NHTSA vehicle safety data

1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 Recalls & Complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 right now, so this page doesn't state a recall count — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for current campaigns. 16 owner complaints are on file.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500.

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1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 owner complaints

Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500, describing incidents dated January 1, 1997 to February 2, 2018.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 5 complaints
Visibility/Wiper 5 complaints
Electrical System 2 complaints
Exterior Lighting 2 complaints
Steering 2 complaints
Engine 1 complaint

Of the 16 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11072098 · Filed February 10, 2018
ANTI-LOCK SYSTEMS OVERRIDES AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES.
ODI #10469450 · Filed August 6, 2012
BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. AROUND MARCH 2008 I WAS TRAVELING ON THE SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY IN LONG ISLAND, NY WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH WAS CAUSED BY BRAKE FLUID…
ODI #10415209 · Filed July 26, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BURNED WIRES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE…

Read all 16 complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 right now — this is not a confirmed "no recalls". Check the VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the official status.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

16 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500.

Service Brakes

ODI #11072098

Incident: February 2, 2018 · Filed: February 10, 2018

ANTI-LOCK SYSTEMS OVERRIDES AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES.

Service Brakes

ODI #10469450

Incident: March 15, 2008 · Filed: August 6, 2012

BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. AROUND MARCH 2008 I WAS TRAVELING ON THE SOUTHERN STATE PARKWAY IN LONG ISLAND, NY WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH WAS CAUSED BY BRAKE FLUID HITTING THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED A HOLE IN THE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. ONLY THAT PARTICULAR LINE WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF REPLACING ALL LINES FROM FRONT TO BACK. TODAY AUGUST 6, 2012 I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ONCE AGAIN IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME OUT DUE TO THE BRAKE FLUID HITTING THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND ANOTHER BRAKE LINE THAT HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED A HOLE IN THE LINE WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND INCIDENT THE TRUCK HAD 141,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10415209

Fire

Incident: July 22, 2011 · Filed: July 26, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BURNED WIRES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 197,000.

Visibility

ODI #10379801

Incident: April 16, 2008 · Filed: February 1, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FUNCTION WHEN IN ACTIVATION; AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE QUALIFIED DUE TO THE MODEL YEAR, EXCESSIVE MILEAGE; AND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED. THE CONTACT DISAGREED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER AND STATED THAT THE RECALL SUMMARY DID NOT MENTION THOSE FACTORS AS A REQUIREMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

Electrical System; Exterior Lighting

ODI #10335282

Incident: June 15, 2003 · Filed: June 8, 2010

WHEN IT BEGAN TO RAIN, I TURNED ON THE WIPER SWITCH TO HAVE NOTHING HAPPEN BUT A SOFT BUZZING NOISE. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING AND INTERMITTENT, SINCE IT BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MAY OF 2003. I NOW FIND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS, BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND NOW WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. GM RECALL NO. 03023. GM REFUSES TO HELP AS THE RECALL HAS BEEN "CLOSED", AND THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THE REPAIR WAS MADE. I OWNED THE VEHICLE DURING THAT ENTIRE TIME. IT WAS NOT REPAIRED! *TR

Visibility

ODI #10270193

Incident: July 1, 2003 · Filed: May 28, 2009

SIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS.....ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER ONLY MOVES THE EITHER MIRROR DOWNWARD. WILL NOT MOVE EITHER MIRROR LEFT, RIGHT, OR UP. HAVE REPLACED THIS CONTROLLER TWICE BEFORE FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. ONE WITH THE DEALER AND ONE ON MY OWN. BOTH TIMES BRAND NEW PARTS. THERE IS ANOTHER RECALL FOR THIS ITEM BUT APPARENTLY DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VIN. !!!! *TR

Visibility

ODI #10270189

Incident: July 1, 2006 · Filed: May 28, 2009

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ONLY SOMETIMES. SOMETIMES HAVE TO SPIN THE CONTROLLER A FEW TIMES TO GET THEM WORKING. EVEN THEN THEY MAY NOT WORK. FRUSTRATING! *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline; Equipment

ODI #10267912

Incident: May 6, 2009 · Filed: May 7, 2009

1997 SUBURBAN - FUEL GAUGE PEGS AT PAST FULL. FUEL PUMP FAILS. I AM NOT SURE OF THE REASON FOR THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN ABUT IT KEEP RECURRING AND I DO NOT HAVE THE CASH TO BE GOING TO A MECHANIC EVERY 2 TO 3 MONTHS. I HAVE LOOKED THIS PROBLEM UP ON THE NET MANY TIMES AND THE LIST OF PEOPLE WITH THIS AND SIMILAR PROBLEMS APPEARS TO BE GROWING. *TR

Steering

ODI #10249459

Incident: May 24, 2008 · Filed: November 20, 2008

POWER STEERING SURGES, UNCONTROLLABLE. *TR

Seats

ODI #10228141

Incident: September 15, 2007 · Filed: May 19, 2008

NO REAL EVENTS, NO COLLISION, ETC. JUST NORMAL USE, GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE CAR. DRIVER SEAT ADJUSTING MECHANISM, STRUT(S) CONTROLLING FRONT ELEVATION BROKE AND SEAT FRONT WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER. SEAT STILL MOVES FROM REAR AND FORWARD AND BACK. SEAT IS NOT STABLE AND PIVOTS BACK ON REAR MOUNTING /ADJUSTING POINTS. WE NO LONGER SEAT ANYONE BEHIND THE DRIVERS-SIDE FRONT SEAT BECAUSE IT COULD CRUSH THE REAR PASSENGER IF SUBJECTED TO ENOUGH IMPACT. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY A BODY SHOP THAT WE JUST RE-WELD, BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO GUARANTEE IT WILL HOLD WITH IMPACT. *TR

Other Chevrolet Suburban 1500 model years

Check your 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Chevrolet Suburban 1500 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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