Total Complaints
5 filings
CHEVROLET C/K SERIES · model year
1997 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997CHEVROLETC/K SERIES carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 C/K SERIES is visibility:windshield wiper/washer with 3 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:pads (1) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1997 C/K SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060623VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILS TO OPERATE. WORKS SOMETIME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPS WORKING. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WIPER STOP WORKING. ALMOST RAN OFF THE HIGHWAY COULD NOT SEE BECAUSE OF HEAVY RAIN AND NO WIPERS. GM HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ONLY RECALLING SELECT MODELS. WIPER MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. *JB
Mileage: 99,200
20060623VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILS TO OPERATE. WORKS SOMETIME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPS WORKING. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WIPER STOP WORKING. ALMOST RAN OFF THE HIGHWAY COULD NOT SEE BECAUSE OF HEAVY RAIN AND NO WIPERS. GM HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ONLY RECALLING SELECT MODELS. WIPER MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. *JB
Mileage: 99,200
20060406VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE WIPERS FAIL MORE OFTEN IN WET WEATHER; HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
Mileage: 129,000
20040701VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SPORADICALLY. ON 6/27 DURING A THUNDERSTORM, THE WIPERS SUDDENLY CEASED WORKING AND NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. FROM THIS SITE I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL TRUCK (RECALL NUMBER 03V159000). I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY TRUCK BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER. ALTHOUGH THE MANIFESTATION OF THE PROBLEM ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE WOULD INDICATE THAT THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL WAS TOO NARROW, CHEVROLET REFUSED TO OFFER ME COST ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS REPAIRED. *JB
Mileage: 54,000
20020102SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE MAKING NOISE, INNER BRAKE PADS WILL GO OUT BEFORE CONSUMER WILL NOTICE THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK CONSUMER STATED FRONT PADS NEVER MADE ANY NOISE, UNTIL FRONT PAD INNER SIDE WORE OUTAND FELL OFF, WHEEL CYLINDER HIT ROTOR TO STOP SWERVE.*SLC
Compare 1997CHEVROLETC/K SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES have?▼
The 1997 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR.
Is the 1997 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.