Most common 1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van problems
Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Chevy Van complaints by model year
Best Chevy Van years: 2000. Compare all years →
What 1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van owners say
Engine & cooling
My 1997 Chevrolet astro Van developed a shifting problem with the automatic transmission at about 60,000 miles. This problem causes extremely rough shifting from 1st to 2nd gear, and only produces the ragged shifts after the Van has thoroughly warmed up, as when on a 2 hour trip. It also turns on the "service engine soon" light, with a p1870 error code stored. My Chevrolet dealer diagnosed the problem as needing a new "valve body assembly" in the transmission. Costs 1,000 with labor. Around town and short trips, all shifts are normal and good. Here's the hooker - the state of illinois will not pass the vehicle emissions test, if there are any error codes or "service engine soon" indicators. The Van has now failed the emissions testing 3 times, so it now appears that I will be forced to dig up $1,000 just to pass the emissions test. …
My husband wrote a lengthy letter detailing the problem and events around the time we were forced to trade our Van for a tahoe in July/August 2001. I was driving on interstate 40 near crossville, tn, when the engine quit leaving me with little control and barely able to move it safely to the roadside. It was towed to the Chevy dealer in crossville, who could find nothing wrong with it. After multiple events later the same type incident happened when my husband was driving on a crowded tallahassee, fl, road while we were on vacation. Their Chevy dealer tried to find the problem but couldn't either. We drove it home on back highways to our town of tullahoma,tn, very carefully, but it stalled out again 50 miles from home. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van a good car?
Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Chevy Van rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Chevy Van at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van?
The engine & cooling — 5 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about cooling system. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (2) and windows, wipers & sunroof (2).
How many recalls does the 1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Chevy Van?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000. See the full Chevrolet Chevy Van years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Chevy Van problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.