1997 Chevrolet Express Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Express years
- More complaints than other years 6th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Chevrolet Express. That ranks 6th out of 31 Express model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (6 complaints, 21%), typically at around 78,900 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 29owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Chevrolet Express problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 6 | 21% | 78,900 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 10% | 78,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 10% | 78,900 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 10% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 10% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 7% | 185,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% | 83,599 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 3% | 80,750 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Chevrolet Express recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Passenger vans. These vans experience fuel odors or leakage.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a revised evaporative emission pipe assembly.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet express. The contact stated that a fuel odor came from the vehicle and the vehicle leaked fuel onto the ground. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The vin was not…
Dt*: the contact stated there is a hook on the rear passenger side door. The contact's head struck the hook, which resulted in the contact losing consciousness and herniating two discs. The manufacturer sent a representative, which determined this is how the vehicle was designed.
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 75 mph, the front driver side tire blew out. The vehicle was pulled over into the median and the tire was changed. Two hundred miles later, the passenger side rear tire blew out. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder and the tire was replaced. The tires…
The transmission had an overheating problem that caused the vehicle to switch to "safe" mode. Safe mode compensated the transmission heat problem by hard shifting. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialty repair shop where i learned that the problem was in the design of the transmission…
Dt: while driving service engine light illuminated on the dash panel. The consumer took the vehicle to a chevrolet dealer, who performed a diagnostic test which showed that transmission was slipping. The dealer noted the next step would be to check the transmission fluid. Due to the color of the…
Other Chevrolet Express years
← 1996 Express · 1998 Express →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Express | 0 | 3 |
| 2025 Express | 0 | 4 |
| 2024 Express | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 Express | 2 | 1 |
| 2021 Express | 13 | 2 |
| 2020 Express | 17 | 1 |
| 2019 Express | 8 | 4 |
| 2018 Express | 11 | 6 |
| 2017 Express | 21 | 6 |
| 2016 Express | 15 | 6 |
| 2015 Express | 8 | 3 |
| 2014 Express | 14 | 7 |
| 2013 Express | 22 | 8 |
| 2012 Express | 13 | 6 |
| 2011 Express | 12 | 5 |
| 2010 Express | 15 | 5 |
| 2009 Express | 10 | 7 |
| 2008 Express | 14 | 10 |
| 2007 Express | 17 | 4 |
| 2006 Express | 12 | 16 |
| 2005 Express | 23 | 8 |
| 2004 Express | 21 | 6 |
| 2003 Express | 59 | 10 |
| 2002 Express | 55 | 0 |
| 2001 Express | 45 | 2 |
| 2000 Express | 84 | 1 |
| 1999 Express | 68 | 1 |
| 1998 Express | 23 | 1 |
| 1997 | 29 | 1 |
| 1996 Express | 15 | 2 |
| 1995 Express | 1 | 0 |
See all Chevrolet Express problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
Similar Chevrolet models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Chevrolet Express?
Owners most often report power train, engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Chevrolet Express?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Chevrolet Express a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Express model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.