1997 Chevrolet Chevy van problems
The Chevrolet Van or Chevy Van (also known as the Chevrolet/GMC G-series vans and GMC Vandura) is a range of vans that was manufactured by General Motors from the 1964 to 1996 model years. Introduced as the successor for the rear-engine Corvair Corvan/Greenbrier, the model line also replaced the panel van configuration of the Chevrolet Suburban. The vehicle was sold both in passenger van and cargo van configurations as well as a cutaway van chassis that served as the basis for a variety of custom applications.
Produced across three generations (1964–66, 1967–70, and 1970–96), the model line was sold under a wide variety of model names under both the Chevrolet and GMC brands. The first two generations were forward control vehicles (with the engine placed between the seats); the third generation adopted a configuration placing the engine forward of the driver. The second and third generations shared powertrain commonality with the C/K pickup truck model line.
After the 1996 model year, GM retired the G-Series vans, replacing them with the GMT600-platform Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana.
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Common 1997 Chevrolet Chevy van problems
The 1997 Chevy Van, also known as the Chevrolet Express, is a popular choice for many commercial and personal uses due to its spacious interior and reliable performance. However, like any vehicle, it can experience various issues that may affect its reliability and functionality. Here are some common problems reported by 1997 Chevy Van owners, based on the search results:
- Spark Plugs and Spark Plug Wires: Another common issue with the 1997 Chevy Van is worn-out spark plugs and spark plug wires. These components can cause intermittent starting problems, poor engine performance, and misfiring. In some cases, the spark plugs may be an old design that is prone to failure, leading to ignition problems.
- Engine Computer and Sensor Issues: The engine computer and sensors, such as the crankshaft sensor, can also cause starting problems in the 1997 Chevy Van. If the engine computer or sensors fail, the engine may not receive the correct signals to start or run properly. In some cases, the engine computer may not communicate with the spider injector system, leading to fuel delivery issues and starting problems.
- Injector System and Fuel Pressure Regulator Issues: The injector system and fuel pressure regulator can also cause starting problems in the 1997 Chevy Van. If the fuel pressure regulator fails, the fuel pressure may be too high or too low, leading to engine performance issues and starting problems. In some cases, the injectors may not receive the correct signal from the engine computer, leading to fuel delivery issues and starting problems.
- Throttle Body and Fuel Pressure Issues: The throttle body and fuel pressure can also cause starting problems in the 1997 Chevy Van. If the fuel pressure is too low or the throttle body is not functioning correctly, the engine may not receive enough fuel to start or run properly. In some cases, the fuel pressure regulator in the throttle body may need to be rebuilt to restore the correct fuel pressure.
In summary, the 1997 Chevy Van can experience various issues that may affect its reliability and functionality. Common problems include fuel pump and fuel pressure issues, spark plug and spark plug wire issues, engine computer and sensor issues, injector system and fuel pressure regulator issues, and throttle body and fuel pressure issues. Regular maintenance, such as replacing fuel filters and spark plugs at the recommended interval, can help prevent these issues and increase vehicle reliability and reduce diagnostic costs.
Are Chevy Express vans reliable?
The Chevrolet Express 1500 Reliability Rating is 3.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 9th out of 21 for commercial vans. The average annual repair cost is $963 which means it has poor ownership costs.
What is the life expectancy of a Chevy Express van?
With proper maintenance, a used Chevy Express van will last up to 300 thousand miles on the original motor. There are four gasoline engines on the model to choose from: The most basic had a volume of 4.3 liters (200 hp).
How many miles per gallon does a 1997 Chevy conversion van get?
EPA rating: 14 mpg city/18 highway. Truett's tip: The full-size Chevy Express conversion van is comfortable, well- equipped and pleasing to drive.
What is the recall on the Chevy van?
Recall # N202325160 Date: 03/18/2021 Recall: General Motors, LLC is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles equipped with 6.6L gasoline engines. The positive battery cable terminals may contact a fuse block assembly attachment post and cause an electrical short circuit.
Are Chevrolet vans reliable?
The Chevrolet Express 3500 Reliability Rating is 2.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 13th out of 21 for commercial vans. The average annual repair cost is $1,013 which means it has poor ownership costs. The frequency of repairs is average, but when issues do arise, they are more likely to be severe than with other models.
What is the fuel pressure for a 1997 Chevy?
Spec is 60 psi to 66 psi but I have seen starting problems on these if the pressure is below 63 psi.
What is the mileage on a Chevy van?
According to Kelley Blue Book's review of the 2022 model year, the base engine for the Chevy Express is a 4.3-liter V6. This engine has an estimated EPA fuel economy rating of 16 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.
How many miles can a Chevy van last?
A well-maintained 2021 Chevy Express can last around 200,000 miles, which is similar to other full size vans like the Ford Transit. Regular annual maintenance costs are also average for a large van, at $870 per year, according to data provided by Repair Pal.
