1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Fuel System Problems

THIS TRUCK WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 1997 AND I HAVE OWNED IT AND MAINTAINED IT IN GOOD RUNNING ORDER SINCE THEN. I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT WHEN THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO MY HOME AND DOING SOME TROUBLE SHOOTING I DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT WORKING. I REMOVED THE GAS TANK AND AFTER REMOVING THE FUEL PUMP DISCOVERED THE GREY WIRE TO THE PUMP HAD THE INSULATION BURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF INCHES. THIS DAMAGE WAS ON THE INSIDE OF THE GAS TANK. THE PLUG THAT THE WIRE GOES THROUGH WAS CHARRED AND MELTED AWAY. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF THE ASSEMBLY AND DAMAGE AND HAVE NOTIFIED GM OF THE INCIDENT. I AM AMAZED THAT THIS DID NOT RESULT IN AN EXPLOSION OR A FIRE. THE HEAT GENERATED TO MELT THE WIRE AND PLUG IS EXTENSIVE. THE PLUG WAS MELTED TO THE POINT IT EXPOSED IT INTERNAL WIRING. I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST CARS AND TRUCKS HAVE THIS TYPE OF ASSEMBLY INSTALLED. THE ASSEMBLY THAT HOLDS THE FUEL PUMP IS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. I WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO SHARE THE PHOTOS OR THE ASSEMBLY FOR FAILURE ANALYSIS.

VEHICLE STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. FOUND DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. UPON REMOVAL OF PUMP FROM FUEL TANK, FOUND WIRING ON FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT BURNT WITH INSULATION MELTED BACK APPROXIMATELY TWO INCHES FROM THE SWITCH. HAD THIS EVENT OCCURRED WITH A TANK CLOSE TO EMPTY IT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE.

MY 16 YR. OLD SON PURCHASED A 1997 CHEVY K1500/SILVERADO W/ 5.7LITER GAS ENGINE; 160K+ MILES. PREVIOUS OWNER EXPLAINED THE TRUCK WAS ON ITS THIRD FUEL PUMP. SURE ENOUGH, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED ON US ALSO AT 163,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY IT FAILED ONLY 100 FEET FROM HOME AS HE DROVE DOWN OUR RESIDENTIAL STREET. IMAGINE THE HAZARD POTENTIAL HAD IT DIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOWING AND REPAIRS TOTALED $800. A REMANUFACTURED PUMP (WITH 1 YR WARRANTY) WAS INSTALLED PLUS A NEW FUEL FILTER. THE DYING FUEL PUMP SHED DEBRIS THAT CLOGGED THE FILTER WHICH STARVED THE ENGINE. A GOOGLE SEARCH DETAILS HOW PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH CHEVY FUEL PUMPS IN TRUCKS RANGING FROM 1991S TO 2002S; PERHAPS NEWER IF I SEARCHED LONGER. I CAN ILL AFFORD TO REPLACE A FUEL PUMP LIKE THAT AGAIN. WITH THE HISTORY OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES WELL DOCUMENTED (REF: GOOGLE SEARCH), WHY HASN'T CHEVY ENGINEERED A FIX YEARS AGO?? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START HIS VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND BURNED OFF THE WIRES INSIDE THE GAS TANK. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,462 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,445. UPDATED 06/03/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/30/08

OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS AND 80,000 MILES OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE THE FUEL PUMP HAS DIED ON ME 5 TIMES. ALL 5 TIMES THE PUMP WAS REPLACED WITH AC DELCO PARTS FROM GM. THE LAST TWO TIMES IT WENT OUT I HAD IT REPLACED BY A CHEVY DEALER IN TAMPA. THE SECOND TO THE LAST FAILURE CAUSED A DOMINO EFFECT THAT ENDED UP BEING VERY COSTLY TO ME. FRAGMENTS FROM THE PUMP TRAVELED TO THE FILTER, SOMEHOW MADE IT PAST THE FILTER AND RUINED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. FRAGMENTS FROM THAT TRAVELED FURTHER ALONG AND DESTROYED THE THROTTLE BODY METERING VALVE AND ALL 8 FUEL INJECTORS. AFTER HAVING ALL THIS WORK DONE, THE LAST FUEL PUMP ONLY WORKED FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS BEFORE IT WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME IT LUCKILY DID NOT RUIN THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE GM PART BEING DEFECTIVE, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE CONSUMER SHOULD HAVE TO PUT UP WITH AS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. I'VE NEVER LET THE TANK GET BELOW 1/3 FULL BECAUSE I KNOW IT CAN DAMAGE THE PUMP BELOW 1/4 FULL. THE PUMP FAILS WITHOUT WARNING AND HAS CAUSED A DANGER TO MYSELF AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. *NM

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP IN MY VEHICLE 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. THIS IS A HIGHLY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AS THE ENTIRE TRUCK BED HAS TO BE REMOVED TO ACCESS THE FUEL PUMP. *JB

WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING OUR 4TH FUEL PUMP PLACED IN OUR TRUCK, THIS TIME AFTER IT DIED ON THE INTERSTATE. WE TOWED THE TRUCK HOME AND TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WHEN WE GOT UNDER THE HOOD WE DISCOVERED THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WAS OVERHEATING IT WAS SO HOT MY HUSBAND BURNED HIS FINGER. WE REPLACED IT BUT THAT DIDN'T FIX IT. WE SENT THE TRUCK TO THE SHOP AND WERE TOLD IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN, THE WIRES ON THE PUMP WERE BURN AND MELTED WHICH WAS CAUSING THE ICM TO OVERHEAT. THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT WAS WRONG WITH THE ORIGINAL PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED IN SEPT 01, APRIL 04 THE SECOND PUMPS' FUEL LEVEL SENSING UNIT (A THIN PIECE OF METAL SLIDING ACROSS A SET OF CONDUCTORS) BECAME CORRODED AND GOT STUCK ON EMPTY, AND NOW THE 3RD PUMP HAS BURNT MELTED WIRES. ALL REPAIR WERE AT MY COST. WE REAL LUCK THE THING DIDN'T BLOW UP! BUT TRYING TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE PRAYING TO NOT BE HIT BY THE 70+ MPH TRAFFIC IS TERRIFYING. THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE "COMMON" AMONG GM TRUCK OWNERS, SO WHY HASN'T GM STEPPED UP TO HELP? *JB

INTERMITENT OPERATION OF FUEL PUMP LOCATED IN FUEL TANK. REMOVAL OF FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT AND FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY REVEALED A BURNT CONNECTOR AND MELTED WIRE INSULATION, RESULTING IN POOR CONTINUITY TO FUEL PUMP. VEHICLE WOULD CRANK BUT NOT ALWAYS START. VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING.

THE POWER SUPPLY CONNECTOR TO FUEL PUMP INSIDE THE FUEL TANK AT UPPER END OF PICKUP/FUEL PUMP SUPPORT TUBES BURNED HOT ENOUGH TO SOFTEN THE COPPER CONNECTOR CAUSING IT TO OPEN UP AND SHUT OFF FUEL PUMP CAUSING ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING. APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES OF WIRE INSULATION WAS MELTED OFF AT THE TOP CONNECTOR END. THIS IS INSIDE THE FUEL TANK SURROUNDED BY FUMES AND FUEL. IF AIR WAS INTRODUCED THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXPLOSION. THIS IS THE FACTORY INSTALLED FUEL PUMP AND FUSE DID NOT BLOW EVEN THOUGH THE WIRE WAS EXPOSED AND NEAR METAL COMPONENTS. I'VE OWNED THE TRUCK SINCE NEW. RICHARDSON BROTHERS CHEVROLET IN FLORESVILLE, TEXAS AND OTHER AUTO PART DEALERS INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON AND HAVE SEEN WORSE DAMAGE TO WIRING. THE DEALER WANTED OVER $400.00 FOR THE PARTS WHICH INCLUDE NEW PICKUP TUBES WITH FUEL LEVEL FLOAT AND FUEL PUMP. I'M A QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR FOR AIRCRAFT AND THIS WOULD HAVE GROUNDED THE ENTIRE SERIES OF THAT PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT. (TWA FLIGHT 800).*AK

THE PICKUP'S IDLE WOULD VARY FROM FULL THROTTLE TO BARELY STAY RUNNING WHILE IN PARK. WOULD ALSO GO INTO FULL THROTTLE WHILE DRIVING, THEN ATTEMPT TO DIE. TOOK TO A MECHANIC, CHANGED THE FULL FILTER, STILL DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM; HE PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER FOR ANALYSIS SHOWED IT WAS THE THROTTLE SENSOR, THAT WAS REPLACED AND IT STILL DOES IT.

