1997 Chevrolet Silverado Owner Complaints

PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY WARMING UP, BAG ENGAGED. LEFT EAR HURT BY BLAST AND RINGING IN LEFT EAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676254

Incident

Jan 17, 2015

Mileage

144,289 mi

ENGINE IS A 6.5 TURBO DIESEL. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED SO HAVE NO PREVIOUS HISTORY WHETHER IT HAPPENED BEFORE I OWNED IT. VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED TO DIE WHILE DRIVING, OCCASIONALLY AT FIRST. IT WOULD RESTART IMMEDIATELY SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES IT HAD TO SIT FOR A WHILE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN YEARS PREVIOUS TO 2010 INTERMITTENTLY BUT BECAME MORE FREQUENT IN 2010- 2011. DIDN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED I WAS TRAVELING, IT WOULD QUIT ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 75 MPH OR IN DRIVEWAY GOING 5 MPH. SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND IMMEDIATELY LIKE SOMEONE TURNED THE KEY OFF. ALL POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES FAILED BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP IT WHEN IT HAPPENED, ONLY BECAUSE I KNEW HOW TO STEER WITH OUT POWER STEERING AND HAD THE STRENGTH TO DO IT. WITH OTHERS THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS WERE MADE OVER THE YEARS WITH A MECHANIC TO FIND THE PROBLEM WITH NO LUCK. FINALLY SOMEONE SUGGESTED REPLACING THE PMD MODULE WHICH I DID IN 2011 AND IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR 3 MORE YEARS. IT IS NOW HAPPENING AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THE PMD MODULE NEEDS TO BE LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BECAUSE IT GETS TOO HOT AND CAUSES THIS FAILURE. I BELIEVE THIS CONSTITUTES A POOR DESIGN AND A DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED. SINCE THIS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE JUST IN MY AREA WHO OWN THE SAME TYPE OF ENGINE AND HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND OTHERS IN OTHER AREAS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649450

Incident

Jan 14, 2010

Mileage

89,000 mi

APPROXIMATELY IN 2006, WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES, I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE POOLING UNDER MY 1097 SILVERADO PICKUP. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR. THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER THE SAME PROBLEM. THE RADIATOR WAS AGAIN LEAKING. THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES UNTIL THE OWNER OF THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT HE WOULD NO LONGER REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND EXPLAINED THAT THE 1997 SILVERADO PICKUP WAS KNOWN FOR A CONDITION CALLED. ELECTROLYSIS. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE AFTER EACH TIME I DROVE THE VEHICLE. I STARTED TO REMOVING THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AND WITHIN 3 WEEKS THE SAME PROBLEM. I THEN CONTACTED RUDOLPH CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN EL PASO, TEXAS. THEY REFUSED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM AND REFERRED ME TO EMMITT RADIATOR SHOP, ALSO IN EL PASO, TEXAS. THEY ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE $80.00 PER HOUR WITH A MINIMUM OF 10 TO 12 HOURS WITH NO GUARANTEE. THEY DID SUGGEST THAT I REMOVE BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLES. THIS IS WHERE THE PROBLEM WITH THE EXPLODING BATTERY COMES TO LIGHT. WHEN I WOULD TRY TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLES AFTER EACH TRIP, EVEN TO THE MOVIES OR OUT TO DINNER, THE BATTERY WOULD BE SO HOT THAT IT WOULD BURN MY HANDS. I ALSO KEPT REPLACING THE BATTERIES AND FINALLY ASK A SALESWOMAN AT AUTO ZONE SUPPLY HOUSE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE BATTERIES AND HE POINTED TO THE BATTERY AND SAID, "LOOK AT THE SIDES OF THE BATTERY, HOW IT IS EXTENDING OUTWARD IT COULD EXPLODE". AGAIN I WAS TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS FALLS INTO THE CATEGORY OF A LEMON AND GENERAL MOTORS KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM THE 1997 SILVERADO PICKUP AND HAVE PLACED CONSUMERS IN HARMS WAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10648881

Incident

Oct 10, 2006

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE DRIVER'S SIDE PANEL CAUGHT ON FIRE. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE POWER LOCKS AND THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,600. UPDATED 9/29/14*CN UPDATED 2/26/2015 *JS

NHTSA ID

10627600

Incident

Jun 12, 2014

Mileage

187,600 mi

BRAKE LINE RUSTED INTO ON LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS REPAIRED, EVERY SINCE THIS HAPPENED BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY SPONGY STOPPING POWER IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE OR SHOULD BE. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED FRONT CALIPERS,ROTORS,PADS,MASTER CYLINDER,POWERBRAKE BOOSTER,REAR DRUMS, SHOES,CYLINDERS,EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE .CANNOT GET THE AIR OUT OF BRAKE SYSTEM VERY ANNOYING SITUATION AND DANGEROUS BECAUSE I CANNOT STOP TRUCK VERY QUICKLY DUE TO SPONGY BRAKES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10504888

