AI Damage1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups filed 72 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 72
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 42% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 26% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 7 Latches, locks, linkages 4% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 4% of all complaints
- Visibility: 30 complaints (42% of all).
- Steering: 19 complaints (26% of all).
- Service brakes: 8 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (6% of all).
- Fuel system: 4 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 72 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Vehicle left the road and hit a tree head on and air bags did not deploy.
Brakes failed, inspection revealed completely rusted out brake lines, frame, suspension components, steering components, and crossmembers. Vehicle is not repairable and is no longer usable.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet c/k. The contact stated that the windshield wipers would fail intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 03v159000…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet c/k pickup. The contact stated when driving approximately 5 mph in rainy weather conditions the windshied wipers would not operate normally. He would had to drive onto the emergency lane and wait until the rain stopped.
The contact stated that the window wiper motor would fail intermittently. The dealer and the manufacturer advised that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 03v159000 (visibility: windshield wiper/washer). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 128,397.
The rear brake line corroded and began a major leak causing my pregnant wife to nearly rear end a car.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to apply brake pressure at various speeds the brakes failed. This occurred without warning during normal braking on normal roads.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph there was a loud noise that came from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local independent repair shop. The mechanic determined the rear suspension needed to be replaced however no repairs were made.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C/K Pickups has 29 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 72, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, steering, service brakes. Total complaints: 72. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (14%), door locks, latches, handles (6%), brake failure (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.