Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 61 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 61 · page 1 of 3
TRUCK HAS A DIESEL ENGINE WITH A DEFECTIVE INJECTOR PUMP. ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF WITH OUT NOTICE, NO INDICATION, JUST INSTANTLY SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A TOTAL OF 5 OR 6 INJECTOR PUMPS SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW. THE LAST OCCURRENCE WAS MARCH 2014. *TR
1997 CHEVROLET 3500. WRANGLER HT TIRES (LT245/75R16) WERE DRY ROTTED. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES DID NOT HAVE ANY TREAD LEFT. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL ON LOW SPEEDS. AS OF DECEMBER 11, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE CONTACT FELT THAT HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 205,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF
FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEM IN 1997 CHEVROLET PICKUP CK3500.*JB
COMPLAINT IS FOR A TIRE PLY FAILURE ON A FIRESTONE FIREHAWK RMT TIRE SIZE LT235/85-R16
DT: CONTACT STATES THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE, AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. THEN HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HIM HIS VEHICLE DID QUALIFY BUT HIS VEHICLE HAD MORE THAN 70000 MILES, AND THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE IT. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000. THE CONTACT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE AS THIS RECALL STATES: ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL. THE CONTACT HAD THE PART REPLACED TODAY. *AK THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. SOMETIMES THE WIPERS WOULD ONLY WORK ON HIGH SPEED. *SC
I HAVE A 1997 CHEVY 3500 4X4 PICKUP TRUCK. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THEY SEEM TO COME ON AT SLOW SPEEDS UNEXPECTEDLY. I HAD THEM REPLACED 1 TIME AT A COST OF $700, HOWEVER WITHIN 3 MONTHS THE PROBLEM RECUERRED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPAIRING THEM AS UPON TALKING TO OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLES BY GM THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THE SOLUTION TO WHICH IS TO REMOVE THE ABS FUSE RENDERING THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS 1999-2001. WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT IS ALSO COMMON TO VEHICLES MADE BEFORE 1999. THERE MAY NOT BE MAY COMPLAINTS BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE PULL THE FUSE AND DISABLE THE ABS SYSTEM.
WHILE DRIVING AND UPON MAKING A STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE THEN SURGED FORWARD. IT FELT AS IF SOMETHING DISENGAGED, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER FOUND THAT A CLIP BROKE WHICH LEFT THE BRAKE PEDAL SWINGING. *AK THE CLIP WHICH HOLDS THE MASTER CYLINDER ROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BROKE ALLOWING THE ROD TO SLIP OFF. *NM
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WHILE RAINING. WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE, COULD NOT SEE, HAD TO STOP AND WAIT FOR RAIN TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO FIX.
I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ON MY 3500 CHEVY. 1997 PICK UP TRUCK, THERE IS ONLY 56.000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED IN AND HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AT MY COST, I CALLED THE CHEY. FACTORY AND THE GIRL SAID THEY HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PUMPS. ALL I KNOW IS I'M GLAD I WASN'T TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS YOU CAN'T CONTROLL THE STEERING OR THE BRAKING ON THIS TRUCK.
IN AN EMERGENCY OR PANIC STOP ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. ONCE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THERE WAS 3 OR 4 SECONDS OF NO BRAKING POWER. *AK AS A RESULT, CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER SAID THAT IT WAS A NORMAL BEHAVIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS PERFORMING BY DESIGN. *LA
WHEN TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN TRYING TO TURN LEFT. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND MADE SOME REPAIRS TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM. HOWEVER, BRAKES STILL OPERATED POORLY. *AK
STEERING PROBLEMS. SINCE MY TRUCK WAS NEW I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING, PARTICULARLY WHEN GOING AT LOW SPEED. SOMETIMES THERE IS ALSO UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST THAT PULLS THE CAR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT A DEALER AND BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED BY A GM DEALER AND BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. SOMETIMES, WHEN I PULL INTO MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS USUALLY A LEFT HAND TURN, I TOTALLY LOSE THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE ALSO HAD REPEATED FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH SYSTEM AND SLAVE CYLINDER. I HAVE COMPLAINED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO GM WITH NO RESULTS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH THREE TIMES. AT ONE POINT, IT SHOT ME FORWARD OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY INTO THE TRAFFIC UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH. I BELIEVE IT IS A DANGER. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME TROUBLE SINCE THE TRUCK HAD 30,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT IT IS DEFECTIVE. GM WILL DO NOTHING AND HAS DONE NOTHING SINCE THE FIRST COMPLAINT AT 30,000 MILES.
