Most common 1997 Chevrolet Pickup problems
Share of the 75 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Pickup complaints by model year
Best Pickup years: 2003, 2002, 2001. Years to avoid: 1995, 1997, 1996. Compare all years →
What 1997 Chevrolet Pickup owners say
Brakes all 25 →
While driving 35 MPH on dry sunny day and upon applying brakes brakes failed to respond, brakes failed without prior warning. Also, brake pedal went to floor, and rear-ended another vehicle. Frontal damage to vehicle. Have not contacted dealer. 2 people were injured in accident.
American automobile makers should be responsible for the major parts of a brake system. We had to take time to get the truck repaired and pay a lot of money for something that should not fail. This is a major safety issue to me. We should not in this country produce such unsafe vehicles.
Steering all 21 →
Tl contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet Pickup. While turning left at 15 MPH, the steering wheel locked. The contact shut off the engine and placed the gear into park. He then restarted the vehicle and the steering wheel unlocked. He had to do this twice before taking the vehicle to the dealer. The contact stated that the dealer did not want to inspect the vehicle. They have had the vehicle for two days and cannot determine the cause of the failure. The current and failure mileages were 138,000.
Steering wheel pulls hard to the right when steering through a curve. It is a very sudden movement and lasts from 1-3 seconds and can happen several times going through a curve. I was traveling on a two lane road and was pulled off of the road traveling at 55 MPH nearly missing a tree. This problem exists at any speed and at any time.
Engine & cooling
Consumer has experianced porblems with losing power steering and power brakes. Checked fluids, and the fluids looked fine. Contacted dealer, and dealer will replace a pump in engine.
Loud rattling noise after engine warmup, loudes at lowspeed (35-45 MPH), have been told it was a split heat shiel/, muffler baffle and catalytic converter, etc.
1997 Chevrolet Pickup engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 19 / 15 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 6.5L 8-cyl turbo diesel | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 6.5L 8-cyl turbo diesel | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Chevrolet Pickup a good car?
Based on 75 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Pickup rates avoid: 2.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the Pickup at the same age. It is one of the Pickup years we suggest avoiding. 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 Pickup?
The brakes — 25 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the steering (21) and engine & cooling (6).
How many recalls does the 1997 Chevrolet Pickup have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Chevrolet Pickup. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Pickup?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 2002 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1997 and 1996. See the full Chevrolet Pickup years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Pickup problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 25% 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.