RoadVitals

1998 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
33
Latest Nov 1, 2011
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 15, 2006
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
2 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 33 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck, most frequently naming the brakes, steering and visibility categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 4 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes822.9%
  • Steering411.4%
  • Visibility38.6%
  • Fuel system38.6%
  • Interior & seats38.6%
  • Suspension38.6%
  • Tires & wheels38.6%
  • Driver assistance25.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

May 15, 2006
1,648 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN E SPEED RACING COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
The risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The remedy: E SPEED RACING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT E SPEED RACING 909-923-3636.
E SPEED RACINGView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Steering
Filed Nov 1, 2011

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED SEPTEMBER 2010. BETWEEN 45-70 MPH, TURNING SLIGHTLY OR HARD TURN, STEERING MAKES POPPING SOUND AND VEERS IN THAT DIRECTIONS WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. ON STRAIGHT-AWAYS, THE VEHICLE WILL VEER EITHER DIRECTION ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10433754
Incident
Mar 12, 2011
Mileage
142,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 29, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET 2500 SERIES PICKUP. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR QUIT WORKING. HE HAD TO HIT THE MOTOR TO GET IT TO WORK AGAIN. HE HAS SEVERAL GMC VEHICLES WITH RECALLS ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, AND UNTIL A RECALL WAS ISSUED THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS THE THIRD VEHICLE HE HAS HAD WITH THIS PROBLEM. IF THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AND IF HIT A BUMP OR SOMETHING THEN THEY WILL COME ON . HOWEVER, IF THEY WERE WORKING AND VEHICLE HIT A BUMP THEY WILL GO OFF.*AK *NM

NHTSA ID
10127500
Incident
Feb 15, 2005
Mileage
120,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 23, 2005

1998 CHEVY BLAZER 4WD WINDSHIELD MOTOR. THIS CAR WAS ONLY PURCHASE TWO YEARS AGO AND FOR YEAR I ALMOST KILL MY SELF IT EITHER A ELECTRICAL DEFAULT OR SHORT . I HAD GONE A DEALERSHIP AND THERE WHERE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM I START TO WONDER IF HAD A RECALL ON THIS MODEL OF TRUCK. A.S.A.P . *NM

NHTSA ID
10137380
Incident
Nov 8, 2004
Brakes
Filed Aug 31, 2005

THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SENSOR ACTIVATES THE ABS SYSTEM AT LOW SPEEDS NEARLY EVERY TIME WE TRY TO STOP REQUIRING A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE THAN NORMAL. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS, BUT SO FAR NO ACCIDENTS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10135004
Incident
Aug 31, 2005
Mileage
85,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jun 7, 2005

DT: CONSUMER FIRST HAD A FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILURE IN APRIL 2004, AND IT WAS REPLACED. IT FAILED AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2004, AND WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10124441
Incident
Jun 5, 2005
Mileage
157,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 4, 2005

I HAVE A 1998 CHEV, FULL SIZE, EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCK. THE ANTILOCK BRAKES CARRODED EXACTLY LIKE WHAT WAS DISCRIBED IN YOUR INVESTIGATION BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. IT WAS A VERY SCAREY FEELING WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND IT FAILED TO PROPERY STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE GARAGE TOOK THEM APART AND CLEANED ALL THE CORRISION OFF PLUS BROKE ONE SENSOR BECAUSE IT WAS CORRIDED SO BADLY. IT COST ME A TOTAL OF $200.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE 1998 PICKUPS SHOULD BE A PART OF THIS RECALL ALSO. I DID BUY THIS TRUCK BRAND NEW IN NOV. OF 1997. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THIS AND KEEP ME POSTED ON YOUR FINDINGS. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID
10119882
Incident
Feb 5, 2005
Mileage
49,050 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 2, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING ICE/SNOW STORM, AFTER TRYING REPEATEDLY MOVING WIPER SWITCH, WAS ABLE TO GET WORKING, BUT NOT RELIABLY, WOULD WORK BUT STOP FOR NO REASON WITH WIPERS IN THE UP POSITION, MOVING WIPER SWITCH SEVERAL MOVE TIMES WOULD WORK AT VARIOUS SPEEDS BUT NOT RELIABLY. CONTACTED DEALER & MADE APPOINTMENT TO HAVE WIPER PROBLEM INVESTIGATED & REPAIRED. PAID $71.76 FOR LABOR & PARTS TO REPLACE MODULE (FP # 12463090). FOUND OUT THAT RECALL HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR THIS PROBLEM ENDING IN MODEL YEAR 1997. MY MODEL IS 1998.*AK

NHTSA ID
10108422
Incident
Jan 19, 2005
Mileage
116,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 29, 2003

THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE TWO FONT BRAKE SENSORS. MR AFTER THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKES WOULD SOMEHOW RELEASE THE TRUNK AND WOULD CONTINUE TO GO. THE CONSUMER HAS REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THE SEATS. SCC *NLM

NHTSA ID
10017425
Mileage
37,583 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

121202

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES

NEW TRANSMISSION OIL COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHING TOOL. 1998 AND 2003 CHEVROLET AND GMC MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 4L80E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. *TT

010730023B

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A HARSH 1-2 UPSHIFT AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR SERVICE ENGINE SOON INDICATOR IS ILLUMINATED AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1870 SET. *TT

010730023A

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

INFORMATION REGARDING HARSH 1-2 UPSHIFT, SERVICE ENGINE SOON, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, OR CEL ILLUMINATED, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1870 SET. (1996-2000 CHEVROLET AND GMC LIGHT DUTY TRUCK MODELS) *YH

210201

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SUBJECT REGARDING INVESTIGATION OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OIL LEAKS ON 1998 AND NEWER LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS WITH 4L80E TRANSMISSION. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2003400137.2
2002370134.5
2001210142.5
2000190137.2
1999351036.2
1998Viewing331040.6
1997481145.9
1996491348.9
1995531144.4
1994351140.7
1993130243.7
1992130141.9
1991130142.5
1990110138.8
1989140044.0
1988150041.2
1987402
1986412
1985512
1984302
1983102
1982102
1981202
1980123
1979232
1978232
1977412
1976202
1975002
1974212
1973002
1972200
1970010
1967010
1966010
1965010
1964010
1963010
1962210
1961010
1960010

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.