Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 414 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 414 · page 1 of 17
THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THE BRAKES WORE QUICKLY BUT WE DIDN'T REALIZE HOW QUICKLY UNTIL WE HAD ISSUES AND GOT THE REPAIR INFORMATION. NEW BRAKES ABOUT EVERY 4 MONTHS ARE NEEDED. ONCE THEY START WEARING THE PADS AND ROTORS ARE GONE WITHIN A DAY. THIS TIME I NEARLY RAN INTO SOMEONE THEY DETERIORATED SO FAST. I'VE READ THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH MANY MORE OF THE SAME VEHICLES
I STOPPED TO GET GAS ANC CUT MY TRUCK OFF. I GOT BACK IN IT AND CUT IT ON AN DROVE ABOUT 30 YARDS I NOTICED A SMELL LIKE BURNING WIRES. SO I CUT IT OFF GOT OUT CHECKED THE OUTSIDE THE SMELL IS ONLY ON THE INSIDE. THEN I POPPED THE HOOD AN SMELLED THE SAME SMELL. I PUSHED IT AND PARKED IT. MY CLICKER IS NOT WORKING TO UNLOCK OR LOCK IT, THE LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF AND IT MAKES THE RINGING SOUND AS IF THE DRIVER DOOR IS OPEN EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT. I TOOK THE BATTERY OUT TO SEE IF IT WAS THAT BUT ITS FULLY CHARGED.
MY 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN C-2500 IS LEAKING OIL FROM UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE AND MAKING ENGINE VERY "HOT". THIS HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING THIS VEHICLE.I TOUCH THE ENGINE HOOD AND FEEL THAT IT'S VERY, VERY HOT. I JUST WENT HOME TO PREVENT ANY FIRE OR ACCIDENT. MY MECHANIC SAID IT'S NOT ORDINARY FOR THIS HEAVY DUTY TRUCK TO LEAK OIL WITH ONLY 77,000 MILES. I NEED YOU TO INVESTIGATE MY PROBLEM AND CONTACT GM. YOU CAN EMAIL ME AT [XXX] FOR AN UPDATES REGARDING THIS PROBLEMS. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON. THANKS. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
DECEMBER 2009, REPLACED RUPTURED BRAKE LINES ABOVE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. SEVERELY RUSTED. JULY 15, 2012, RUPTURED BRAKE LINE BY THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD AND FIRE WALL. SEVERELY RUSTED. FUEL LINES UNDER THE VEHICLE IS ALSO SEVERELY RUSTED. LEAK CAN CAUSE FIRE. BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING DRIVING ON ROAD. *TR
THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOYED AM VEER DISAPPOINTED MY SON WAS INJURED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT AND CONFIRMED THAT REMEDY REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:03V159000(VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VHEICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,200.
ERRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN ERRATIC CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. STARTED IN 2006 AND ENDED IN 2009. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES TO NO AVAIL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FULLY LOADED, THE CONTACT NOTICES THAT THE VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STEER. HE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC 15 TIMES AND THEY HAVE MADE NUMEROUS REPAIRS, INCLUDING VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE STEERING UNIT, STEERING SENSORS, ACTUATOR, AND ALSO ADDITIONS TO THE SPRINGS OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. ALL OF THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT ADEQUATELY REPAIRED THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS REFERRED BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,464 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000. UPDATED 10/08/08. *LJ UPDATED 10/10/08. *JB
HOOD LATCH ON 1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN KEEP FAILING, HOOD FLIES UP WHILE DRIVING. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN TWO YEARS. *TR
THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IT BURST INTO FLAMES. OUR DOGS WOKE US UP. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED 7 MINUTES LATER THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. THE ENGINE AND UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR WERE UNDAMAGED BY THE FIRE. A TREE NEAR THE CAR ALSO CAUGHT FIRE. CHEVROLET SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON OUR CAR. THEY DO NOT SEEM INTERESTED IN EXAMINING THE CAR SINCE WE SETTLED WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. NEITHER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NOR THE POLICE SUSPECT ARSON. IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE ELECTRICAL. IF THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN OUR GARAGE WE WOULD HAVE LOST OUR HOUSE. *TR
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE ON RAINY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DELAY FEATURE ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED SPORADICALLY. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) AND GM RECALL NUMBER 03023 IN FEBRUARY OF 2002. THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE CONTACT WANTED TO NOTIFY NHTSA, BEFORE NOTIFYING THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 220,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 219,990.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HE CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A WALL. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR B.F. GOODRICH TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE CONTACT STILL HAS THE TIRE AND THE TREAD. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE VEHICLE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 132,000.