1997 Chevrolet Chevy van car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Chevrolet Chevy van problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Engine and engine cooling problems
- Visibility problems
- Fuel system problems
- Gasoline problems
- Engine problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1997 Chevrolet Chevy van vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1997 Chevrolet Chevy van complaints
The NHTSA has received 12 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1997 Chevrolet Chevy van.
ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2001-05-13
- Components: ENGINE
- Summary: MY HUSBAND WROTE A LENGTHY LETTER DETAILING THE PROBLEM AND EVENTS AROUND THE TIME WE WERE FORCED TO TRADE OUR VAN FOR A TAHOE IN JULY/AUGUST 2001. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 40 NEAR CROSSVILLE, TN, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT LEAVING ME WITH LITTLE CONTROL AND BARELY ABLE TO MOVE IT SAFELY TO THE ROADSIDE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE CHEVY DEALER IN CROSSVILLE, WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. AFTER MULTIPLE EVENTS LATER THE SAME TYPE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON A CROWDED TALLAHASSEE, FL, ROAD WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION. THEIR CHEVY DEALER TRIED TO FIND THE PROBLEM BUT COULDN'T EITHER. WE DROVE IT HOME ON BACK HIGHWAYS TO OUR TOWN OF TULLAHOMA,TN, VERY CAREFULLY, BUT IT STALLED OUT AGAIN 50 MILES FROM HOME. THE CHEVY DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT QUITE 3 YEARS OLD, AND INSISTED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. WE WERE FORCED TO TRADE OUR VAN, AND THE DEALERSHIP SOLD IT TO SOMEONE ELSE IN THAT DANGEROUS CONDITION. THAT'S WHY MY HUSBAND REPORTED IT TO YOU AT THAT TIME; WE DIDN'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO BE HURT OR DIE FROM THE PROBLEM. THE IGNITION SHUTTING OFF, LIKE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY OTHER GM CARS, IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO OUR VAN. NOW I BELIEVE GM HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR A LONGER TIME. I JUST HEARD ON THE NEWS THAT IT HAS BEEN TRACED BACK TO 2001; IT MUST BE EVEN OLDER THAN THAT. I CAN PROVIDE THE VIN # WHEN WE GET BACK TO TN AS MY HUSBAND IS WORKING A JOB IN FL RIGHT NOW. ALSO, WE DROVE ANOTHER GM VAN THE DAY BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CHEVY VAN AND IT DID THE SAME THING ON THE WAY HOME FROM A TRIP TO FRANKLIN, TN, THEREFORE WE RETURNED IT, AS THE GM DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. YES, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME AND I AM THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE! *TR
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2013-01-01
- VIN: 1GNEL19W2VB
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: MY VAN STARTED MAKING A STRANGE CRUNCHING SOUND. I WAS TOLD BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS CRACKED INSIDE. IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2009-03-06
- VIN: 1GNDX06E1VD
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: I HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR IN MY CHEVY VENTURE 97 I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I CAN RECOVER MY COST. I HEARD THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT FILED A YEAR AGO REGARDING THIS. *TR
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2006-05-17
- VIN: 1GBFG15R2V1
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE SERVICE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE COMPUTER IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE REAR WHEELS AND WAS PRODUCING FALSE FAILURES CAUSING THE ILLUMINATION OF THOSE WARNING LIGHTS. ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WHEN THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES COULD FAIL. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES WERE REPLACED, BUT NO CORRECTIONS WERE MADE TO THE COMPUTER.
VISIBILITY PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2001-10-22
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: PURCHASED USED VAN FROM ORIGINATING DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR FOLLOWING MY PURCHASE. THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW HAS BEEN EXHIBITING FAILURE FOR OVER A YEAR. IT NOW IS ALMOST TOTALLY USELESS AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE WINDOW IS PUT DOWN, ITS MOTION SLOWS TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY A 3RD OF THE WAY DOWN AND WILL GO NO FURTHER AND IT WILL NOT GO UP. SEVERAL MINUTES HAVE TO PASS BEFORE THE I AM ABLE TO GET THE WINDOW TO START GOING BACK UP. IT TAKES SEVERAL WAITING PERIODS BEFORE THE WINDOW WILL GO UP ENOUGH TO CLOSE. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THIS PART REPLACED. *JB
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2005-08-03
- VIN: 1GNEL19W2VB
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN
- Summary: MY 1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN DEVELOPED A SHIFTING PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES EXTREMELY ROUGH SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, AND ONLY PRODUCES THE RAGGED SHIFTS AFTER THE VAN HAS THOROUGHLY WARMED UP, AS WHEN ON A 2 HOUR TRIP. IT ALSO TURNS ON THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT, WITH A P1870 ERROR CODE STORED. MY CHEVROLET DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS NEEDING A NEW "VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY" IN THE TRANSMISSION. COSTS 1,000 WITH LABOR. AROUND TOWN AND SHORT TRIPS, ALL SHIFTS ARE NORMAL AND GOOD. HERE'S THE HOOKER - THE STATE OF ILLINOIS WILL NOT PASS THE VEHICLE EMISSIONS TEST, IF THERE ARE ANY ERROR CODES OR "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" INDICATORS. THE VAN HAS NOW FAILED THE EMISSIONS TESTING 3 TIMES, SO IT NOW APPEARS THAT I WILL BE FORCED TO DIG UP $1,000 JUST TO PASS THE EMISSIONS TEST. OF COURSE A TRANSMISSION SHIFT PROBLEM REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EMISSIONS, BUT GM SAW FIT TO TURN ON THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT ANYWAY. *NM
