34 complaints reported

1997 Chevrolet Suburban Visibility

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
34
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Sep 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT AND CONFIRMED THAT REMEDY REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:03V159000(VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VHEICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,200.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2011
Nov 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DELAY FEATURE ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED SPORADICALLY. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) AND GM RECALL NUMBER 03023 IN FEBRUARY OF 2002. THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE CONTACT WANTED TO NOTIFY NHTSA, BEFORE NOTIFYING THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 220,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 219,990.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2007
Jan 2008

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE ON RAINY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2007
Sep 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2007
May 2006

1997 CHEVEROLET C1500 SUBURBAN INTERMITTENT WIPER MOTOR FAILURE TO WORK PROPERLY. CAUSES LACK OF VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS OR DURING WINDSHIELD CLEANING OPERATIONS. WIPERS WILL CEASE TO WORK CONTINUOUS AND PROBLEM IS SPORADIC. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2004
Dec 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT WAS HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT HER OWN EXPENSE.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2005
Nov 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER MOTOR. THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. NO REPAIRS WERE DONE . *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2005
Oct 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND OCCASIONALLY FAIL. DANGEROUS DURING RAINSTORMS. THIS 1997 SUBURBAN VIN# [XXX] DOES NOT SHOW UP ON RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 03V159000. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2005
Jun 2005

DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON SIDE MIRROR SWITCH ,AND HAD REPAIR WORK DONE. BUT, FELT THERE WERE STILL HOT WIRES ON DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS MAY BE A FIRE HAZARD. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ABOUT IT, AND THEY WOULD NOT REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2005
Jun 2005

NHTSA COMPLAINT # 03V159000 - CHEVROLET HAS RECALLED CERTIAN VEHICLES WITH AN INTERMITTENT WINDSHIEL WIPER PROBLEM. MY 1997 2WD SUBURBAN IS NOT NCLUDED. 1996 ALL SUBURBANS ARE AND 1997 4WD SUBURBANS ARE. I HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE 1996 AND 1997 4WD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2005
Apr 2005

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND OFF ON THEIR OWN. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT RECALL 03V159000 FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS ISSUED. MECHANIC CLAIMED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2005
Mar 2005

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING WHILE ENGAGED. THE MANUFACTURER IS CHARGING THE CONSUMER FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR RECALL 03V159000 BECAUSE THEIR RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED OUT IN 98. THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 2003. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND VERIFIED THAT THE DEFECT RECALL PART WAS NEVER REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. *JB.. THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED IN 1998. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2005
Feb 2005

NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 03V159000 CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL, AND MECHANIC STATED THAT RECALL REPAIRS HAD BEEN PERFORMED PREVIOUSLY. HOWEVER, THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE HAD NEVER TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ANY DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2004
Nov 2004

MY VEHICLE WAS FITTED WITH THE FIX FOR INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE FIX WAS WARRANTED FOR TWELVE MONTHS OR 12KMILES. NINE MONTHS LATER, ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN IN COLORADO, WITH A BLIZZARD BLOWING, THE W/W DECIDED TO STOP WORKING, I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND BEAT ON THE W/W WITH A WATER BOTTLE AND THEY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. NEITHER CHEVROLET OR MY CHEV. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE MODULE BECAUSE THE FAULT OCCURRED AT 12K MILES. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2004
Oct 2004

NHTSA RECALL 03V159000 CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. AFTER HAVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2004
Oct 2004

THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS RECALL#03V159000 WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE, BECAUSE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2004
Oct 2004

THERE WAS RECALL ISSUED JUNE 19, 2003 FOR OUR VEHICLE 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, GM RECALL NO. 03023 FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL AND HAD OUR WIPERS FAIL ON US DURING A TRIP ON A HIGHWAY THAT IS KNOWN FOR ITS ACCIDENTS. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND EVENTUALLY GOT THEM TO WORK AGAIN. WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO OUR MECHANIC THAT VERY SAME NIGHT. HE INFORMED US OF THE RECALL. WHEN CONTACTING CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 WE WERE FIRST TOLD THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALREADY HAD THE WIPERS FIXED ON THIS RECALL, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE WE OWNED THE VEHICLE WHEN THE NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL WAS RELEASED. WE WERE THEN PUT ON HOLD FOR A LONG TIME THEN TOLD THAT THE RECALL IS ONLY VALID IF YOUR VEHICLE HAD 70,000 OR LESS MILES. THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL VISIBILITY PROBLEM. HOW IS MILEAGE RELATED TO VISIBILITY? I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A AGE REQUIREMENT FOR THE CORRECTIVE ACTION AND WE FALL INTO THE RANGE, OUT VEHICLE WAS 6 YEARS AT THE RECALL DATE. HOW DO I GET CHEVROLET TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. YOUR CAMPAING ID NUMBER IS 03V159000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2004
Oct 2004

THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2004
Sep 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF ON THEIR OWN INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SC *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2004
Sep 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE REPLACED UNDER A RECALL, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2004
Sep 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY ON THEIR ON. DEALER WAS AWARE THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2004
Sep 2004

. *AK1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR DEFECT NOT ALL 97 SUBURBANS INCLUDED MINE IS EXCLUDED & THEY HAVE STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING SEVERAL TIMES CHEVROLET WILL NOT REPAIR WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE MOTOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. 30V159000

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2003
Jun 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *MR *SC *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2004
May 2004

CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A DOWNPOUR. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 0413
Feb 2004

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK *MR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2003

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Quick Summary

The 1997 Chevrolet Suburban has 34 Visibility complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.