1997 Chevrolet Suburban Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

46Steering complaints

11.1%Of all 414 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP64 · 15.5%

STEERING46 · 11.1%

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM44 · 10.6%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION36 · 8.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY27 · 6.5%

Share of the 414 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban overview page.

What owners report

“THE STEERING SYSTEM WAS REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. PROBLEM STILL EXIST.”NHTSA complaint 548683 — filed 09/23/1999

“STEERING SENSOR HAS FAILED AGAIN THIS TIME AT 38,000 MILES. PRESENTLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.”NHTSA complaint 710870 — filed 09/02/1999

“WHILE DRIVING STEERING RESISTANCE HOLDS, RESULTING IN DANGEROUS OVERSTEER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.”NHTSA complaint 841577 — filed 07/01/1999

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban: 46 of 414 complaints on file (11.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Chevrolet Suburban have in total?

414 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 22 involved a crash, 13 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.