1998 Am General Hummer Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1998 Am General Hummer, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering266.7%
- Engine133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE SHOOT SO VIOLENTLY IT CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT BY RUNNING OFF THE ROAD. *TT
1998 HUMMER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT STEERING ASSEMBLY.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE FRONT STEERING ASSEMBLY BEGAN OSCILLATING WILDLY AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A HUMMER H1 (1998). ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT IN TRAFFIC, MY #8 ENGINE CYLINDER WALL CRACKED CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL MY COOLENT FOR BOTH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. IF I HAD NOT NOTICED IT AS QUICKLY HAS I HAD, I WOULD HAVE COME TO A SCREECHING HALT IN THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC AS MY ENGINE MELTED DOWN. FURTHERMORE, I USE MY HUMMER FOR OFF-ROADING AND HAD IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OFF-ROAD IN THE UTAH DESERT, INJURY OR DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE LIKELY (SINCE I AM OFTEN 20-40 MILES OFF THE HIGHWAY AND IT GETS TO BE 110 DEGREES F EASILY). I HAVE CHECKED AROUND AND APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE VEHICLES FROM 1997, 1998, AND PART OF 1999 AND 2000 HAVE HAD THE #8 CYLINDAR CRACK. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER USED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS BUT ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO STOPPED COVERING THIS UNDER WARRANTEE OR EVEN GOOD-WILL. A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE CAN BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN IF THE TRAFFIC IS HEAVY OR IF THE OCCUPENTS ARE NOT NEAR A TOWN. (OFTEN WHEN I DRIVE THROUGH NEVADA ON SOME VERY LONELY HIGHWAYS, I AM 3 HOURS FROM THE CLOSEST TOWN AND THE HEAT IS IMMENESE). WHEN I AM OFF-ROAD THIS IS EVEN WORSE AND I MAY BE A DAY OR TWO HIKE FROM THE NEAREST (LONELY) HIGHWAY IN 110 DEGREE HEAT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS IT IS A VERY FREQUENT PROBLEM FOR THE AFFECTED YEARS. THANK YOU.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .