Anti-lock systems overrides at low speed on dry pavement increasing stopping distances.
The worst 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes5
- Visibility5
- Electrical2
- Lights2
- Steering2
- Engine1
- Fuel system1
- Seats1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7L 8‑cyl | RWD | 12 | 17 | 14 |
| 5.7L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 11 | 15 | 12 |
What 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Brake failure due to rusted brake lines on 2 separate occasions. Around march 2008 I was traveling on the southern state parkway in long island, ny when I depressed the brake pedal and it went to the floor and a large cloud of smoke came out of the engine compartment which was caused by brake fluid hitting the hot exhaust manifold. The brake line had rusted through and caused a hole in the line which caused the brakes to fail. Only that particular line was replaced due to the high cost of replacing all lines from front to back. Today august 6, 2012 I was leaving my house when I depressed the brake pedal and once again it went to the floor and a large cloud of smoke came out due to the brake fluid hitting the hot exhaust manifold. Upon inspection I found another brake line that had rusted through and caused a hole in the line which caused the brakes to fail. At the time of the second incident the truck had 141,000 miles on it.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet suburban 1500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, he heard a loud noise coming from the engine and the vehicle began to vibrate. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed burned wires near the fuel pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 197,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet suburban. The contact stated that the windshield wiper motor would intermittently function when in activation; and over a period of time the failure became progressively worse. The vehicle was repaired. The federal safety agency recall campaign id number 03v159000 (visibility: windshield wiper/washer) was associated with the failure. The dealer and manufacturer were notified and stated that the recall was closed. They also stated that the vehicle would not have qualified due to the model year, excessive mileage; and because the vehicle was purchased used. The contact disagreed with the manufacturer and the dealer and stated that the recall summary did not mention those factors as a requirement. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
When it began to rain, I turned on the wiper switch to have nothing happen but a soft buzzing noise. This has been ongoing and intermittent, since it began shortly after I purchased the vehicle in may of 2003. I now find there was a recall for this, but I was never notified and now will have to pay for the repair out of pocket. Gm recall no. 03023. Gm refuses to help as the recall has been "closed", and their records indicate the repair was made. I owned the vehicle during that entire time. It was not repaired!
Side rearview mirrors.....electronic controller only moves the either mirror downward. Will not move either mirror left, right, or up. Have replaced this controller twice before for the exact same problem. One with the dealer and one on my own. Both times brand new parts. There is another recall for this item but apparently does not include my VIN. !!!!
Windshield wipers work only sometimes. Sometimes have to spin the controller a few times to get them working. Even then they may not work. Frustrating!
1997 suburban - fuel gauge pegs at past full. Fuel pump fails. I am not sure of the reason for these things to happen abut it keep recurring and I do not have the cash to be going to a mechanic every 2 to 3 months. I have looked this problem up on the net many times and the list of people with this and similar problems appears to be growing.
Power steering surges, uncontrollable.
No real events, no collision, etc. Just normal use, getting in and out of the car. Driver seat adjusting mechanism, strut(s) controlling front elevation broke and seat front will not raise or lower. Seat still moves from rear and forward and back. Seat is not stable and pivots back on rear mounting /adjusting points. We no longer seat anyone behind the drivers-side front seat because it could crush the rear passenger if subjected to enough impact. It has been recommended by a body shop that we just re-weld, but they are unwilling to guarantee it will hold with impact.
Compare the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
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Questions about the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500
Is the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 reliable?
Owners have filed 16 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500, fewer than a typical Suburban 1500 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500?
Brakes, with 5 complaints, typically around 98,500 miles. Next is visibility (5).
How many recalls does the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Chevrolet Suburban 1500 have bad brakes?
The Chevrolet Suburban 1500 model years with the most brakes complaints are 2002 (66 complaints), 2003 (65 complaints) and 1999 (50 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 get?
Official estimates for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 range from 12 to 14 mpg combined. The most efficient version (5.7L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 12 city and 17 highway.
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