I HAVE LOST STEERING AND BRAKING ON 1996 6.5 TURBO DIESEL SUBURBAN THREE TIMES NOW I DRIVE NORMALLY. I AM 42 AND HAVE A FAMILY OF SEVEN. WHEN BRAKING THE POWER BOOSTER HAS ZERO PRESSURE AND IT IS VERY HARD TO STOP AND AT THE VERY SAME TIME ALL POWER STEERING IS LOST. I THOUGHT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, SO I REPLACED IT, NO CHANGE. STILL NO POWER BRAKES OR STEERING. I REPLACED HYDROBOOST UNIT BRAKING AND STEERING RETURNED. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HYDROBOOST THREE TIMES IN 8 MONTHS. I COMPLETELY REMOVED THE SOLENOID MAGNET FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP TO TEST IF THE POWER STEERING PUMP CAUSES THE HYDRO BOOST UNIT TO FAIL, I DID THIS BETWEEN HYDRO UNIT 1 AN 2, I REINSTALLED MAGNET BETWEEN UNIT 2 AND 3 THE FIRST TIME I LOST BRAKING AND STEERING THERE WAS NO WARNING, I WENT TO STOP AND HAD HARD, NON POWER BRAKES AND NO POWER STEERING. THE SECOND, THIRD TIME I KNEW TO REPLACE THE HYDROBOOST UNIT, WHEN BRAKING AND TURNING THE STEERING GETS HARD OR THE BRAKES GET HARD, THEN I REPLACE THE HYDROBOOST UNIT, BRAKE AND STEERING RETURN TO NORMAL I COMPLETELY FLUSHED THE POWER STEERING FLUID EACH TIME INTO A CLEAN BUCKET, NO BIG PARTICLES OR HOSE MATERIAL. THIS BRAKING SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS, IMAGINE DRIVING DOWN A WINDING TWO LANE STEEP DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN ROAD, WITH A HEAVY SUBURBAN AND YOU LOOSE STEERING AND BRAKES I TURNED IN THE ORIGINAL PARTS AS CORES TO GET MY MONEY BACK. *NM
1997 CHEVEROLET C1500 SUBURBAN INTERMITTENT WIPER MOTOR FAILURE TO WORK PROPERLY. CAUSES LACK OF VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS OR DURING WINDSHIELD CLEANING OPERATIONS. WIPERS WILL CEASE TO WORK CONTINUOUS AND PROBLEM IS SPORADIC. *JB
I HAVE A 1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN WITH A 7.4 ENGINE. FOR THE MOST PART ITS BEEN A GOOD VEHICLE, BUT THE BRAKES ARE ANOTHER STORY. THE SUBURBAN HAS BEEN THROUGH 2 SETS OF FRONT BRAKES, AND NONE IN THE REAR. BEING CONCERNED, THE 3RD MECHANIC TO REALLY SPEND TIME FIGURING OUT THE PROBLEM, FOUND OUT THE BRAKE PRESSURE MODULATOR VALVE HAS MALFUNCTIONED. $800 FOR REPLACEMENT. DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH, GM HAD RECALLED THIS PART ON SEVERAL OF THERE 2000 SUV MODELS. CONTACTED THE GM CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT IS AN "OLD VEHICLE" AND GM WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SO I GUESS GM'S SAFETY SYSTEMS ARE ONLY GOOD FOR 10 YEARS. THIS WILL BE MY LAST GM VEHICLE I WILL EVER OWN. *JB
1997 CHEVY SUBURBAN IN-TANK FUEL SENDING UNIT FIRE: BOUGHT VEHICLE USED WITH 88000 MILES. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE / BURN UP OF THE UNIT INCLUDED INTERMITTENT FUEL PUMP AND FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, HAD PUMP REPLACED BY PATRICK GMC, PROBLEM PERSISTED, HAD DEALER WOLF CHEVROLET CHECK FUEL PRESSURE THROUGHOUT SYSTEM (OK). ALSO NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT BURNING SMELL. I THEN PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER A REPLACEMENT SENDING UNIT AND ANOTHER FUEL PUMP, AS SOON AS I TOOK THE SENDER OUT OF THE TANK IT WAS OBVIOUSLY CHARRED AND THE MODULAR CONNECTOR BURNT TO A CRISP, WIRES COMPLETELY EXPOSED WITH THE INSULATION GONE PARTIALLY DISINTEGRATED THE ABS PLUG. THIS THING GOT REALLY HOT REPEATEDLY. THE LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT WAS LUCKILY NEVER REACHED WITHIN THE TANK OR THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SPONTANEOUS EXPLOSION, ESPECIALLY IF THE TANK LOST ITS SEAL AND ALLOWED OUTSIDE AIR INSIDE, (SUCH AS WHEN THE TANK IS EMPTY AND IS PULLING VACUUM), FOR INSTANCE UNSCREWING THE GAS CAP IN IDEAL CONDITIONS NEXT TO A GAS PUMP WITH A 44 GALLON TANK VOID SUCKING IN AS MUCH OXYGEN IN AS THE FILLER TUBE WILL ALLOW, AND HITTING THAT GLOWING RED HOT SENDING UNIT. OLD PART IS IN MY POSSESSION AND IS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY SENDER. INCIDENT DATE IS APPROX. WHEN I PERFORMED THE REPAIR AND DISCOVERED THE BURNED UP SENDER. