1997 Utility Trailer Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Trailer years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Utility Trailer. That ranks 3rd out of 10 Trailer model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (6 complaints, 60%). There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 10owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Utility Trailer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 60% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Utility Trailer recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, air:supply:check valve
Problem: On certain trailers equipped with spring brake control valve assemblies, there is a recessed area on top of the valve in which a brass guide pin fits down inside the body of the valve and is held in place by a steel snap ring. The recessed area allows accumulation of water, dirt, and/or chemicals to build up behind the snap ring to the point where it will no longer contain the guide pin resulting in a failure of the air valve.
Risk: Failure of the valve in an empty or lightly loaded trailer while the vehicle is in motion could result in a hard application of the spring brakes, possibly locking up the trailer wheels and resulting in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Sealco will provide a repair kit and installation instructions to its customers free of charge. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact sealco at 602-253-1007 or utility at 626-965-1541.
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.
While driving approximately 65 mph the front left dual tires on the 1997 utility box trailer came off the wheels. The wheel went through the median, struck a guardrail face, jumped the guardrail, jumped the right away fence and came to rest in a field. *nm
External heating and a/c unit damaged at time of installation. Mjs
Lp leak at regulator, replaced regulator. Mjs
Brakes repaired several times.
Brakes failed.
Other Utility Trailer years
← 1996 Trailer · 1998 Trailer →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Trailer | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 Trailer | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 Trailer | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 Trailer | 2 | 2 |
| 2000 Trailer | 4 | 2 |
| 1999 Trailer | 5 | 1 |
| 1998 Trailer | 12 | 2 |
| 1997 | 10 | 1 |
| 1996 Trailer | 7 | 1 |
| 1995 Trailer | 12 | 1 |
See all Utility Trailer problems by year, every Utility model, or the VIN decoder.
Embed this 1997 Utility Trailer badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Utility Trailer?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, equipment problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Utility Trailer?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Utility Trailer a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Trailer model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.