PlainCars

CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL · model year

1997 CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL

14 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997CHEVROLETCONVENTIONAL carries 14 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.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 CONVENTIONAL is power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:drum (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1997 CONVENTIONAL, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

14
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 filings

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

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR1
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER1
STEERING1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT1

Recent Complaints

20000322STEERING

VARIABLE EFFORT STEERING EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. NLM

20000322POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL

REAR AXLE SEALS FAILED. YH

20000322POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

REAR WHEEL CYLINDER BOOTS FAILED. YH

19990930VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK WHEN ITS RAINING, RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. *YC

19990823VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR

VENT FAN OUT OF ORDER. YH

19990823STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

POWER STEERING FAILED. YH

19990823POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

DIFFERENTIAL SEAL OUT OF ORDER. YH

19990730POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL

BOTH FRONT AXLE SEALS FAILED/WORN RESULTING IN LEAKAGE. MJS

19990730ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VALVE BODY FAILED. MJS

19990416SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM

REAR DRUMS FAILED.

19990416POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL

REAL AXLE SEALS FAILED.

19990416SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKES LEAKING RESULTING IN NOISE.

19990416STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

CONSUMER GETTING ELECTRICALLY SHOCKED BY FRONT DOOR.

19990202SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELT TOO SHORT TO LATCH IF THE SEAT IS PULLED UP TO ALLOW ROOM FOR PASSENGERS IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK, MAKING PASSENGER UNABLE TO WEAR SEAT BELT.

Compare 1997CHEVROLETCONVENTIONAL to Similar Vehicles

CONVENTIONAL vs KIAOPTIMA PHEV → CONVENTIONAL vs DODGERAM 4500 → CONVENTIONAL vs HYUNDAIELANTRA N → CONVENTIONAL vs SUBARUIMPREZA STI →

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen

Loss of motive power due to engine failure

PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module

PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Electric Vehicle Battery Fires

EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed

Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure

PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed

Fuel Line Leak

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL have?▼
The 1997 CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL has 14 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL is POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM.
Is the 1997 CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL 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

Understanding NHTSA Complaints → Vehicle Recalls Explained → Safest Car Brands 2026 → Most Reliable Used Cars → Lemon Law Guide →

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 CHEVROLET CONVENTIONAL; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.