TURN OFF WHEN THEY WANT. ALMOST GOT IN TO A ACCIDENT BECAUSE THEY STOPPED WITH NO WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF A DOWNPOUR. THEN THEY START BACK UP A FEW MINUTES LATER THEN REPEATED ITS SELF. NOW THERE IS A RECALL FOR 1997 TRUCKS BUT MY VIN# WAS NOT INCLUDED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144137

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

Mileage

120,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. UPDATED 05/30/06. *AK

NHTSA ID

10143095

Incident

Jul 15, 2005

INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPER OPERATION, WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE OR STOP OPERATION WHILE DRIVING. THIS SERIES/YEAR/MAKE/MODEL SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING RECALL 03V-159. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142643

Incident

Dec 1, 2003

Mileage

65,000 mi

IT WAS RAINING,I TURNED ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS,THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED WORKING,THEN STARTED WORKING AGAIN. AFTER THE RAIN STOPPED I TURNED OFF THE WIPERS BUT THEY WOULD NOT TURN OFF AT ALL. I HAD TO STOP MY TRUCK AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE FOR MY WIPERS TO STOP. I CHECK FOR A RECALL AND TO MY SURPRISE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE SAME YEAR OF MY TRUCK. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID TO BRING MY VEHICLE IN. WHEN I TOOK THE TRUCK FOR A SERVICE RECALL,THEY CHECKED THE VIN# THEN ADVISED ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY TRUCK. I SAID THERE WAS A RECALL AND I WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE RECALL. THE SERVICE DEPT. SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I CALLED GENERAL MOTORS THEY SAID THAT MY TRUCK ALTHOUGH IT IS THE SAME YEAR AND HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE RECALL,MY TRUCK IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10141824

Incident

Nov 1, 2005