1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 brakes problems

Owners reported brakes problems in 149 complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 22% of the complaints on file. It is the most reported problem area for this model year.

Complaints: 149 22% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage: 87,000 miles 38 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires: 15 and 0
Injuries and deaths: 8 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When brakes problems show up

Based on 38 complaints that include mileage. 24% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.

View the numbers

Mileage	Complaints
0k to 20k miles	0
20k to 40k miles	1
40k to 60k miles	8
60k to 80k miles	6
80k to 100k miles	11
100k to 120k miles	2
120k to 140k miles	4
140k to 160k miles	2
160k to 180k miles	3
180k to 200k miles	0
200k+ miles	1

What the data shows

Of the 38 brakes complaints that report mileage, the median is about 87,000 miles, and 24% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 15 crashes, 8 injuries.

What owners wrote

While driving applied the brakes and the brakes locked, pedal went to the floor. Driver attempted to pump the brakes and there still were no brakes. This brake failure resulted in truck hitting another vehicle.

September 1997 CrashInjury

Traveling approximately 25 MPH I began for an upcoming stop sign, two school buses were already stopped as I applied the brakes the peddle went quickly to the floor with little results, I was able to put the truck in low gear, turned onto the shoulder and with the emer. Brake and what little brake that was left I was able to get stopped safely. I would learn the welding on the upper shock bracket had failed allowing movement which allowed metal to rub against the brake line which runs past that area.

Reported at 71,027 miles, March 2005

Brakes problems in other years

Brakes problems across all Chevrolet models