1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500: common problems

Owners of the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 16

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 31% of all complaints
2 Visibility 31% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
5 Steering 13% of all complaints
6 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
8 Seats 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 5 complaints (31% of all).
Visibility: 5 complaints (31% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Steering: 2 complaints (13% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 16 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

fuel system, fuel smell2 · 13%
brake failure1 · 6%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 6%
rust, corrosion1 · 6%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 6%
steering or power steering problems1 · 6%
unintended acceleration1 · 6%
vibration1 · 6%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Service brakes	5	0	0
Visibility	5	0	0
Electrical system	2	0	0
Exterior lighting	2	0	0
Steering	2	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Seats	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.

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…
Service brakes · 2012-08-06 · NHTSA complaint #10469450
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.
Electrical system · 2011-07-26 · NHTSA complaint #10415209
Tl 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.
Visibility · 2011-02-01 · NHTSA complaint #10379801
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.
Electrical system · 2010-06-08 · NHTSA complaint #10335282
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.
Visibility · 2009-05-28 · NHTSA complaint #10270193
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.
Fuel system · 2009-05-07 · NHTSA complaint #10267912
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.
Seats · 2008-05-19 · NHTSA complaint #10228141
Because of problems with the turn signal mechanism the wipers stop on there own at any given time and now the brake lights do not work at all, per the dealers inspection. No repairs have been done yet as I believe this should be a recall of a very serious matter!
Visibility · 2008-03-07 · NHTSA complaint #10220378

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20062
20072
20084
20093
20101
20112
20121
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 9,042 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Suburban 1500 has 58 complaints (25 years in the data). This year has 16, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, visibility, electrical system. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (13%), brake failure (6%), overheating, coolant loss (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500?

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 Suburban 1500 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 2026-11-06.