I HAVE HAD A DANGEROUS SITUATION OCCUR WITH A FAILURE IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, INVOLVING THE WIRING HARNESS AND VEHICLE CONTROL MODULE (VCM) OF MY 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO A CHEVROLET DEALER, FOR SERVICE DUE TO A CRANK BUT NO-START ISSUE ON JANUARY 29, 2004. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE MECHANICS, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM HAD SOMEHOW DEVELOPED A LEAK, WHICH CAUSED FUEL PRESSURE TO BUILD-UP WHERE THE WIRING-HARNESS ENTERED THE UNIT. THEN, FUEL WAS FORCED AT HIGH PRESSURE BETWEEN THE WIRES AND INSULATION UNTIL IT POOLED UP INSIDE THE VCM. THE DEALER'S MECHANIC, PER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, STATED THAT THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW VCM, WIRING HARNESS, AND INJECTOR SYSTEM IS NECESSARY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONSULTED WITH A DIFFERENT GM MECHANIC FROM ANOTHER DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAID I WAS LUCKY IT DID NOT EXPLODE, AND RECOMMENDED THAT I CONTACT GM OWNERS ASSISTANCE ABOUT THIS MATTER, HOWEVER THEY WERE OF NO HELP AND WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE DANGER OF THIS SITUATION. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A DAMAGING ENGINE FIRE AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR WORSE. THEREFORE, I AM REQUESTING THAT A RECALL WOULD BE PLACED ON THIS PROBLEM TO PREVENT POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHERS.*AK

FUEL LINE IS LEAKING FROM FUEL INJECTION CAUSING FUEL GO THROUGHT THE WORE HARNESS AND EAT AWAY HARNESS THEN INTO THE COMPUTER. THEN THE ENGINE DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSING IT TO BE HARD TO STEER AND CONTROL. POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE AND STALL HAZARD.*AK

TRUCK WAS RUNNING FINE WITH NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE WHEN PARKED, UPON REENTRY TRUCK DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO START, ENGINE WOULD TURN SPIN FREELY. TOWED TO SHOP. FUEL PUMP SUPPOSEDLY FAILED ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND WAS REPLACED WITH 46,000 MILES ON TRUCK. TRUCK DROVE LESS THAN 500 MILES AND FAILED TO START WITH SEEMINGLY THE SAME PROBLEM. TOWED TO CHEVEROLET DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT CONNECTION INSIDE THE TANK WAS BURNED OUT. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE FOR ALL CHEVEROLET TRUCKS WITH VORTEC ENGINES. HE RETURNED THE DEFECTIVE SENDING UNIT TO ME AND I COULD PLAINLY SEE THE BURNED ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT THE TOP OF THE UNIT. UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS AN EXPLOSION WOULD BE POSSIBLE IF SUFFICIENT OXYGEN WAS IN THE TANK. FUEL PUMP AND COMPONENT PARTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 46,000 MILES.

THE FEUL PUMP WENT OUT, FIRST TIME AT 61013 MILES, WAS RELACED WITH 200 DOLLAR DEDUCTABLE. THEN WENT OUT AGAIN AT75860 MILES, BUT THIS TIME THEY SAID ALSO THE SENDING UNIT. THAT HOLDS THE PUMP WENT OUT. THEY SHOWED ME BURNT WIRES ON THIS PART, SO SENCE IT WASNT ONLY THE PUMP ,COST ME ANOTHER 200 DEDUCTED INSTEAD OF GETTING REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. I'VE READ OTHERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEMS AS I, AND FEEL THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BEFORE IT DOES CAUSE A FIRE AND FATALITYS. DT

ON 7/9/02 THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START. HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRES THAT ATTATCH TO THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS INSIDE THE GAS TANK, WERE SHORTED OUT. THERE IS VISIBLE MELTING AND CORRODING OF THE CONNECTORS. CONSIDERING THAT THE WHOLE DEVICE, PLUS THE WIRING IS INSIDE THE FUEL TANK, AND SINCE THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS FIRE OR EXPLOSION. THIS TRUCK WAS A BOMB WAITING TO BLOW UP. UPON SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE GM FUEL PUMPS FAILING AND THE WIRING SHORTING OUT. NO ONE HAS HAD ANY LUCK GETTING GM TO RECALL THE PUMPS, AND SINCE WE JUST SPENT ALMOST $500 FOR THE REPAIR, I THOUGHT I WOULD INFORM YOU OF THIS SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY. GM SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH THIS FLAW, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE REPLACING FUEL PUMP, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THREE WIRES THAT WENT INTO GAS TANK MELTED DOWN HALF WAY. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK PUMP, SENDER, STRAINER, FUEL FILTER, FUEL CAM AND DAMPENER WERE REPLACED. *TT

