Total Complaints
5 filings
CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 HD · model year
1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 HD
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997CHEVROLETSILVERADO 3500 HD 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 SILVERADO 3500 HD is steering:hydraulic power assist:pump with 1 filings, followed by electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (1) and power train:automatic transmission (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 SILVERADO 3500 HD, 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.
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20091102VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET 3500 PICKUP TRUCK AND A 1997 GMC 2500 PICKUP TRUCK, AND I AM HAVING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR PROBLEMS WITH BOTH TRUCKS. BOTH TRUCKS HAVE JUST OVER 70,000 MILES ON EACH. THE WIPERS WILL WORK IN LIGHT RAIN MOST OF THE TIME BUT IN A HEAVY RAIN THEY WILL QUIT AND SOMETIMES START AGAIN IF I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. WHEN I TRY THEM ON A DRY DAY THEY MOST OFTEN WILL WORK. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ONTHEM BUT THE DEALER SAY BECAUSE THEY ARE EXTENDED CAB TRUCKS THEY ARE NOT COVERED. *TR
Mileage: 72,000
20070805ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
ISSUE NUMBER 1: THE PAINT ON MY 1997 K3500 DUALLY HAS BEEN PEELING AWAY CONSISTENTLY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I HAVE HAD AREAS REPAIRED BEFORE, HOWEVER, THE AREAS NOT REPAIRED ARE PEELING AS WELL, AS THOUGH THE PRIMER COAT IS DEFECTIVE. ISSUE NUMBER 2: IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER IS 10 MILES AN HOUR FASTER THAN IT SHOULD BE AT 60 MPH, WHICH HAS RACKED UP NUMEROUS MILES ON MY VEHICLE UNNECESSARILY, AND PUTTING ME OUT OF REACH OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BACK IN FEBRUARY 2005 WHEN MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CHEVROLET MAN, BUT I AM RE-THINKING THIS LOGIC AT THE PRESENT TIME. *JB
Mileage: 1
20070805POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ISSUE NUMBER 1: THE PAINT ON MY 1997 K3500 DUALLY HAS BEEN PEELING AWAY CONSISTENTLY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I HAVE HAD AREAS REPAIRED BEFORE, HOWEVER, THE AREAS NOT REPAIRED ARE PEELING AS WELL, AS THOUGH THE PRIMER COAT IS DEFECTIVE. ISSUE NUMBER 2: IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER IS 10 MILES AN HOUR FASTER THAN IT SHOULD BE AT 60 MPH, WHICH HAS RACKED UP NUMEROUS MILES ON MY VEHICLE UNNECESSARILY, AND PUTTING ME OUT OF REACH OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BACK IN FEBRUARY 2005 WHEN MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CHEVROLET MAN, BUT I AM RE-THINKING THIS LOGIC AT THE PRESENT TIME. *JB
Mileage: 1
20070805STRUCTURE:BODY
ISSUE NUMBER 1: THE PAINT ON MY 1997 K3500 DUALLY HAS BEEN PEELING AWAY CONSISTENTLY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I HAVE HAD AREAS REPAIRED BEFORE, HOWEVER, THE AREAS NOT REPAIRED ARE PEELING AS WELL, AS THOUGH THE PRIMER COAT IS DEFECTIVE. ISSUE NUMBER 2: IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER IS 10 MILES AN HOUR FASTER THAN IT SHOULD BE AT 60 MPH, WHICH HAS RACKED UP NUMEROUS MILES ON MY VEHICLE UNNECESSARILY, AND PUTTING ME OUT OF REACH OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BACK IN FEBRUARY 2005 WHEN MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CHEVROLET MAN, BUT I AM RE-THINKING THIS LOGIC AT THE PRESENT TIME. *JB
Mileage: 1
19990730STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
THE SHAFT IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP SEPARATED CAUSING THE SERPINTINE BELT TO COME OFF RESULTING IN NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. CONSUMER FEELS DESIGN OF 1 BELT OPERATING BOTH POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES ARE FAULTY. NLM
Compare 1997CHEVROLETSILVERADO 3500 HD 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 SILVERADO 3500 HD have?▼
The 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 HD has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 HD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 HD is STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 HD 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.