CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 · model year

1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500

78 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997CHEVROLETSILVERADO 3500 carries 78 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 crashes, 1 fire, 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 SILVERADO 3500 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 13 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (4) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (4). 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 SILVERADO 3500, 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.

78
Complaints
6
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

78 filings

Crashes Reported

6 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP13
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC4
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3
TIRES3
TIRES:TREAD/BELT3
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS2
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM2
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2

Recent Complaints

20140516FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

TRUCK HAS A DIESEL ENGINE WITH A DEFECTIVE INJECTOR PUMP. ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF WITH OUT NOTICE, NO INDICATION, JUST INSTANTLY SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A TOTAL OF 5 OR 6 INJECTOR PUMPS SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE NEW. THE LAST OCCURRENCE WAS MARCH 2014. *TR

Mileage: 58,034

20080909TIRES

1997 CHEVROLET 3500. WRANGLER HT TIRES (LT245/75R16) WERE DRY ROTTED. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES DID NOT HAVE ANY TREAD LEFT. *JB

20071211VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL ON LOW SPEEDS. AS OF DECEMBER 11, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE CONTACT FELT THAT HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 205,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF

Mileage: 150,000

20050919SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEM IN 1997 CHEVROLET PICKUP CK3500.*JB

Mileage: 65,000

20050716TIRES:TREAD/BELT

COMPLAINT IS FOR A TIRE PLY FAILURE ON A FIRESTONE FIREHAWK RMT TIRE SIZE LT235/85-R16

20050509VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

DT: CONTACT STATES THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE, AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. THEN HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HIM HIS VEHICLE DID QUALIFY BUT HIS VEHICLE HAD MORE THAN 70000 MILES, AND THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE IT. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000. THE CONTACT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE AS THIS RECALL STATES: ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL. THE CONTACT HAD THE PART REPLACED TODAY. *AK THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. SOMETIMES THE WIPERS WOULD ONLY WORK ON HIGH SPEED. *SC

20050506SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

I HAVE A 1997 CHEVY 3500 4X4 PICKUP TRUCK. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THEY SEEM TO COME ON AT SLOW SPEEDS UNEXPECTEDLY. I HAD THEM REPLACED 1 TIME AT A COST OF $700, HOWEVER WITHIN 3 MONTHS THE PROBLEM RECUERRED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP REPAIRING THEM AS UPON TALKING TO OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLES BY GM THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THE SOLUTION TO WHICH IS TO REMOVE THE ABS FUSE RENDERING THE SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS 1999-2001. WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT IS ALSO COMMON TO VEHICLES MADE BEFORE 1999. THERE MAY NOT BE MAY COMPLAINTS BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE PULL THE FUSE AND DISABLE THE ABS SYSTEM.

20050308SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

WHILE DRIVING AND UPON MAKING A STOP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE THEN SURGED FORWARD. IT FELT AS IF SOMETHING DISENGAGED, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER FOUND THAT A CLIP BROKE WHICH LEFT THE BRAKE PEDAL SWINGING. *AK THE CLIP WHICH HOLDS THE MASTER CYLINDER ROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BROKE ALLOWING THE ROD TO SLIP OFF. *NM

Mileage: 235,000

20050228VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WHILE RAINING. WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE, COULD NOT SEE, HAD TO STOP AND WAIT FOR RAIN TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO FIX.

Mileage: 72,000

20040506SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC

I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ON MY 3500 CHEVY. 1997 PICK UP TRUCK, THERE IS ONLY 56.000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED IN AND HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AT MY COST, I CALLED THE CHEY. FACTORY AND THE GIRL SAID THEY HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PUMPS. ALL I KNOW IS I'M GLAD I WASN'T TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS YOU CAN'T CONTROLL THE STEERING OR THE BRAKING ON THIS TRUCK.

Mileage: 56

20040506STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ON MY 3500 CHEVY. 1997 PICK UP TRUCK, THERE IS ONLY 56.000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED IN AND HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AT MY COST, I CALLED THE CHEY. FACTORY AND THE GIRL SAID THEY HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PUMPS. ALL I KNOW IS I'M GLAD I WASN'T TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS YOU CAN'T CONTROLL THE STEERING OR THE BRAKING ON THIS TRUCK.

