Model Year Problem Record

Chevrolet Suburban 1997 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

414Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints

2Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls

5Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations

42Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Brakes115 complaints

115 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering110 complaints

110 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train52 complaints

52 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System48 complaints

48 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System47 complaints

47 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Visibility37 complaints

37 complaints; 2 recall campaigns cover this system. Campaigns: 03V093000, 03V159000.

Tires27 complaints

27 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine22 complaints

22 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension20 complaints

20 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Air Bags8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts7 complaints

7 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Latches, Locks and Linkages5 complaints

5 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting2 complaints

2 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Trailer Hitches and Towing1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

03V093000Reported March 7, 2003 - 507,171 vehicles potentially affected

Visibility. Recall covering the visibility system, reported to NHTSA on March 7, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 507,171 vehicles across all affected models.

03V159000Reported April 28, 2003 - 1,755,876 vehicles potentially affected

Visibility. Recall covering the visibility system, reported to NHTSA on April 28, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 1,755,876 vehicles across all affected models.

Defect Investigations

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened these investigations touching this model year.

DP00001Opened January 31, 2000 - Open

OEM HITCH RECEIVER PLATFORM CRACKING. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

EA00013Opened May 2, 2000 - Closed June 28, 2002

BATTERY LEAKS ACID. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

EA02006Opened May 31, 2002 - Closed July 23, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE. Resulted in recall campaign 03V159000.

EA95026Opened September 20, 1995 - Closed September 20, 2001

POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE. Resulted in recall campaign 01I006000.

EA99011Opened May 12, 1999 - Closed February 27, 2001

ERRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE DRIV. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

19961

199733

199839

199980

200093

200133

200220

200339

200436

200519

20067

20072

20085

20091

20112

20121

20161

20191

20201

How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.