WE HAVE A 1997 CHEV ONE TON TRUCK WITH 6 TIRES. WE CHECKED OUR TIRES YESTERDAY AND FOUND THEM TO HAVE CRACKS IN SEVERAL OF THE SIDE WALLS AND ONE EVEN SEEMED TO BE STARTING A BUBBLE. THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED BY AIR PRESSURE CHECKED AND ROTATED. THERE IS ABOUT 27,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES LT225/75/R16
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE GAS TANK. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 84000 MILES. FUEL TANK SPLIT BETWEEN TWO TO THREE INCHES IN BETWEEN THE TANK. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 1998 MODEL, BUT CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, AND MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REIMBURSE THE MONEY.DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED, VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP.*AK
WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. *NLM
THE PROBLEM OCCURS BECAUSE THE DIESEL FILLER CAP IS NOT LABELED NOR IS THE FILLER DOOR NOR DOES THE MANUAL CONTAIN ANY NOTICE. THE CAP ON A 1997 VEHICLE (NON-DIESEL FITS ON A DIESEL) ONE IS APPARAENTLY VENTED ONE IS NOT. BUT THERE IS NOT WAY TO AS CERTAIN WHICH IS VENTED IN WHICH IS NOT. THE AFTERMARKET DEALERS DO NOT SHOW A DISTINCTION. APPARENTLY, THE CAP I PLACED ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT VENTED AND RESULTED IN THE TANK IMPLODING TO THE POINT THAT THE INTAKE TUBE AND SENSOR WERE BENT WITHIN 6 INCHES IF THE TOP OF THE TANK. THE TANK WAS FLATTENED. GM NEEDS TO MARK THESE FILLER CAPS. DT
CONSUMER STATES THE THE DISTRIBUTOR GEAR TEETH BROKE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS STILL DRIVING, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. NLM THE GEAR TEETH BROKE BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TEETH OF THE DISTRIBUTOR GEAR. THE DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT IS SLIGHTLY BENT. *JG
CONSUMER DOES NOT LIST DEFECT.
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 72MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND SAW THAT DRIVER'S SIDE LEFT FRONT TREAD SEPARATED. GENERAL TIRES, P235/7016 . *AK
THE TWO CENTER CROSS MEMBERS WHICH HOLD THE FUEL TANK HAD CRACKS, ONE CRACKED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND THE SECOND WAS CRACKED 3/4'S THROUGH THE METAL, THE FUEL TANK ALMOST TOUCHED THE GROUND, THE CROSS MEMBERS WERE REPLACED. *CJ
DRIVING 60MPH HEARD A LOUD POP. PULLED OVER & SAW THE LEFT REAR TIRE HAD LOST ALL TREAD. TREAD HAD HIT VEHICLE & BENT FENDER. PART OF TREAD WAS STILL ON TIRE WHICH HAD DEFLATED. PLACED SPARE ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE RETAILER & HAD IT REPLACED. OTHER 3 TIRES WERE OKAY. 1997, CHEVROLET 3500(REPLACEMENT) WITH 13,000 MILES. FIRESTONE, STEEL TEX, R4S LT 265/75R16, DOT VNW81XM278. *AK *SLC
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR SEEMS TO BE DEFECTIVE. SOMETIMES IT WILL WORK AND OTHER TIMES IT WILL NOT, RESULTING IN A VERY POTENTIAL HAZARD WHEN DRIVING. KNOW OF 2 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE 1993-1997 GMC C/K PICK-UPS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR WIPER MOTORS REPLACED DUE TO THIS IDENTICAL DEFECT.*AK
WHEN HITTING A RAISED SECTION ON ROAD AND APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WILL TAKE AT LEAST AN EXTRA 5 FEET BEFORE IT WILL STOP. CONSUMER MUST APPLY BRAKES EXTREMELY HARD.*AK
FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP, WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*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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