1997 Chevrolet Silverado Electrical Problems

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

FUEL INJECTORS PLUG UP EVERY 10,000 MILES, WATER PUMP WENT OUT AT 40,000 MILES, ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AT 45,000 MILES ALL IN ALL THIS TRUCK IS A PIECE OF CRAP. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023512

Incident

Mar 1, 1997

Mileage

25,000 mi

THE TURN SIGNALS ON THE VEHICLE, 1997 Z-71, SILVERADO HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING DEPENDABLY SINCE 1997. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CONNEL CHEVROLET 3 DIFFERENT TIMES TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THE TURN SIGNALS STILL GO OUT SPORADICALLY. WE DID TAKE THE VEHICLE TO FORT KNOX KY WHERE THE TURN SIGNALS WERE WORKING SINCE 1999. AND NOW (APRIL 3 2003) THE TURN SIGNALS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AGAIN. ALL THE FUSES ARE FINE AND THE LIGHT BULBS ARE ALL BRAND NEW AND THE TURN SIGNAL IS STILL NOT WORKING. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014257

Incident

Apr 3, 2003

Mileage

4,000 mi

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 40,000 MILES. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR FAILED, SHORT CIRCUIT FUSE CAUSED FAILURE OF BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. INJECTOR FAILED. WATER PUMP FAILED. VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED, CONSUMER IS ANGRY THAT A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE WOULD HAVE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND CHEVROLET WILL NOT ASIST IN REPAIRS. *SLC

NHTSA ID

893208

Incident

Jul 14, 2001

PROBLEM #1: THE FUEL PUMP RELAY DOESN'T SEEM TO DISENGAGE AFTER FIRST STARTING THE ENGINE AND IT HEATS UP. THIS CAUSES ROUGH OPERATING OF THE ENGINE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT THE MAXI FUSE TO THE LIGHTING SYSTEM HEATS UP ALSO, BUT DOES NOT FAIL. ANOTHER AREA THAT IS AFFECTED IS THE MINI FUSE TO THE COURTESY LAMPS. IT HEATS UP, BUT DOES NOT FAIL. THE LAST AREA TO BE AFFECTED IS THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CANISTER VACUUM SWITCH. IT ACTS AS IF THE WHEELS ARE OUT OF BALANCE AROUND 50MPH. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS AND THEY EITHER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG OR TRY AND TELL ME THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE AT FAULT. THEY PUT INJECTOR CLEANER IN THE FUEL TANK ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHICH MADE IT RUN WORSE. I ASKED TO HAVE THE INJECTORS REPLACED WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY SAID THEY HAD TO FOLLOW PROCEDURE BULLETIN #00-06-04-003 BEFORE TAKING THAT STEP. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED, BUT THEY HAVEN'T OFFERED TO REPLACE FUEL INJECTORS. MY THINKING IS THAT THE PROBLEM IS REALLY THE IGNITION SWITCH. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE ME OF ANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND HOW IT WAS RESOLVED? PROBELM #2: WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH STEERING FEELS LOOSE AND WANTS SHIFT LANES ON IT'S OWN. ON SWEEPING TURNS IT TURNS TO THE RIGHT ON IT'S OWN. I HAD THE FRONT END ALLIGNED AND A NEW SET OF TIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ANY ADVISE?

NHTSA ID

746250

Incident

Feb 25, 2001

BATTERY IS LEAKING ACID WHERE THE CONNECTION IS. *AK

NHTSA ID

869501

TWO WIRES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK RUBBED THE INSULATION OFF OF THE WIRES, CAUSING A DIRECT SHORT, AND VEHICLE BECOMING INOPERABLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

858565

Incident

Dec 14, 1999

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF FUEL PUMP BURNED UP ALONG WITH WIRING HARNESS. *AK

NHTSA ID

855943

Incident

Feb 1, 2000

WIRES WHICH ARE LOCATED WITHIN GAS TANK SHORTED OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BLOW FUSE AND STALL. ALSO BURNED THE INSULATION OF THE WIRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

841479

THE AIR-CONDITIONER WAS COOLING FINE ONE DAY THEN THE NEXT IT WOULDN'T BLOW COOL AIR AT ALL. SO I TAKE IT TO THE CHEVROLET MECHANIC HE SAID THE COMPRESSOR WAS SHOT AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $700 TO FIX IT. ONE EVENING I WENT TO CRANK MY TRUCK AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT CLICK WELL GUESS WHAT IT WAS THE STARTER NOT CHEAP ANOTHER $60. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE COP STOPS ME AND TELLS ME THAT I HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE LUCKILY HE WARNED ME BUT A NEW HARNESS COST LIKE $50.ALSO MY POWER STERRING PUMP THAT HAS WENT OUT TWICE IN LESS THAN A YEAR COSTING ABOUT $80 EACH TIME.THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT THIS MAY BE THE LAST CHEVY THAT I EVER OWN AND THAT IS SAYING A LOT BECAUSE I MYSELF HAS OWNED FOUR MY FAMILY THREE THAT IS SEVEN IF I CAN ADD, SO THAT COULD BE ALOT OF VEHICLES THAT COULD GO TO ANOTHER MAKE ALL TOGETHER. THIS IS NOT A THREAT JUS WANT MY AIR-CONDITIONER FIXED, BUT THEY SAY THAT THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER JUST MY LUCK. *AK

NHTSA ID

707323

Incident

Sep 25, 1998

WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL FAILED.

NHTSA ID

543603

Incident

Jan 14, 1998

TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. HAD ENTIRE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM REPLACED ALONG WITH FUEL PUMP & WIRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

829984

Incident

Feb 16, 1998