Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Chevrolet Blazer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The right front upper ball joint of my 1997 Blazer failed as I was driving on a public highway. I immediately had my Blazer repaired and reported it to Chevrolet under recall campaign id number 01V200000. I complied with Chevrolet's directions to have the vehicle inspected by their agents at a Chevrolet dealership. Chevrolet refuses to provide me with a written explanation of why it has not issued payment of my claim.
Primary: electrical failures! Ignition switch; multiple electrical failures with interior lights for which no one can figure out what is happening; check engine light has come on since I purchased the vehicle even after dealer worked on it; vehicle stalling out while driving almost caused accident; alternator replacement; multiple batteries -drain for unidentified reason; fuel injection system and pump; unexplained noises in the front end; front ball joints loose for which the dealership would not replace when I bought the vehicle because they said it was within factory limits even though my mechanic said that they were not; at this point I have become afraid to drive the vehicle due to the electrical problems and stalling but feel that I have no choice because the costs to maintain the vehicle is that of the payments and sometimes more and I cannot afford the required money down to …
Owning this vehicle has been a nightmare and a financial drain. Windshield wipers worked when they chose, replaced wiper motor due to defective part. Upper and lower ball joints all had to be replaced. Wheel bearings had to be replaced. A/C stopped working, had it looked at and recharged and it still doesn't work. Fuel gage didn't work, replaced fuel sensor and sending unit. Rear wiper quit working, replaced rear wiper motor, a few days later it does not work again. Replaced water pump, have replaced ABS only to get a recall after the fact with no reimbursement. Wears through brake pads entirely too fast. Replaced alternator and battery twice. Rear hatch does not unlock with key. Headlights are so dim they might as well not exist. Water leaks into interior on drivers side due to a bad seal. Idler arm needs to be replaced. Gas pedal sticks. Now heater fan works sometimes. …
I took my 1997 Blazer to alevander chevrolot because the front end was making a grinding and popping sound on 9/23/04 miles at time of service was 86,921 they told me all that was wrong was it was dry they charged me $222.94 and said they could not find anything else. Then on 8/14/05 miles at time is 91,844 which is less than 5,000 miles later the upper ball joint broke and the wheel fell over thank god we were in front of the house only doing 10 MPH or we could of been killed anyway all the dealer is doing is replacing the upper ball joints on both sides the lower they say is OK they are not replacing the wheel that was destroyed or for a front alignment which will be needed to save my tires.
Lack of assistance in remedying defects of record. Soon after the notification about upper and lower ball joints on the 97 Chevy blazers (my SUV originated in delaware, I called the local dealership and they blew me off and wouldn't fix the problem. I had to have one replaced at my expense. Now I get the same thing about the windshield wiper motor. My wipers are now intermittent. They will stop going down the road. They restart when they feel like it. Most of the time they work perfectly. It is the unexpected stop that is scary. I have also received a notice on the driver seat belt. Just who am I suppose to call. Lindsay sure doesn't want to remedy the situations.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that she experienced difficulty steering accompanied by an abnormal drift in the vehicle. She took the vehicle to a local repair shop and the technician stated that the upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced. The dealer and manufacturer stated that the VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign id number 01i018000 (suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint). The contact would have to pay $644.49 for the repair. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 99,000 and current mileage was 120,291.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that the suspension front upper ball joint was making a popping noise. The failure caused the vehicle to shift, which made it impossible to align the front end. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealer. She also stated that the windshield wipers worked intermittently. Occasionally, the windshield wipers grind when activated. She stated that the wiper motor works, but the arms do not. If she jiggles the arms, the wipers would work temporarily. The current mileage was 130,000 and failure mileage was 125,000.
Dt: owner noticed after washing the car that the windshield wipers don't work. Owner has to stop and get out and hit the windshield wiper motor in order to get the windshield wipers to work. Sometimes the owner has to get out and wipe off the windshield. The auto parts store told the owner that there was no seal in the motor of the windshield wipers and this allows water to enter the motor. The owner has checked with Chevrolet and they stated owner would have to pay for diagnosis and the repair. The consumer believes the vehicle also has inferior ball joints.
Ball joint upper control arm broke as I was driving today. Since I purchased this 1997 Blazer I have had nothing but problems-the windshield wipers fail,the water pump has been replaced the fuel pump has also been replaced. This vehicle has less than 60,000 miles. I just found out that most of these problem have been recalled I was never notified. I purchase the vehicle used at a local dealership,whom by the way did not tell me of any of these recalls. I have had very serious and dangerous problems with this vehicle.
I took my 1997 Chevrolet Blazer in to my mechanic to have all tires replaced. I was called about an hour later to be informed by him that both lower ball joints were bad, also the idler arm needed replaced. I was informed that there was a re-call some time ago that the manufacturer would replace at no cost to the consumer. After calling general motors, I was informed that the recall did not include the "VIN #" for this recall.
Related recalls
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
On certain sport utility vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin, and in the…
Remedy: Dealers will replace both upper ball joints. Owner notification began September 4, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Suspension complaints in other Blazer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Blazer?
NHTSA has 105 complaints about the suspension of the 1997 Chevrolet Blazer, 14% of the model year's 768 complaints. The component named most often is front › control arm › upper ball joint (42 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Chevrolet Blazer suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-200 (upper ball joint, Jun 28, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Blazer suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.