RoadVitals

1997 Chevrolet Suburban 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.
37
Latest Sep 30, 2011
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.
9%
of 414 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.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 37 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 37, in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Sep 30, 2011

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.

NHTSA ID
10428068
Incident
Sep 23, 2011
Mileage
99,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 27, 2008

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE ON RAINY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10216196
Incident
Jul 20, 2007
Mileage
90,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 11, 2008

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.

NHTSA ID
10214481
Incident
Dec 1, 2007
Mileage
219,990 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 9, 2007

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.

NHTSA ID
10208506
Incident
Jul 15, 2007
Mileage
125,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 5, 2006

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

NHTSA ID
10156869
Incident
May 30, 2004
Mileage
15,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Dec 22, 2005

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

NHTSA ID
10145921
Incident
Dec 15, 2005
Visibility
Filed Nov 28, 2005

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

NHTSA ID
10143758
Incident
Sep 8, 2005
Mileage
150,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 22, 2005

DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON SIDE MIRROR SWITCH ,AND HAD REPAIR WORK DONE. BUT, FELT THERE WERE STILL HOT WIRES ON DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS MAY BE A FIRE HAZARD. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ABOUT IT, AND THEY WOULD NOT REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10126256
Incident
Jun 18, 2005
Mileage
130,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 15, 2005

NHTSA COMPLAINT # 03V159000 - CHEVROLET HAS RECALLED CERTIAN VEHICLES WITH AN INTERMITTENT WINDSHIEL WIPER PROBLEM. MY 1997 2WD SUBURBAN IS NOT NCLUDED. 1996 ALL SUBURBANS ARE AND 1997 4WD SUBURBANS ARE. I HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE 1996 AND 1997 4WD.

NHTSA ID
10125337
Incident
Jun 5, 2005
Mileage
80,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 10, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND OCCASIONALLY FAIL. DANGEROUS DURING RAINSTORMS. THIS 1997 SUBURBAN VIN# [XXX] DOES NOT SHOW UP ON RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 03V159000. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
10124909
Incident
Jun 7, 2005
Mileage
127,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 4, 2005

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND OFF ON THEIR OWN. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT RECALL 03V159000 FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS ISSUED. MECHANIC CLAIMED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10113502
Incident
Mar 4, 2005
Visibility
Filed Mar 2, 2005

NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL, AND MECHANIC STATED THAT RECALL REPAIRS HAD BEEN PERFORMED PREVIOUSLY. HOWEVER, THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE HAD NEVER TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ANY DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10113300
Incident
Nov 20, 2004
Visibility
Filed Feb 3, 2005

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING WHILE ENGAGED. THE MANUFACTURER IS CHARGING THE CONSUMER FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR RECALL 03V159000 BECAUSE THEIR RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED OUT IN 98. THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 2003. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND VERIFIED THAT THE DEFECT RECALL PART WAS NEVER REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. *JB.. THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED IN 1998. *AK

NHTSA ID
10109676
Incident
Feb 3, 2005
Visibility
Filed Nov 9, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY ON THEIR ON. DEALER WAS AWARE THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10099719
Incident
Nov 9, 2004
Visibility
Filed Oct 26, 2004

NHTSA RECALL 03V159000 CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. AFTER HAVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10097807
Incident
Oct 9, 2004
Visibility
Filed Oct 21, 2004

THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS RECALL#03V159000 WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE, BECAUSE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10097319
Incident
Jul 6, 2004
Mileage
126,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 20, 2004

THERE WAS RECALL ISSUED JUNE 19, 2003 FOR OUR VEHICLE 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, GM RECALL NO. 03023 FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL AND HAD OUR WIPERS FAIL ON US DURING A TRIP ON A HIGHWAY THAT IS KNOWN FOR ITS ACCIDENTS. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND EVENTUALLY GOT THEM TO WORK AGAIN. WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO OUR MECHANIC THAT VERY SAME NIGHT. HE INFORMED US OF THE RECALL. WHEN CONTACTING CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 WE WERE FIRST TOLD THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALREADY HAD THE WIPERS FIXED ON THIS RECALL, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE WE OWNED THE VEHICLE WHEN THE NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL WAS RELEASED. WE WERE THEN PUT ON HOLD FOR A LONG TIME THEN TOLD THAT THE RECALL IS ONLY VALID IF YOUR VEHICLE HAD 70,000 OR LESS MILES. THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL VISIBILITY PROBLEM. HOW IS MILEAGE RELATED TO VISIBILITY? I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A AGE REQUIREMENT FOR THE CORRECTIVE ACTION AND WE FALL INTO THE RANGE, OUT VEHICLE WAS 6 YEARS AT THE RECALL DATE. HOW DO I GET CHEVROLET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. YOUR CAMPAING ID NUMBER IS 03V159000.

NHTSA ID
10096119
Incident
Oct 17, 2004
Visibility
Filed Oct 19, 2004

THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10097108
Incident
Oct 19, 2004
Mileage
108,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 29, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF ON THEIR OWN INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10089943
Incident
Aug 27, 2004
Mileage
89,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 14, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE REPLACED UNDER A RECALL, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10087699
Incident
Aug 11, 2004
Mileage
144,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 9, 2004

. *AK1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR DEFECT NOT ALL 97 SUBURBANS INCLUDED MINE IS EXCLUDED & THEY HAVE STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING SEVERAL TIMES CHEVROLET WILL NOT REPAIR WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE MOTOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. 30V159000

NHTSA ID
10090714
Incident
Jun 28, 2003
Visibility
Filed Jun 14, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *MR *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10066656
Incident
Apr 5, 2004
Mileage
71,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 1, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10075499
Incident
May 13, 2004
Visibility
Filed May 13, 2004

CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A DOWNPOUR. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10073574
Mileage
99,880 mi
Visibility
Filed Apr 11, 2004

MY VEHICLE WAS FITTED WITH THE FIX FOR INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE FIX WAS WARRANTED FOR TWELVE MONTHS OR 12KMILES. NINE MONTHS LATER, ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN IN COLORADO, WITH A BLIZZARD BLOWING, THE W/W DECIDED TO STOP WORKING, I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND BEAT ON THE W/W WITH A WATER BOTTLE AND THEY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. NEITHER CHEVROLET OR MY CHEV. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE MODULE BECAUSE THE FAULT OCCURRED AT 12K MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10065927
Incident
Feb 21, 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 .