1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Power Train
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
1997 CHEVROLET CK1500, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THE ENGINE REVVED HIGH. AS HE WAS PULLING OVER TO THE SHOULDER, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SOON AFTER, FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS RE-BUILT ONE WEEK PRIOR. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0553-89. *JB UPDATED 04/14/10 *BF
THE SUN SHELL ON MY TRANSMISSION BROKE TAKING OUT REVERSE 2ND AND 4TH GEARS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM TRANSMISSIONS. ITS A 97 CHEVY 1500 Z71 4X4. *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILED, HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 20,000 MILES. *AK
WHEN DRIVING WITH OVERDRIVE ON CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE OVERDRIVE SWITCHED TO DRIVE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK
I HAD A TORQUE CONVERTER PUT IN MY 97 CHEVY Z71. WHILE THE REPAIRES WERE DONE, THE REPAIR SHOP BROKE MY SHIFT CABLE AND I WAS CHARGED FOR THAT. A $70 CABLE COST ME $140.00. THEY BROKE IT, NOT ME. THEY SHOULD BE RESPONDSIBLE FOR THE COST OR AT LEAST SPLIT THE BILL ON THAT CABLE.*AK
I HAVE A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 P/U WITH 115K MILES. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO MAKE A LOW ROARING NOISE IN LOW GEAR AND WOULD QUIET DOWN AS IT SHIFTED TO A HIGHER GEAR. OVER TIME THE NOISE GOT PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER AND EVENTUALLY MADE A CLANGING SOUND AS I TOOK OFF FROM A STOP. THE NOISE WAS LOUDER THAN I'VE EVER HEARD, SO I DROVE THE TRUCK BACK HOME A PARKED IT. I'VE TOLD FRIENDS THAT I NEEDED ANOTHER TRANSMISSION AND THE MORE I TOLD THE MORE I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS OF THE SAME PROBLEMS IN OTHER CHEVROLET TRUCKS. THIS MAY BE COINCIDENCE BUT IT'S TO LARGE OF A SCALE THAT'S COSTING MANY PEOPLE LOTS OF MONEY. *NLM
1997 CHEVROLET C-1500 P/U AUTO TRANS HAS HARD SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND A LARGE NUMBER OF G/M OWNERS HAVE EXPERINCED THIS DEFECT AND G/M HAS NOT OR WILL NOT RECALL OR REPAIR THIS PROBLEM.*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 87,671 MILES LOST SECOND GEAR, REVERSE GEAR AND OVERDRIVE DUE DEFECTIVE PART INSTALLED THAT WAS NOT HARDENED STEEL AS PER SPECIALTY TRANSMISSION THAT DID THE REBUILD OF MY TRANSMISSION.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY 1997 CHEVY K1500 PICKUP. PLANETARY SUNGEAR CARRIER BROKE. $2,000 TO REPAIR. THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE FOR THIS MODEL AND DESIGN OF TRANSMISSION. *JB
NHTSA#98-V-069-002 TRANSFER CAS LOCK UP OF TRANSFER CAS AN OCCUR DUE TO INSUFICIENT LUBRICATION. CONSUMER STATES HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
VEHICLE NEVER BEEN IN A CRASH, NEVER PULLED A LOAD, NO TOW HITH ON IT, WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, HEARD A WEIRD VIBRATION SOUND WHEN IT HAPPENNED, THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF THIS YEAR TRANSMISSION FAILING AROUND 50,000 MILES. THERE IS NO REASON THAT A TRANSMISSION SHOULD FAIL ON A TRUCK THAT IS NOT USED FOR HEAVY USE AND WHEN CHEVY SAYS THEY ARE BUILT LIKE A ROCK, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP IT FOR 36,000 MILES WHEN THE FACTORY WARRANTY IS UP?I HAVE THE OLD PART, I PURCHASED TH VEHICLE AT 41,000 MILES, LOW MILLEAGE AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, THE GEAR SHEARED OFF , UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND I THINK IT IS A FAULTY PART THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS MAKING AND WHEN REPLACING IT WITH THE SAME PART IT IS JUST GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. TOTALLY SENSELESS ! OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH A TRANSMISSION BEFORE AND THEY SHOULD CERTAINLY LAST LONGER THAN 50,000 MILES AND G.M. CHEVROLET SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND STAND BEHIND THEIR ADVERTISING!!!*AK
WHEN PARKING, CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE INTO REVERSE GEAR. THE VEHICLE DIDN'T REVERSE, THE ENGINE JUST ACCELERATED. CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE INTO DRIVE GEAR WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE MAKING A CLANKING NOISE AND HESITATED TO MOVE FORWARD. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD BLOWN AS A RESULT OF THE REACTION SHELL BRUSTING. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE MODEL VEHCILE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
DEALERSHIP VERY HELPFUL WITH THIS AND SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS. SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE HTTP://WWW.THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM/G/GM_TOC.HTM. *AK
AFTER COMING TO A STOP AFTER DRIVING ON FREEWAY WITH TRANSMISSION HOT VEHICLE WILL SLAM HARD INTO 2ND GEAR UPON ACCELERATION FROM INITIAL STOP. DEALERS ARE RECOMMENDING TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS AND OR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. NUMEROUS WEB SITES SHOW OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS AS EARLY AS 40K MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED GM BUT FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT THAT STATES QUOTE: "THE CONDITION MAY BE CAUSED BY A SLIP-STICK CONDITION BETWEEN THE PROPELLER SHAFT SLIP YOKE AND TRANSFER CASE OUTPUT SHAFT" CORPORATE BULLETIN # 99-04-21-001 AND I BELIEVE THIS TO BE THE CASE WITH MY AND MANY OTHERS VEHICLES.
TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHIFTING VERY HARD(JERKING) FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEARS AND FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. WHEN THIS OCCURED THE CHECK ENGING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEYIWOULD HAVE TO REBUILD OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. I HAD IT REPLACE AT A COST OF $2000.00 OUT OF MY POCKET. I SHOWED THE DEALERSHIP MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO VERIFY THE TRUCK HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE AND THEY REFUSED. I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I WAS TOLD BY THEM "WE HELP ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR VEHICLES REGULAR SERVICE DONE AT DEALERSHIPS". MEANING THAT SINCE I DID NOT HAVE MY OIL CHANGED AT THE DEALERSHIP AT A COST OF APPROX $30.00 A POP VERSES HALF THAT COST FOR MYSELF THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME. THE PURCHASE COST OF $28,000.00 OBVISOUSLY NOT ENOGH FOR GM. HOW "STUPID" IS THIS? LOOK AT THE COMPLAINTS ON "THE COMPLAINT STATION". GM NEEDS TO RECALL & REINBURSE US. HOW DO WE KNOW THE REPLACEMENT TRANNY(SAME AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT) WON'T FAIL AGAIN. CAN'T AFFORD $2K EVERY 61K MILES. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. TRANSMISIION BLEW. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE, LOST TRANSMISSION. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO AAMCO. FOUND A PART INSIDE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY, SUNGEAR REACTION SHELL. CONSUMER FOUND OUT THROUGH ATRA ORGANIZATION. *AK
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. HE WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WHEN VEHICLE STARTED JERKING, AND VEHICLE HAD TO TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER WOULD STOP VEHICLE AND START AGAIN AND TRANSMSISSION WOULD SHIFT HARD TO SECOND GEAR, CONSUMER STATES IT KICKED, DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE SHIFT ACTUATOR IN THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY THAT'S MADE OF AN ALLOY THAT DOES NOT EXPAND/CONTRACT CORRECTLY WITHIN THE ASSEMBLY WHEN HOT. *SLC
TRANSMISSION FAILED @ 63K MILES - VERY LITTLE TOWING - MOSTLY CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS AND RESULTED IN A 3RD TRANSMISSION BEING INSTALLED. CONCERN IS THAT 63K MILES IS NOT MUCH FOR A TRANSMISSION. REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FAILED AND ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. IN ADDITION TO THE FAILED TRANSMISSIONS, WHEN THE 1ST REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED, 2 BOLTS THAT SECURE THE CRANKSHAFT WERE NOT SECURED. THEY CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, AND PART OF THE CRANKSHAFT GOT BENT AND A ZERK BROKE OFF. I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WHAT RECOURSE I HAVE IF IT IS. SEEMS TO ME THAT IF IT'S A REAL PROBLEM WITH GM TRUCKS, THEN I MAY BE INLINE FOR SOME COMPENSATION.*AK
NO SUMMARY
TRUCK WAS TAKEN IN MANY TIMES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ONLY ONCE OUT OF FIRST 3 TIMES DID THEY FIND THE PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. ON OR ABOUT JULY 22 OF 1998. NOW AS VEHILCE IS APPROACHING 60,000 MILE WE ARE EXPERIANCING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS WE HAD FIRST ENCOUNTERED WITH CLUNKING AND ROUGH SHIFTING. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH
THE REAR SEALS ARE LEAKING, IF THIS IS NOT STOPPED THE GREASE COULD LEAK ONTO THE BRAKES, CAUSING A DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEM. *AK THE REAR AXLE SEALS ARE LEAKING. IF THIS IS NOT STOPPED THE GREASE COULD LEAK ONTO THE BRAKES, CAUSING A DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
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Quick Summary
The 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has 40 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.