Incident

Jul 15, 2009

Mileage

90,000 mi

WHEN GOING 10 MPH OR LESS, APPLYING THE BRAKES EITHER PRODUCES A VERY HARD PEDAL OR ANTI-LOCKS KICK IN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON DRY ROADS WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE PEDAL PRESSURE. WAS INSTRUCTED THAT ONLY 1999 AND NEWER SILVERADOS ARE INCLUDED IN A CAMPAIGN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255478

Incident

Jul 6, 2008

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE WINDOW WIPERS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A CRACKED JOINT IN THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

NHTSA ID

10238878

Incident

Jul 8, 2007

Mileage

89,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STANDING ON THE TAILGATE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V066000 CONCERNING THE TAILGATE: HINGES: ATTACHMENTS. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN AND THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10152421

Incident

Dec 1, 2005

Mileage

112,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS ENGAGED WHILE STOPPING AT SPEEDS OF 10MPH OR LESS. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER.

NHTSA ID

10150237

Incident

Feb 14, 2006

Mileage

107,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT INTERMITTENTLY. THE PULLING OCCURS SUDDENLY AND LAST FOR ONLY A SECOND. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED FOR THE PROBLEM BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP IN 2000. THE REPAIR SHOP WAS UNABLE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PULLING. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER YESTERDAY. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE A POSSIBLE CAUSE BY PHONE AND SUGGESTED REPAIRING THE STEERING SENSOR. *NM UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147904

Incident

Jan 16, 2006

Mileage

170,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING OUT FROM A PARKING PLACE OR SLOWING DOWN, AND WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKES WILL BECOME STIFF AND WILL PULSATE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10144787

Incident

Jan 15, 2005

Mileage

62,000 mi

I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS REAR ENDED BY A FORD F-150 GOING 20-40 MPH ESTIMATED. BOTH MY SON AND I WERE HURLED BACKWARDS BECAUSE THE SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. WE BOTH SUSTAINED INJURIES TO OUR NECKS AND BACKS. I BELIEVE THAT IF WE WERE NOT REAR ENDED OR THE SEATS WOULDN'T HAVE COLLAPSED WE WOULD HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INJURIES. I BELIEVE THESE SEATS HAVE A POTENTIAL OF BEING DANGEROUS AND THE COMPANY NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT RIGHT AWAY BEFORE SOME ELSE GETS INJURED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144195

Incident

Nov 8, 2005

Mileage

101,000 mi

DT: CONTACT STATES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER; THEY STATED THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE OF A FAULTY SENSOR. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED NO FREE REMEDY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10142737

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

WIND SHIELD WIPER FAILS TO WORK WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TOO THERE IS A RECALL FOR THEM BUT MY TRUCK ISN'T ON THE LIST 1997 CHEVY NHTSA#03V159000 IT FUNNY THAT MINE IS DOING WHAT THEY RECALLED THEM FOR BUT I'M NOT COVERED JUST WONDERING WHY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10141647

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

DT: THE CONSUMER NOTICED A PROBLEM ON DECEMBER 1, 2004 WITH THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM, THERE IS A RECALL BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE ABS SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE. CAN HEAR A MOANING SOUND WHEN IT ACTIVATES. THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES NO MATTER WHAT THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE. THERE IS NO FOREWARNING BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED IT WAS INTERMITTENT, AND NOW IT DOES THIS EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10139574

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

DT: THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD NOT START. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS, THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. THE CONSUMER ASSUMED IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. HE DETERMINED THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT ASSEMBLY HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE WHICH MELTED THE WIRING INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE FLAMES, WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WAS UNKNOWN. HE WAS UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD HAVE NOT KNOWN UNLESS THE MECHANIC HAD PULLED THE FUEL PAN BED AND DISCOVERED THIS FAILURE. THE MECHANIC OFFERED NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED. THE PLASTIC SIMPLY MELTED, AND THE WIRING WAS BURNED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS OR CORRECTIONS MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10138535

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

Mileage

127,000 mi

DT: 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR WHEN BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36, 000 MILES. HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THERE NEEDED TO BE A RECALL ON OLDER VEHICLES REGARDING ANTI LOCK BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10138525

Incident

Oct 2, 2005

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AS NOTED IN NHTSA RECALL 03V159000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE DEALERSHIP, BOTH STATED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. NO REPAIRS OR CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN IN THE PAST YEAR AND OCCURRED AT ABOUT 39,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE IS A 1997, CHEVROLET K1500 SILVERADO. *AK

NHTSA ID

10136567

Incident

Mar 13, 2005

Mileage

39,000 mi

DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY CONTACTED GM AND FILED A COMPLAINT ON JUNE 1, 2005. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10131875