VISIBILITY PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2000-09-01
- VIN: 1GNDX03E1VD
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: ELECTRIC WINDOW NOT WORKING, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS,BRAKE LIGHTS SHORTS. *AK
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1999-06-13
- Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- Summary: FUEL GAUGE DOESN'T WORK, VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR, ABOUT 800.00 DOLLARS THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW, I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED AGAIN!!*AK
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2004-02-09
- VIN: 1GCFG25M3V1
- Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- Summary: FUEL PUMP/SENSOR UNIT FAILED DUE TO EXPOSED WIRES AND FRICTION BETWEEN PUMP WIRE AND ANOTHER WIRE. THE PUMP WAS SHORTED OUT ELECTRICALLY. FUEL TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. ITEM REPLACED BY INDEPENTANT MECHANIC AND DEFECTIVE PART RETAINED BY ME. *AK
SUSPENSION PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2000-12-27
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 1GCFG25M6V1
- Components: SUSPENSION
- Summary: WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL CAME OFF. *AK WHEEL HUB BROKE AND ROLLED UNDER THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED ALL BALL JOINTS. *YH
STRUCTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-01-01
- Number Of Injuries: 4
- Components: STRUCTURE
- Summary: HOOK STICKING OUT OF RIGHT DOOR, CAUSING INJURIES.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1998-01-01
- VIN: 1GBFG15R3V1
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: WATER FOUND ON INSIDE OF AIR FILTER AND FILTER WET.
Negative 1997 Chevrolet Chevy van car reviews
Positive 1997 Chevrolet Chevy van car reviews
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I'm so glad I bought this 93 G30/5.7L van, even though it had a lot of miles on it. It starts and runs like a dream, getting me through every day with ease. I've had to do minimal maintenance on it, and it's been incredibly reliable.
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I love hearing about your 1993 G20 with a 5.7 liter V8! It sounds like a powerful and reliable vehicle that can handle anything you throw at it. It's great to hear that you've had such a positive experience with it, and I hope it continues to serve you well for many years to come. Thanks for sharing your story!
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This vehicle is an excellent choice for work purposes, as it provides ample power and storage space for tools and equipment. It is also highly reliable, comfortable, and easy to drive.
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Lots of room for people and cargo. The Beauville trim option adds a nice touch to the already great styling.
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Bought in Jan. 98 with 60,000 miles. It's been well maintained by the original owner and has been a dependable vehicle for us. We did about $1200 worth of scheduled service work at the dealership at 90,000 miles, but other than replacing rotors and brakes, it has been maintenance-free. We've really enjoyed its comfortable ride on long trips.
Additional sources
More sources of information about 1997 Chevrolet Chevy van problems:
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Other years of Chevrolet Chevy van
Are you having problems with your 1997 Chevrolet Chevy van?
Zion Mohr 2024-09-24
Hi there! I wanted to share my experience with my conversion van. I bought it back in '95 with only 26,000 miles on it, and it's been quite the journey since then! While I've had to replace the brakes every year and deal with some front end problems during inspections, it's always started up and shifted smoothly. Unfortunately, I did have to replace the axle bearings every year, but I think that's just because I made the van heavy duty without using heavy duty parts. After 10 years, the A/C finally went out, but that was to be expected. Recently, the van was totaled, but I'm actually glad because it's time for a new adventure! Thanks for listening to my story.
Issac Kutch 2024-09-06
Hi there! We have a great van available with moderate mileage.
Walton Larkin 2024-04-21
Hi there! I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to share my experience with my G20 full conversion van. It's been a great addition to my family, especially when we're towing our race trailer around. The amount of room it provides is amazing and it's been a better option for us than any SUV. Although, I did have a bit of a hiccup recently when the ignition lock busted at 93000 miles, but overall it's been a great investment for us!
Stevie Luettgen 2024-04-01
Hi there! I noticed that your car has had some issues with the u joints and right rear axle rusting out. It sounds like you've had to replace quite a few parts already. Would you like some help finding a solution to these problems?
Dario Marquardt 2024-01-06
I hope you had a great trip! It sounds like the vehicle was pretty dependable and fuel efficient (20+mpg/hwy) considering the size. Although, it may have been under powered when climbing up hills. Overall, it seems like an excellent economical work horse when it's fully loaded.