1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

59Steering complaints

10.6%Of all 555 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP86 · 15.5%

STEERING59 · 10.6%

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM49 · 8.8%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION33 · 5.9%

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER32 · 5.8%

Share of the 555 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 overview page.

What owners report

“INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE STEERING SEEMS UNPREDICTABLE. THE DRIVER HAS VERY LITTLE STEERING CONTROL. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE…”NHTSA complaint 829299 — filed 11/18/1998

“STEERING EFFORT WILL BECOME EXCESSIVE WITH OUT WARNING. WHEN PUT IN AN EMERGENCY STOPPING CONDITION WAS UNABLE TO TURN STEERING TO THE RIGHT. THIS CONDITION…”NHTSA complaint 540189 — filed 08/20/1998

“WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN VEHICLE LOSES STEERING CONTROL, AND STEERING WHEEL MUST BE TURNED LEFT TO RIGHT TO REGAIN CONTROL. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT…”NHTSA complaint 825068 — filed 07/07/1998

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 59 of 555 complaints on file (10.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have in total?

555 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 30 involved a crash, 13 involved a fire, 26 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.