1998 Chevrolet C/K 3500 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 Chevrolet C/K 3500, 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
- Visibility433.3%
- Brakes216.7%
- Engine18.3%
- Body & structure18.3%
- Steering18.3%
- Tires & wheels18.3%
- Other / unspecified18.3%
- Electrical18.3%
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
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE IT. SOMETIMES THEY WON'T TURN ON OTHER TIMES THEY WON'T TURN OFF. I HAVE HAD THEM LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIMES AND TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE READ ON THIS SITE OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE SAME YEAR AND MODEL. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. PERHAPS A RECALL IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO RESOLVE THIS BUT SOME GUIDANCE ON HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. HAVING A GARAGE DO THE DIAGNOSIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT THIS PROBLEM MAKES DRIVING VERY DANGEROUS. *TR *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE IT. I HAVE HAD THEM LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIMES AND TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE READ ON THIS SITE OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE SAME YEAR AND MODEL. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. ALSO IT HAPPENS ON ANOTHER CHEVROLET MODEL TRUCK WE HAVE. SEEMS TO ME IT IS A REPEATATIVE ISSUE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKE LINES RESTING ON TOP OF CHASSIS IN DRIVER'S FRONT WHEEL WELL CORRODED AND BREACHED/LEAKED BRAKE FLUID. VEHICLE IS IN MICHIGAN. *TR
ABS LOCKS UP AT LOW SPEEDS. *JB
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
INJECTOR PUMP FAILURE CAUSE LOSS OF ENGINE RUNNING, NEAR TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. DT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
TREAD SEPARATED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASSIONS. *AK *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
INJECTOR PUMP FAILURE CAUSE LOSS OF ENGINE RUNNING, NEAR TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. DT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 1998 CHEVY CK3500 4X4 DUALLY, THIS TRUCK HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN RAINY CONDITIONS NOT ONLY DID THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING, THE TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP, THE REAR TIRES LOCKED UP AND WE HAD TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM AT FIRST BUT IT IS THE TRANSFER CASE, THIS ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE TURNPIKE, THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN BABIED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SOMETIMES WORK NOW, AND WE WILL TAKE APART THE TRANSFER CASE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED WITH IT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 1998 CHEVY CK3500 4X4 DUALLY, THIS TRUCK HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN RAINY CONDITIONS NOT ONLY DID THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING, THE TRANSFER CASE LOCKED UP, THE REAR TIRES LOCKED UP AND WE HAD TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM AT FIRST BUT IT IS THE TRANSFER CASE, THIS ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON THE TURNPIKE, THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN BABIED AND SERVICED REGULARLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SOMETIMES WORK NOW, AND WE WILL TAKE APART THE TRANSFER CASE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED WITH IT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATED WHILE HE WAS ON VACATION, DRIVING 1 TON PICKUP TRUCK,IT RAN HOT AND STOPPED RUNNING. THIS WAS ON JULY 4, 2003 WEEKEND AND NO ONE WAS AVAILABLE TO HELP. AFTER CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO FIND A DEALERSHIP, THEY FOUND THAT THE TRUCK HAD OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE WIRES TO FUSE TOGETHER. DEALER TOLD HIM THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE WIRES WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE MANIFOLD WHERE THEY GET EXTRA HOT AND FUSE TOGETHER. DEALERSHIP THOUGHT THAT THE WIRES SHOULD SOME HOW BE REROUTED SO THEY WERE NOT SO CLOSE TO THE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE HELP WITH REPAIR OF TRUCK BECAUSE HE IS 70 YEARS OF AGE, AND THE TRUCK WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $2000-3000 TO REPAIR. PLEASE HELP.*AK
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 .