RoadVitals

1997 Chevrolet Silverado Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
38
Latest Aug 22, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
14%
of 272 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 38 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

The 25 most recent of 38, in the owner's own words

ElectricalInterior & seatsVisibility
Filed Aug 22, 2014
Fire reported

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
Visibility
Filed Aug 19, 2008

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
Visibility
Filed Nov 15, 2005

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
Visibility
Filed Nov 3, 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
Visibility
Filed Sep 15, 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
Visibility
Filed Sep 9, 2005

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
Visibility
Filed Aug 2, 2005

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
Visibility
Filed Aug 1, 2005

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
Visibility
Filed Jul 22, 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
Visibility
Filed Apr 9, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR DOESNT WORK CORRECTLY WHEN IT IS RAINING. *AK

NHTSA ID
10116649
Incident
Jan 4, 2005
Mileage
77,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 17, 2005

WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SPECIAL POLICY FOR THIS DEFECT WHICH EXPIRED IN FEBRUARY, 2004. OWNER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MAY, 2004. *AK

NHTSA ID
10115326
Incident
Feb 15, 2005
Mileage
116,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 14, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY OPERATE. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM IS UNDETERMINED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10115110
Incident
Dec 1, 2004
Visibility
Filed Mar 7, 2005

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR BECOME INOPERATIVE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.

NHTSA ID
10113577
Incident
Mar 6, 2005
Mileage
166,000 mi
Body & structureBrakesVisibility
Filed Jan 14, 2005

CONSUMER STATED TAILGATE CABLES CORRODED. CONSUMER WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL FAIL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH TAILGATE CABLES FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE. *TC

NHTSA ID
10102028
Incident
Dec 1, 2004
Mileage
156,800 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 2, 2004

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. THEY WORKED INTERMITTENTLY THE CONSUMER HAS MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO THE MANUFACTURER. *JB

NHTSA ID
10099204
Incident
Jun 16, 2003
Mileage
95,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 27, 2004

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED, CAUSING POOR DRIVER VISIBILITY. VEHICLE WASS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10097880
Incident
Oct 2, 2004
Visibility
Filed Oct 27, 2004

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY DURING INCLEMENT CONDITIONS. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10097844
Incident
May 1, 2003
Mileage
100,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 26, 2004

CONSUMER STATED WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY.*AK

NHTSA ID
10097764
Incident
Oct 26, 2004
Mileage
76,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 25, 2004

RECALL 03V159000 CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY DURING INCLEMENT CONDITIONS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10097586
Incident
May 15, 2004
Mileage
85,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 6, 2004

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. CURRENTLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE IN ANY CONDITION. THE EDEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE EALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10091566
Incident
Aug 25, 2004
Mileage
19,700 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 21, 2004

FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10092917
Incident
Jul 2, 2003
Mileage
100,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 16, 2004

VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING.*MR WHILE DRIVING IN A SEVERE RAIN STORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. AFTER ARRIVING HOME THE CONSUMER RESEARCHED THE VEHICLE'S RECALLS A FOUND THAT THERE WAS ONE FOR THE WIPER MOTOR (RECALL # 02054) IN GM VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM 1994-1999. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO INDICATED THAT HE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED AT A DIFFERENT PLANT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10089129
Incident
Jul 3, 2004
Visibility
Filed Jul 30, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10083922
Incident
Apr 21, 2004
Mileage
113,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 7, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10081477
Incident
May 28, 2004
Mileage
72,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 5, 2004

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED WHEN THEY WANTED TO. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10065574
Incident
Apr 5, 2004

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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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .