1997 Chevrolet Silverado Steering Problems

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

21Steering complaints

7.7%Of all 272 complaints

#3Most-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 SLIP37 · 13.6%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION29 · 10.7%

STEERING21 · 7.7%

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR19 · 7%

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM17 · 6.2%

Share of the 272 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado overview page.

What owners report

“STEERING SENSOR GOES OUT MAINLY AT HIGH SPEED. STEERING GETS REAL TIGHT. FASTER CONSUMER GOES. WHEN VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN STEERING IS SO LOOSE, IT'S LIKE…”NHTSA complaint 870964 — filed 09/19/2000

“FAULTY STEERING SENSOR; REPLACED ONE SENSOR AT 16,000 MILES OR LESS, THE SECOND SENSOR FAILED AT 31000 MILES AND REPLACED. DEALER NOTIFIED.”NHTSA complaint 869305 — filed 09/01/2000

“THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING DUE TO STEERING WHEEL SENSOR FAILURE. YH”NHTSA complaint 553340 — filed 08/01/2000

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 have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado: 21 of 272 complaints on file (7.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

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

272 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 16 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 20 reported injuries, and none 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.