1997 Chevrolet Silverado Engine Problems

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

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

MY MAJOR COMPLAINT IS THAT OF A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD. (5.7L V8). I'VE NOTICED MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE A RECALL!

NHTSA ID

10069543

Incident

Dec 15, 2002

CONSUMER STATES AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, THERE WAS A MOTOR RUNNING THAT WAS VIBRATIING THE WHOLE VEHICLE. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE AND SAW ABS BURNING RED CHERRY HOT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10029404

Mileage

36,500 mi

GM DEX COOL PROBLEM. I HAVE REPLACED MY TRANISMISSION. COOLANT LEAKS ONTO THE ENGINE. SMELLS LIKE BURNING COOLANT ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

10003436

Incident

Nov 28, 2002

Mileage

58,000 mi

WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL GIVES AND CAUSES TEMPORARY STEERING LOSS. TS THE VEHICLE ALSO SUSTAINED THE FOLLOWING FAILURES, THE PCV VALVE MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE #2 AND #3 HEAT SHIELDS IN THE TRANSMISSION TO CRACK. THIS MALFUNCTION WAS REPAIRED AND NOW THE 4 LOW GEAR IS INOPERABLE. ALSO, THE FUEL PUMP, OXYGEN SENSOR, AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND PUMP MALFUNCTIONED. NOTICEABLY AFTER PURCHASE, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT GIVES WHEN BRAKING. *JG

NHTSA ID

8023926

Incident

Nov 2, 2000

Mileage

69,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF, MAKING IT HARD TO CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8017693

Incident

Aug 16, 2002

VEHICLE WOULD MISFIRE AND STALL WHEN REACHING HIGH TEMPERATURE. PROBLEM IS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8017519

Incident

Aug 14, 2002

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLES INTAKE GASKET BLEW OUT. *JG

NHTSA ID

785907

Incident

Mar 5, 2002

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

MILEAGE NOW 100000 DEALER NOW IDENTIFIED EVO SENSOR TO BE FAULTY. THE NUMBER OF THESE FAILURES ON THE NHTSA IS EXTENSIVE IS A MANUFACTUERER RECALL IN EFFECT? MY OPINION IS FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS MANDATORY TO AVOID CATASTROPHIC FAILURES AND INJURY.

NHTSA ID

736286

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS GONE OUT, I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES AND GET A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, THE ALTERNATER WENT OUT, AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. IT CLANKS LOUDLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, DOESN'T IDLE CORRECTLY, AND SHUTS OFF. I HAVE HAD IT REBUILT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON ONE OCCASION IT EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE TRANSMISSION IS BACK IN THE SHOP NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 INCH )

NHTSA ID

717147

Incident

Oct 1, 1999

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE THREE TIMES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

841014

ON TWO OCCASIONS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TOTAL SHUT DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. PREVIOUSLY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS FOR SIMILAR PROBLEM. BUT DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

NHTSA ID

838311

Incident

Apr 15, 1999

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR LESS AND WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

838212

IN APPROXIMATELY A FIVE WEEK PERIOD, MY TRUCK HAS FAILED TO START TWICE AND DIED ONCE AS I CROSSED A BUSY INTERSECTION. BOTH TIMES THE TRUCK FAILED TO START, THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW FUEL PUMP, (NOW ON MY THIRD PUMP) AND AFTER THE VEHICLE DIED IN THE INTERSECTION WHILE MOVING ABOUT 20 MPH, A NEW DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR WAS INSTALLED BUT THE FAILURE COULD ALSO BE FUEL PUMP RELATED. IN BOTH CASES THE MECHANIC STATED ON THE REPAIR ORDER THAT THE WIRING HAD SHORTED OUT. THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATES THAT HE HAS NO SOLUTIONS AND THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURANCE. THE FACT THAT ONE NEVER KNOWS IF HE WILL SUCCESSFULLY MAKE IT ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT THE ENGINE QUITTING IS INHERENTLY UNSAFE. A CALL TO CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE INDICATES THAT THEY ARE VERY SORRY BUT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW JUST WHAT TO TELL ME.

NHTSA ID

705622

Incident

Apr 10, 1999

STEERING GEAR BOX LEAKING. MJS

NHTSA ID

608147

Incident

Oct 1, 1997

ENGINE OIL LEAK. *YC

NHTSA ID

607905

Incident

Oct 2, 1997

WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL FAILED.

NHTSA ID

543603

Incident

Jan 14, 1998

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE MAKING LOUD NOISE SOUNDS WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING; DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM IS A DEFECTIVE AIR INTAKE VALVE WHICH THEY CAN REPAIR, BUT WILL VOID ENGINE WARRANTY IF THEY REPAIR IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

829751

Incident

Jan 10, 1998