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED. SEARCHED WEB AND FOUND THIS IS VERY COMMON PROBLEM, YET NO RECALL. I'M OUT $700 AND GM SAYS IT IS NOT A DESIGN FLAW?*AK

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER AND THEY THE REPLACED FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLY. *AK *YD

EXCESSIVE FUEL PUMP NOISE, AUDIBLE FROM CLOSED CAB LOCATION

VEHCILE KEPT STALLING ON HIGHWAY. ELECTRICAL WIRING IN FUEL PUMP CAUSED PUMP TO GO BAD. IF IGNITED, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED AFTER RULING OUT THAT THE RELAY WAS O.K. THE VEHICAL WAS TOWED TO HALLOWELL CHEVROLET AT ROADSIDES ASSISTANCE AND INFORMED ME THAT ALL COSTS WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BUT DUE TO THE WARRANTEE HAD ALREADY EXPIRED,PER THE DEALER, I WAS STUCK WITH THE COST REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE.

NO SUMMARY

NO SUMMARY

REPORTING SEAL AROUND FUEL PUMP FAIL AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAKAGES; DEALER / MFR'S NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT PART WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALLS AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER COST. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:

WIRING HARNESS INSIDE THE GAS TANK ASSEMBLY BURNED UP, CAUSE UNKOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD, AND VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND CUT OFF. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER LINKED THE PROBLEM TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WITHIN THE FUEL TANK WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AT CONSUMER'S COST. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT START. HAD TO BE TOWED, MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP FILTER SENDING UNIT. FUEL PUMP WAS NOT RUNNING, AND WIRES IN THE TANK WERE GETTING HOT AND MELTING WHICK COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION. *AK

SHORTLY AFTET WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. SERVICE PERSONNEL MENTIOND PROBLEMS WITH FUEL PUMPS THAT IF TANK WAS RAN EMPTY PUMP WOULD OVERHEAT AND FAIL. SUGGESTED THAT WE NOT LET FUEL TANK GET BELOW 1/4 TANK AS TO KEEP PUMP COOLED.

REPORTED TO THE DEALER THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS EXCESSIVELY NOISY AT 8957 MILES. NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. AT 46395 THE FUEL PUMP DIED. DEALER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED WHEN FIRST REPORTED. *AK

WIRES IN FUEL PUMP INSIDE GAS TANK OVERHEATED TO THE POINT THAT PLASTIC PARTS MELTED. WE FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE A MAJOR FIRE RISK BECAUSE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY IS INSIDE THE TANK. *AK

THE WIRE INSIDE THE FUEL PUMP SHORTED OUT, LEAVING AN EXPOSED WIRE INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. DEALER IS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. *AK

WIRE PLUG-IN ON TOP OF FUEL PUMP OVERHEATED AND MELTED PLUG-IN AND COATING OFF WIRE GOING DOWN IN FUEL TANK 3" OR 4", AND DIDN'T BLOW A FUSE. COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE. *AK

MAIN ENGINE HARNESS SHORTED OUT ON IGNITION COIL VEHICLE STALLED INJ STOCK OPEN THEN MELTED AND ALLOWD GASOLINE TO ENTER SHORTED WIRING HARNESS WHILE UNDER 50PSI AND ENTER ENGINE CONTROLLER P.C.M.

FUEL PUMP WHICH IS INSIDE THE GAS TANK CAUSING A NO START SITUATION IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS TO TAKE GAS TANK OUT TO GET TO FUEL PUMP. *AK

FUEL LINE IS LEAKING FROM FUEL INJECTION, CAUSING FUEL TO GO THROUGH WIRE HARNESS, AND EAT AWAY AT HARNESS AND THEN COMPUTER. *AK

FUEL INJECTORS FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE ONTO ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND ENGINE COMPONENTS RESULTING IN SEVERAL COMPONENT FAILURES AND REPLACEMENTS. MJS

THIS LOSS ORIGINATED BY WITNESS STATEMENTS FROM UNDER THE RISK IN THE AREA OF THE FUEL TANK. CONTACT JOHN AT SUPERIOR INVESTIGATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT 727-848-3923

FUEL INJECTORS FAILED. MJS

FUEL PUMP IS VERY NOISY, ADVISED THAT PUMP WILL SOON FAIL.

ENGINE MISSES/HESITATES DUE TO BAD INJECTOR.