1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 Owner Complaints

ANTI-LOCK SYSTEMS OVERRIDES AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES.

NHTSA ID

11072098

Incident

Feb 2, 2018

Mileage

350,000 mi

BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. AROUND MARCH 2008 I WAS TRAVELING ON THE SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY IN LONG ISLAND, NY WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH WAS CAUSED BY BRAKE FLUID HITTING THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED A HOLE IN THE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. ONLY THAT PARTICULAR LINE WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF REPLACING ALL LINES FROM FRONT TO BACK. TODAY AUGUST 6, 2012 I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ONCE AGAIN IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT DUE TO THE BRAKE FLUID HITTING THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND ANOTHER BRAKE LINE THAT HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED A HOLE IN THE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND INCIDENT THE TRUCK HAD 141,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10469450

Incident

Mar 15, 2008

Mileage

132,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BURNED WIRES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 197,000.

NHTSA ID

10415209

Incident

Jul 22, 2011

Mileage

197,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FUNCTION WHEN IN ACTIVATION; AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE QUALIFIED DUE TO THE MODEL YEAR, EXCESSIVE MILEAGE; AND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED. THE CONTACT DISAGREED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER AND STATED THAT THE RECALL SUMMARY DID NOT MENTION THOSE FACTORS AS A REQUIREMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10379801

Incident

Apr 16, 2008

Mileage

80,000 mi

WHEN IT BEGAN TO RAIN, I TURNED ON THE WIPER SWITCH TO HAVE NOTHING HAPPEN BUT A SOFT BUZZING NOISE. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING AND INTERMITTENT, SINCE IT BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2003. I NOW FIND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND NOW WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. GM RECALL NO. 03023. GM REFUSES TO HELP AS THE RECALL HAS BEEN "CLOSED", AND THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THE REPAIR WAS MADE. I OWNED THE VEHICLE DURING THAT ENTIRE TIME. IT WAS NOT REPAIRED! *TR

NHTSA ID

10335282

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

139,000 mi

SIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS.....ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER ONLY MOVES THE EITHER MIRROR DOWNWARD. WILL NOT MOVE EITHER MIRROR LEFT, RIGHT, OR UP. HAVE REPLACED THIS CONTROLLER TWICE BEFORE FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. ONE WITH THE DEALER AND ONE ON MY OWN. BOTH TIMES BRAND NEW PARTS. THERE IS ANOTHER RECALL FOR THIS ITEM BUT APPARENTLY DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VIN. !!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10270193

Incident

Jul 1, 2003

Mileage

100,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY SOMETIMES. SOMETIMES HAVE TO SPIN THE CONTROLLER A FEW TIMES TO GET THEM WORKING. EVEN THEN THEY MAY NOT WORK. FRUSTRATING! *TR

NHTSA ID

10270189

Incident

Jul 1, 2006

Mileage

120,000 mi

1997 SUBURBAN - FUEL GAUGE PEGS AT PAST FULL. FUEL PUMP FAILS. I AM NOT SURE OF THE REASON FOR THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN ABUT IT KEEP RECURRING AND I DO NOT HAVE THE CASH TO BE GOING TO A MECHANIC EVERY 2 TO 3 MONTHS. I HAVE LOOKED THIS PROBLEM UP ON THE NET MANY TIMES AND THE LIST OF PEOPLE WITH THIS AND SIMILAR PROBLEMS APPEARS TO BE GROWING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10267912

Incident

May 6, 2009

Mileage

165,000 mi

POWER STEERING SURGES, UNCONTROLLABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249459

Incident

May 24, 2008

Mileage

130,000 mi

NO REAL EVENTS, NO COLLISION, ETC. JUST NORMAL USE, GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR. DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTING MECHANISM, STRUT(S) CONTROLLING FRONT ELEVATION BROKE AND SEAT FRONT WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER. SEAT STILL MOVES FROM REAR AND FORWARD AND BACK. SEAT IS NOT STABLE AND PIVOTS BACK ON REAR MOUNTING /ADJUSTING POINTS. WE NO LONGER SEAT ANYONE BEHIND THE DRIVERS-SIDE FRONT SEAT BECAUSE IT COULD CRUSH THE REAR PASSENGER IF SUBJECTED TO ENOUGH IMPACT. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY A BODY SHOP THAT WE JUST RE-WELD, BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO GUARANTEE IT WILL HOLD WITH IMPACT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10228141

Incident

Sep 15, 2007

Mileage

175,000 mi

BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNAL MECHANISM THE WIPERS STOP ON THERE OWN AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND NOW THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK AT ALL, PER THE DEALERS INSPECTION. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE YET AS I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL OF A VERY SERIOUS MATTER! *TR

NHTSA ID

10220378

Incident

Mar 7, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING DURING A RAINSTORM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218440

Incident

Feb 10, 2008

Mileage

308,433 mi

ARBITRARY ACTIVATION OF THE ABS BRAKES AT SLOW SPEEDS OR WHEN PARKING. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO NOT STOP AND CONTINUE MOVING FOR A FEW INCHES TO A FEW FEET. VARY HAZARDOUS WHEN PARKING IN TIGHT AREAS OR AROUND CHILDREN IN A PARKING LOT. HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM ON CHEVY 1999 SILVERADO K1500 PICKUP THAT RESULTED IN A RECALL. WOULD SUGGEST THE SAME ON THIS VEHICLE TO AVOID SAME HAZARDOUS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10194043

Incident

Jun 1, 2007

Mileage

98,500 mi

FRONT BRAKES WEARING OUT EVERY 6,000 MI, REAR BRAKES SHOW VIRTUALLY NO WEAR AFTER 138,000 MI. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES FEEL SPONGY AND VEHICLE WON'T STOP PROPERLY. WHY DOES SOME ONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE YOU PEOPLE LISTEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10193617

Incident

Jan 1, 1997

Mileage

2,000 mi

ANTI LOCK BRAKES PULSATE AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT. ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172825

Incident

May 20, 1999

Mileage

28,154 mi

EXTREME OVER STEERING AT SPEEDS OVER 45 MPH. NEARLY CAUSED A FREEWAY ACCIDENT WITH CAR FULL OF KIDS. PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 93 SUBURBAN WITH NO COMPLAINTS. HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS ONE 4 MONTHS AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE THE STEERING IS SO ERRATIC. ALSO TRAVEL FREQUENTLY WITH HORSE TRAILER AND WORRY THAT THE OVER STEERING WILL CAUSE THE TRAILER TO SWERVE, CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC. *JB

NHTSA ID

10165589

Incident

Jan 1, 2006