Incident

Jun 1, 2005

THE REAR BRAKE LINE (STEEL) ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO FRACTURED WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROADWAY RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND DIMINISHED BRAKING ABILITY. THE BRAKE LINE, WHICH WAS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRAME RAIL ALONGSIDE THE FUEL TANK, WAS REPLACED AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND IS NOW IN MY POSSESSION. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE TWO (2) INSTANCES RECENTLY AT THE SAME DEALER WHERE THE SAME BRAKE LINE ON 1997 CHEVROLET PICKUPS FAILED DUE TO RUST. I NOTED THAT MY FAILED BRAKE LINE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN RUSTED IN THE AREA OF THE FAILURE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10135880

Incident

Sep 8, 2005

Mileage

55,263 mi

THE ISSUE THAT HAS JUST CAUSED THE 800,000 VEHICLE RECALL FOR GM, THE ISSUE WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, IS ON VEHICLES OLDER THAN THE 1999. I HAVE A 1997 SILVERADO AND WAS HAVING THE PROBLEM OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ENGAGING AT LOW SPEEDS, IT STARTED HAPPENING IN 1999 AND GOT WORSE OVER TIME. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS AND THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR THAT TRIGGERS THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKES, AT A COST OF SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. THEY SAID THIS SENSOR GETS DIRTY AND THEN FAILS. I AM CONCERNED AS TO WHY THE RECALL IS ONLY GOING BACK TO THE 1999 MODELS WHEN IN FACT THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING IN OLDER MODELS AS WELL, AS I SAID MINE IS A 1997 SILVERADO.*JB

NHTSA ID

10134776

Incident

Jun 19, 2000

Mileage

70,000 mi

ENGINE INTAKE ANTI-FREEZE LEAK IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR 1997 CHEVY TRUCKS AND SHOULD BE A FACTORY PAID FOR FIX. BUT NO THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, WE AS CONSUMERS HAVE PAID AS MUCH AS 600.00 TO 700.00 TO HAVE GM DEALERS TO DO THIS. WITCH I THINK IS WRONG!!!!!!!!!*JB

NHTSA ID

10131166

Incident

Apr 15, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A RURAL HIGHWAY, IT BEGAN TO DOWNPOUR. I TURNED MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I BECAME FRANTIC AND TRIED TO PULL OVER, WITHOUT EVEN SEEING WHERE I WAS GOING. UPON INTERNET RESEARCH, AND THIS WEBSITE, I AM NOW AWARE OF A RECALL EFFECTING CERTAIN BATCHES OF MY MODEL. THE RECALL INFO IS AS FOLLOWS: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V159000 I'VE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHO THEN TOLD ME THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME UNLESS IT WAS IN WRITING FROM GM. I CALLED GM, HOWEVER THEY CAN NOT AND WILL NOT ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN TELLING ME THAT MY WIPER MOTOR FAILURE IS "COINCIDENCE" AND JUST HAPPENS TO FALL INTO THE SAME CATEGORY OF THE RECALL.*JB

NHTSA ID

10131100

Incident

Jul 1, 2005

Mileage

36,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 CHEVROLET, SILVERADO 3500. HE STATED THAT THERE WERE NHTSA RECALLS 03V159000 AND 03V210000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS DUE TO VIN. ON JULY 30, 2005 WHILE IN A RAIN STORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT 4 TIMES. ALSO, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON JULY 31,2005. *AK

NHTSA ID

10130921

Incident

Jul 30, 2005

MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO P/U HAS A PROBLUM WITH THE WIPERS THEY WORK SOME OF THE TIME AND SOME OF THE TIME THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. YOUR WEB SITE SAYS THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLUM (03V15900 YOUR RECALL #) AND WHEN I CONTACTED GM ABOUT IT I WAS TOLD BY CHRIS LAMAR THAT THERE WAS AND TO TAKE TO MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEN WAS TOLD WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN . CONTACTED GM ONCE AGAIN AND MR. L AMAR SAID IT DID NOT COVER MY TRUCK BUT IN THE FIRST CONVERSATION WITH HIM HE SAID THAT ALL GM FULL SIZE P/U WERE RECALLED FOR THE 97 MODEL YEAR FROM START OF PRODUCTION TO THE END OF PRODUCTION. WHEN I SPOKE TO HIS SUPERVISOR SHE SAID THAT BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS NOT PURCHASED FROM A CHEVROLET DEALER THAT THEY WOULD NOT NOR EVER WOULD REPAIR THIS TRUCK UNDER ANY NOW OR FUTURE RECALLS. THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE TRUCK AND I AM THE SECOUND OWNER.

NHTSA ID

10129716

Incident

Jul 22, 2005

Mileage

51,000 mi