1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Suspension
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WHEN DRIVING OVER A POTHOLE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT THAT CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO STEER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 TO 45 MPH CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. ALSO, TWO FRONT TIRES TURNED. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED STEERING SPEED SENSORS.
THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER ON THE SCENE SAID THAT ALL EVIDENCE (PHYSICAL & WITNESS STATEMENTS) ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE BALL JOINT FAILING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE SCENE, INCLUDING CLOSE-UPS OF THE FAILED BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE IS TOTALED.*AK
STEERING WHEEL JERKS THE WHEEL THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAN YOU ARE TURNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NEW DESIGN IF THE FRONT END CAUSED THE TRUCK TO HAVE 'KNOCK OUTS' THE PREVENT THE FRONT END FROM BEING ALIGNED PROPERLY THIS PROBLEM RESULTS IN PREMATURELY WORN TIRES. NLM
ALL 1991 AND LATER FULL SIZE CHEVY TRUCKS HAVE "KNOCK OUTS" THAT PREVENT FRONT END ALIGNMENT BY THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. MANY TRUCKS ARE BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER WITH WORN TIRES AND THE OWNERS ARE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE ALIGNMENT. A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED DESCRIBING HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. CHEVROLET SHOULD RECALL AND REMOVE ALL KNOCK OUTS FREE OF CHARGE.
THE VEHICLE STEERS AS IF IT WERE TRAVELING ON A ROUGH ROAD (ALTHOUGH IT IS ACTUALLY TRAVELING ON A SMOOTH SURFACE) UNEXPECTEDLY JERKING IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER. I HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AND FRONT END REALIGNED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THE DRIVER MUST KEEP AN ABNORMALLY FIRM GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL.
AT 25 MPH AND ABOVE THE VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK WHEN ROUNDING A CORNER OR MAKING A TURN. IT WILL JERK THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING RIGHT AND LEFT. HIGHER SPEEDS TEND TO MAKE THE JERKING WORSE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CERTIFIED MECHANICS EVALUATE THE PROBLEM FROM THE POWER STEERING PUMP, GEAR HOUSING OR EVEN THE SENSOR. AFTER REASEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE LOCAL AND NATIONALLY LEVEL, I WOULD LIKE A DEFINATE SOLUTION BEFORE I SINK HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS INTO THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WILL JERK IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WITHOUT WARNING. SENDING YOU TOWARDS TRAFFIC OR OFF THE ROAD
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE IS DRIFTING FROM LANE TO LANE DUE A FRONTALIGNMENT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SERVICED. WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER, THE CONSUMER HAS TO HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT WITH BOTH HANDS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING AND JERKING. *AK
DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OUTSIDE SIDEVIEW POWER MIRRORS WILL SHAKE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. MANUFACUTRER IS AWARE OF DEFECT. *AK
BOUGHT NEW, PULLED 26FT TRAILER TO ALASKA AND BACK, NO PROBLEMS. 6000+- MILES AFTER GETTING HOME REAREND STARTER MAKING NOISE, NO TRAILER PULLING. REAREND OVERHAUL. LEFT FOR MICHIGAN ON FAMILY REUNION, GOT THERE AND STARTED HOME, BLEW REAREND EFFANLIHAMM,IL OVERHAULER AND 760 MILES LATER REAREND GREASE COVERED TRAILER AND ALMOST FIRE, SMOKING BAD, NEW REAREND ASSEMBLE ORDERED FROM CANADA, INSTALLED AND 711 MILES LATER NOISEY BAD. LAST NEW ASSEMBLE NOISEY NOW , #5 FOR TRUCK. DEALER SAYS NOT PULL TRAILER AND WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM. TOWING PACKAGE 350FI,373 REAREND, TRUCK DON'T KNOW TRAILER BACK THERE, ALTERNATOR WENT OUT IN ENNIS AND LEFT STRANDED IN MIDDLE I45 AND WIFE AND KIDS SCARED TO LEAVE TOWN IN TRUCK. CHEVY WON'T OR CAN'T FIX, JUST PUT ANOTHER REAREND IN TO GET ME OUT OF THE WAY. ALLMOST GOT WHOLE FAMILY AND YORKIE DOG WIPED OUT ON I45 STOPPAGE. DEAD IN ROAD. ***AT 35.000 MILES TOOK BACK TO RON CARTER AND SAID PLEASE TAKE NOISE OUT OF TRUCK SO I CAN SELL. LEFT SET ON LOT FOR 3 SAYS AND SAID DAMAGED RONN
DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE RIGHT. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT 55 MPH OR HIGHER VEHICLE VIBRATES,CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF OVER 40 MPH THE TRUCK WILL SUDDENLY VEER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT WITHOUT WARNING. BEARINGS AND ALIGNMENT HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND ARE OKAY. DEALER HAS NOT YET SEEN THE VEHICLE, BUT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED BY PHONE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
MY 1997 C-1500 PICKUP HAS THE PROBLEM OF VEERING AT HIGH SPEED. MY RESPONSE IS DUE TO A ARTICLE THAT I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM. MY TRUCK DOES THIS MORE OFTEN IF THERE HAS BEEN A SUDDEN CHANGE IN THE WEATHER OR IF IT IS COLD WEATHER. THE PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICED WHEN NEGOTIATING CURVES AT HIGH SPEED. *AK
REPEAT CONCERNS OF VEHICLE WANDERING. FEELS LOOSE AND CONSTANTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. GM HAS A TSB (76-30-01), ADDRESSING THIS CONCERN. BOTH DEALER AND CHEVROLET DIVISION REFUSED COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY, REGARDLESS OF REVISED ALIGNMENT SPECS DETAILED IN TSB (CHEVROLET CASE # 990279369). *AK
UPON ACCELERATION TRUCK WANTS TO GO LEFT, ON DEACCELERATION WITH NO BRAKE APPLIED, TRUCK WANTS TO GO RIGHT. CAN STEER DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD BY USING THROTTLE ONLY WITH NO STEERING WHEEL INPUTS. MIGHT BE A LEAF SPRING BUSHING MAY BE WORN AND SLOPPY.
WHILE MAKING A FULLY LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN THE TIRES HIT THE CONTROL ARM AND SWAY BARS, PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM COMPLETING THE TURN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATES NORMAL OPERATIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
UNSAFE BOUNCING ON CERTAIN PAVEMENT, DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE.
STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK TO THE RIGHT/STRAIGHT AWAY AND TURNING CURVES. DEALER CONTACTED ABOUT TEN TIMES FOR THE FRONT END REPAIR WORK, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY, DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
REAR AXLE SEALS LEAK.
VEHICLE BOUNCES IN A FRONT TO REAR MANNER TO THE POINT IT IS UNBEARABLE.
VEHICLE PULLS BADLY TO THE LEFT DUE TO BENT FRAME. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW FROM THE MFG. *AK
DUE TO A SUSPENSION PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 28 Suspension complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.