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING ABS PROBLEMS. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP AT SLOWER SPEEDS THE ABS ACTIVATED CAUSING GREATER STOPPING DISTANCES. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V379000, REGARDING THE ABS. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING 1997 SUBURBAN BRAKING MALFUNCTIONS. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT TWO SENSORS WERE NEEDED BECAUSE THE CURRENT ONES WERE CORRODED. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL FOR THE 1998-2002 VEHICLES. *NM
IN JULY/AUGUST 2005 I BEGAN EXPERIENCING ACTIVATION OF THE ABS AT VERY LOW SPEEDS OF 5-10 MPH IN 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. I TOOK THE CAR TO REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND OUT THAT THE FRONT BRAKE UNITS, CALIPERS, ETC., WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I DID THIS. ALSO ,FOUND OUT THAT THE ABS UNITS WERE NOT READING THE SPEED CORRECTLY AND THIS WAS CAUSING THE ABS BUMPING AT LOW SPEEDS. ADVISED THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED AT COST OF $1200! IN JANUARY 2006 I READ ABOUT THE SUBURBAN RECALL FOR MALFUNCTIONING ABS AND UNUSUAL CORROSION OF BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RECALL STARTED FOR 1999 MODELS. I BELIEVE MY 1997 VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE ABS UNITS BE CLEANED AND THAT THEY WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE OTHER REPAIR SHOP (WHO DID THE BRAKE REPAIRS) RECOMMENDED AGAINST CLEANING"AND SAID IN THEIR EXPERIENCE THIS DOESN'T WORK. SUBURBAN HAS ONLY 61,000 MILES, SO IT HAS NOT BEEN OVER USED. I PUT ABOUT 6,000 MILES A YEAR ON IT, MOSTLY FOR PULLING A HORSE TRAILER AND FOR THIS I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFE BRAKING. I BELIEVE THAT THIS 1997 SUBURBAN HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 199S. I'VE SPENT ABOUT $500 ON THE BRAKE REPAIRS SO FAR AND THE ABS WILL COST ME ANOTHER $1200. FOR A VEHICLE THAT GETS SO LITTLE USE BY ME, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY. I WOULD LIKE THE 1997 TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I AM UPSET BY THE EXPENSE OF REPAIRING THESE APPARENT MANUFACTURING FLAWS. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT WAS HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT HER OWN EXPENSE.*AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V379000 CONCERNING THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE PART, HE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER MOTOR. THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. NO REPAIRS WERE DONE . *AK
DT: THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE ABS PULSATED. THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AS INDICATED IN A CURRENT RECALL ON THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO REPLACED BOTH WHEEL SPEED SENSORS ON THE FRONT BRAKES. THAT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM ,HOWEVER, IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWO YEARS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO A DEALER. THE DEALER DID REPLACE ONE OF THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS, BUT THE OTHER ONE WAS CLEANED AND KEPT ON THE BRAKES. SINCE THIS REPAIR THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT CONTACTED GM, AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN AND THE MODEL. *AK UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB
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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