"How reliable is the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500?"

"Based on 21 NHTSA complaints, the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 has a median complaint mileage of 110000 miles. The most common issue is Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip."

"What are common problems with the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 is Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip, accounting for a significant portion of the 21 total complaints filed."

1997 Chevrolet Suburban 1500: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 21 complaints

Total Complaints

110,000mi

Median Mileage

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

90,000 25th Percentile

110,000 Median Mileage

145,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Steering

Windshield Wiper/Washer

Visibility

Service Brakes

Electrical System

Brake Lights

Motor

Cooling System

Switch/Wiring

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"EXTREME OVER STEERING AT SPEEDS OVER 45 MPH. NEARLY CAUSED A FREEWAY ACCIDENT WITH CAR FULL OF KIDS. PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 93 SUBURBAN WITH NO COMPLAINTS. HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS ONE 4 MONTHS AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE THE STEERING IS SO ERRATIC. ALSO TRAVEL FREQUENTLY WITH HORSE TRAILER AND..."

"ANTI LOCK BRAKES PULSATE AT LOW SPEED ON DRY PAVEMENT. ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK. *NM"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 3 complaints

Median: 28,154 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

WA: 5 MA: 2 WI: 2 IA: 2 ID: 2 MD: 1 OH: 1 TX: 1 MN: 1 CT: 1

Who Files Complaints?

14.3%

Original Owners

85.7%

Second+ Owners

Chevrolet Suburban 1500 — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1999	91	110,000	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	6
2000	72	117,000	Service Brakes	6
2001	102	108,650	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	9
2002	144	111,653	Service Brakes	3
2003	223	90,005	Service Brakes	6
2004	220	85,000	Instrument Cluster/Panel	2
2005	102	60,000	Instrument Cluster/Panel	2
2006	35	68,000	Electrical System	0
2007	240	74,000	Air Bags	5
2008	131	69,000	Air Bags	4
2009	70	75,000	Air Bags	0
2010	70	72,500	Air Bags	0
2011	108	80,000	Air Bags	1
2023	25	-	Engine	0
2025	31	-	Engine	0

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28