Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When driving and entering a curve the power steering jerks to the direction of steer. This is said to be a problem with the steering position sensor causing the variable assist steering to over-compensate and causing the vehicle to veer dangerously. The forums are full of people with this problem that has plagued this system.
Going through a left hand curve at speeds between 30mph to 60mph I get a feeling of the steering wheel wanting to dive & a brief loss of control when going around a long sweeping curve. It happens on every long sweeping left hand curve. If you aren't ready for it you could lose control & hit an oncoming car head on. To correct the failure I will have to replace the sensor & I will keep the old part. From what I have read on the internet about these sensors is there have been many people that have had these issues & some that had them replaced up to 3 times in a couple of years. All agreed that it was a dangerous situation. The part involved is called the "power steering speed sensor" (variable assist power steering) & is located on the steering column. …
Tl contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet k1500. While driving only 35 to 45 MPH the steering wheel acts as if it is going to lock and it only happens at those speeds. He was forced to pull the steering wheel to the left and right; however, it the vehicle failed to drive in the desired direction. The dealer told him that they have repaired the ECM in the steering column for several Chevrolet k1500 vehicles. The dealer gave the contact an estimate of $70 to replace the ECM; however, do not have the part since the vehicle is 12 years old. The vehicle will be repaired. The failure mileage was 36,000 and current mileage was 38,400. Updated 12/17/09 the consumer was told to unplug the connection to the steering pump to determine if the cause of the hard spot in the steering. The consumer did so and the condition stopped. The problem happened while making a turn at about 35-45 MPH. …
My steering in my 1997 Chevrolet Silverado is erratic. It is ultra easy at times and ultra difficult at others. There is no pattern to when it will suddenly jerk out of my hand. I have had to disconnect my steering sensor located on my steering column. There are multiple service bulletins out for this issue. The warranty period under which Chevrolet would investigate the issue expired before I could take my vehicle to the local dealership, while I was in aghanistan. My vehicle no longer falls under the warranty period. My dealership where I purchased the vehicle did not notify my at any time of a recall/concern. I was unaware of any concerns until just recently.
My 1997 Chevy 1500 pickup has a steering problem that is very dangerous. The wheel will jerk to the right or left as your entering a turn causing the truck to cross the center line of the road. To date I have not been able to fix this problem. Mechanics offer suggestions ranging from the steering box to steering sensors. I have since found that this is not an isolated problem to this truck, many other owners of this same year model are reporting the same problem. I guess GM will wait until someone gets killed before they decide recall this year model and fix the problem.
The power steering "grabs", sort of like it over assists when making turns and then "lets go" suddenly causing a person to over steer trying to correct what seems like the vehicle is going to turn too far. This happens with both left & right turns. The turns can be gradual and if long, like freeway exits, it does this phenomenon repeatedly during the turn. It has been doing this since I bought it used in aug. 2000 and I heard on a local radio station that GM was going to notify owners in feb, 2004 of this problem and fix it for free. I have not been notified as yet.
At just about any speed, when steering to left or right, steering jerks. So far, hasn't caused an accident but have had a few close calls. Will not let my wife drive this vehicle in fear of her safety and our son! Problem started intermittently about 2 years ago and has progressively gotten worse. Can't count the number of failures. It happens at least 2-3 times a day while driving. After talking with many other owners, I realized my situation was not unique.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Chevrolet Silverado. He stated that while driving at 65 MPH the steering wheel started to steer on its own, moving right to leftand become very hard to steer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that it was the electronic module on the power steering pump. They also stated that they knew that this was a common problem. The repair was done at the owners expense. The failure mileage was 89800 and current mileage was 90000.
My son was turning into a driveway when the power assist was lost. This made the truck almost undriveable and very difficult to maneuver. I have removed the pump and found the internal shaft had broken. I am an automotive technician with over 20 years experience as well as a manager for a local government fleet. I network with a large group of experienced technicians including independent repair shops. This appears to be a common failure on these trucks.
1997 Chevrolet 1500 extended cab pickup 2wd when turning slightly towards the right the power assist boost increases causing the truck to quickly turn towards the right. I have noticed for many years and haven't known who to report this to. It happens quickly and I have to grab the steering wheel to keep the truck under control. I noticed the recall notice on the 1996 and 1997 cars but have had this identical over assist problem on my truck.
Steering complaints in other Silverado 1500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500?
NHTSA has 140 complaints about the steering of the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 25% of the model year's 555 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (49 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering 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.