AI Damage1997 Chevrolet C/K Series: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Series filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 75% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- Visibility: 3 complaints (75% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 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.
Windshield wiper motor fails to operate. Works sometime and all of a sudden stops working. Driving down the highway and wiper stop working. Almost ran off the highway could not see because of heavy rain and no wipers. Gm has had problems with this for several years, only recalling select models.
Dt*: the contact stated the windshield wipers work intermittently. The wipers fail more often in wet weather; however the problem has progressively gotten worse. There is a nhtsa recall, # 03v159000, regarding the windshield wiper/washer.
The windshield wipers work sporadically. On 6/27 during a thunderstorm, the wipers suddenly ceased working and nearly caused an accident. From this site I discovered that there is a recall on this item for my make and model truck (recall number 03v159000).
Front brake pads were making noise, inner brake pads will go out before consumer will notice the problem. Contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything. Consumer stated front pads never made any noise, until front pad inner side wore outand fell off, wheel cylinder hit rotor to stop swerve.
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 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C/K Series has 4 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 4, about average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Series?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, service brakes. Total complaints: 4.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Chevrolet C/K Series?
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 Series 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.