Total Complaints
6 filings
CHEVROLET K SERIES · model year
1997 CHEVROLET K SERIES
6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997CHEVROLETK SERIES carries 6 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 K SERIES is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (1) and steering (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 57 investigation files overlapping the 1997 K SERIES, and 2 remain open. 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.
6
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050901SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NOTED ABS ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS - APPROX. 5 MPH UNDER VERY GENTLE BRAKE ACTIVATION. NO ACCIDENT OR CONSEQUENCES, SINCE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ANY BRAKING ABNORMALITIES. TOOK TO DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ABS "HUB AND SWITCH" OF ONE WHEEL. *NM
Mileage: 51,000
20050901STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE POWER STEERING ASSIST IS ERRATIC. WHILE DRIVING - GENERALLY MOST NOTICEABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL "JERK" SLIGHTLY, OR FEEL AS IF IT IS HELD BACK FOR A SECOND OR TWO AND SUDDENLY RELEASED. MOST NOTICEABLE IN STRAIGHT AHEAD OR SLIGHT TURN SITUATIONS. *NM
Mileage: 53,000
20040115STEERING
WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, IT JERKED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NM
19990917SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ANY GIVEN WHEEL WILL LOCK UP, AND VEHICLE WILL SKID,,ESPECIALLY IN WET WEATHER. DEALER SAYS BRAKES ARE NORMAL. *AK
19980624SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IS LEFT ON IT CAUSES THE ROTORS TO WARP. WHEN TOWING A LOAD OF 3000 LBS. THE BRAKE SYSTEM WILL FAIL TO OPERATE PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WILL NOT REPAIR WITHOUT COST TO THE CONSUMER. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHICH ALMOST INVOLVED CONSUMER IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK
19980624SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IS LEFT ON IT CAUSES THE ROTORS TO WARP. WHEN TOWING A LOAD OF 3000 LBS. THE BRAKE SYSTEM WILL FAIL TO OPERATE PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WILL NOT REPAIR WITHOUT COST TO THE CONSUMER. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHICH ALMOST INVOLVED CONSUMER IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK
Compare 1997CHEVROLETK SERIES to Similar Vehicles
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
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 CHEVROLET K SERIES have?▼
The 1997 CHEVROLET K SERIES has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 CHEVROLET K SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 CHEVROLET K SERIES is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR and STEERING.
Is the 1997 CHEVROLET 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.