Mileage: 56

20040308CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

IN AN EMERGENCY OR PANIC STOP ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. ONCE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THERE WAS 3 OR 4 SECONDS OF NO BRAKING POWER. *AK AS A RESULT, CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER SAID THAT IT WAS A NORMAL BEHAVIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS PERFORMING BY DESIGN. *LA

Mileage: 20,000

20040204STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

WHEN TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN TRYING TO TURN LEFT. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND MADE SOME REPAIRS TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM. HOWEVER, BRAKES STILL OPERATED POORLY. *AK

Mileage: 50,000

20040204SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

WHEN TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN TRYING TO TURN LEFT. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND MADE SOME REPAIRS TO THE BRAKING SYSTEM. HOWEVER, BRAKES STILL OPERATED POORLY. *AK

Mileage: 50,000

20040113STEERING

STEERING PROBLEMS. SINCE MY TRUCK WAS NEW I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING, PARTICULARLY WHEN GOING AT LOW SPEED. SOMETIMES THERE IS ALSO UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST THAT PULLS THE CAR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT A DEALER AND BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED BY A GM DEALER AND BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. SOMETIMES, WHEN I PULL INTO MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS USUALLY A LEFT HAND TURN, I TOTALLY LOSE THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE ALSO HAD REPEATED FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH SYSTEM AND SLAVE CYLINDER. I HAVE COMPLAINED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO GM WITH NO RESULTS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH THREE TIMES. AT ONE POINT, IT SHOT ME FORWARD OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY INTO THE TRAFFIC UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH. I BELIEVE IT IS A DANGER. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME TROUBLE SINCE THE TRUCK HAD 30,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT IT IS DEFECTIV

Mileage: 30,000

20040113POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

STEERING PROBLEMS. SINCE MY TRUCK WAS NEW I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING, PARTICULARLY WHEN GOING AT LOW SPEED. SOMETIMES THERE IS ALSO UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST THAT PULLS THE CAR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT A DEALER AND BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED BY A GM DEALER AND BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. SOMETIMES, WHEN I PULL INTO MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS USUALLY A LEFT HAND TURN, I TOTALLY LOSE THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE ALSO HAD REPEATED FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH SYSTEM AND SLAVE CYLINDER. I HAVE COMPLAINED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO GM WITH NO RESULTS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH THREE TIMES. AT ONE POINT, IT SHOT ME FORWARD OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY INTO THE TRAFFIC UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH. I BELIEVE IT IS A DANGER. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME TROUBLE SINCE THE TRUCK HAD 30,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT IT IS DEFECTIV

Mileage: 30,000

20030926TIRES:SIDEWALL

WE HAVE A 1997 CHEV ONE TON TRUCK WITH 6 TIRES. WE CHECKED OUR TIRES YESTERDAY AND FOUND THEM TO HAVE CRACKS IN SEVERAL OF THE SIDE WALLS AND ONE EVEN SEEMED TO BE STARTING A BUBBLE. THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED BY AIR PRESSURE CHECKED AND ROTATED. THERE IS ABOUT 27,000 MILES ON THESE TIRES LT225/75/R16

20030825FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE GAS TANK. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 84000 MILES. FUEL TANK SPLIT BETWEEN TWO TO THREE INCHES IN BETWEEN THE TANK. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 1998 MODEL, BUT CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, AND MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REIMBURSE THE MONEY.DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED, VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP.*AK

Mileage: 83,000

20030318POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. *NLM

20021211FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

THE PROBLEM OCCURS BECAUSE THE DIESEL FILLER CAP IS NOT LABELED NOR IS THE FILLER DOOR NOR DOES THE MANUAL CONTAIN ANY NOTICE. THE CAP ON A 1997 VEHICLE (NON-DIESEL FITS ON A DIESEL) ONE IS APPARAENTLY VENTED ONE IS NOT. BUT THERE IS NOT WAY TO AS CERTAIN WHICH IS VENTED IN WHICH IS NOT. THE AFTERMARKET DEALERS DO NOT SHOW A DISTINCTION. APPARENTLY, THE CAP I PLACED ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT VENTED AND RESULTED IN THE TANK IMPLODING TO THE POINT THAT THE INTAKE TUBE AND SENSOR WERE BENT WITHIN 6 INCHES IF THE TOP OF THE TANK. THE TANK WAS FLATTENED. GM NEEDS TO MARK THESE FILLER CAPS. DT

Compare 1997CHEVROLETSILVERADO 3500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 have?
The 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 has 78 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500?
The most-complained component for the 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 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.