RoadVitals

1998 Chevrolet Silverado 3500

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.
67
Latest Nov 13, 2012
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 19, 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.
6
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 67 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, most frequently naming the brakes, tires & wheels and fuel system categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 17 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

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
06E043000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

May 19, 2006
88,303 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
The risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
The remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 67
EngineFuel system
Filed Nov 13, 2012

I WAS DRIVING MY ~ CHEVY DUALLY DIESEL TRUCK ~ ON A FREEWAY PULLING A TRAILER WITH MY ANTIQUE CAR IN IT WHEN THE TRUCK KIND OF HESITATED / SPUTTERED AND DIED ! I LOST POWER BRAKES - BUT WAS ABLE TO GET PULLED OVER TO SIDE AND AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME THE TRUCK RESTARTED ... NUMEROUS TIMES AFTER THIS I HAD THE TRUCK DIE AND HESITATE - I TOOK TO A CHEVROLET DEALER ONCE - THEY QUESTIONED THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM AND BAD IGNITION SWITCH - WANTED A RIDICULOUS PRICE TO FIX .... THE TRUCK ONLY HAD 73,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT , AND I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT MUCH ONLY 81,000 MILES PRESENTLY - AND I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT IN OVER A YEAR BECAUSE OF FAILURES TO START. I HAD BOUGHT A KIT AND "PMD / FSD" MODULES AND FINALLY GOT AROUND TO SWAPPING IN ANOTHER ONE - AND WOW NOW THE TRUCK IS RUNNING ----------------- " IT WAS A BAD STANADYNE PMD " ! I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET NOW THE TROUBLES THESE HAVE HAD DUE TO HEAT AND WHERE PART HAS BEEN MOUNTED IN THE ENGINE AREA. I WAS AN ELECTRONIC INSTRUCTOR IN THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEMS AND AS I NOW LOOK AT / EVALUATE THIS PART MADE BY STANADYNE ==== TO ME ITS DESIGN / CONSTRUCTION LOOKS AS IF ITS BUILT TO HOLD THE HEAT IT DEVELOPS INSIDE OF THE PLASTIC INSULATED CASE - THEREBY NOT RELEASING HEAT TO THE OUTSIDE CAUSING ITS ULTIMATE FAILURE DUE TO INTERNAL HEAT BUILDUP . *TR

NHTSA ID
10484122
Incident
Sep 15, 2008
Mileage
78,500 mi
Fuel system
Filed May 5, 2012

98 CHEV K3500 WITH 6.5 TURBO DIESEL WOULD STALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ENGINE SOMETIMES WOULD RESTART WHEN VEHICLE PUT IN NEUTRAL OTHER TIMES IT MAY TAKE SVERAL MINUTES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE ENGINE WOULD HICKUP THEN BEGIN TO ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN DESPITE REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE PEDAL. I WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND REGAIN CONTROL. SOMETIMES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART ENGINE IT WOULD EITHER OVER REV OR THE RPM'S WOULD SURGE UP AND DOWN SEVERELY. ON ONE OCCASION, AS I SLOWED TO STOP AT A SIGN BEFORE PULLING OUT ONTO A 4 LANE ROAD THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN LAUNCHING ME OUT INTO THE ROAD NARROWLY MISSING ON COMING TRAFFIC. ANOTHER TIME WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT MY BANK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, JUMPING THE CURB AND GOING INTO THE BUSHES ON THE LAWN! I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK INTO NUMEROUS GM DEALERSHIPS AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS AND HAD THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP REPLACED AND NUMEROUS PUMP DRIVER MODULES, PMD'S MADE FOR GM BY EITHER STANADYNE AND D TECH AND HAD THEM MOUNTED ON A REMOTE HEAT SINK FOR COOLER OPERATING TEMPS. THIS IS A SEVERELY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND POTENTIAL CRASHES! I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE WITH 2 DIFFERENT GM VEHICLES I OWN WITH THE 6.5 TURBO DIESEL ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10457557
Incident
Apr 9, 2008
Mileage
92,500 mi
Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed May 4, 2012

FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILED.....LOSS OF POWER, SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH NO WARNING, REPLACED UNIT 3X....DEALER STATED THAT WAS THE WAY THEY WERE, SOMETIME HAVING TO INSTALL 2 TO GET IT OUT OF SHOP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10457506
Incident
May 20, 2010
Mileage
128,000 mi
BrakesFuel systemSuspension
Filed Nov 27, 2011

MY TRUCK IS A 98 CHEVY K3500. I BOUGHT IT USED FROM SOMEONE THAT SAID IT WAS USED AT THE SMITHSONIAN. WHEN I FIRST GOT IT NEEDED EVERYTHING REPLACED ON THE FUEL SYSTEM. THEN LAST YEAR ONE OF MY BRAKE LINES SNAPPED AND HAD TO REPLACE IT AND NOW TODAY THE OTHER ONE SNAPPED. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THIS IS A HD TRUCK AND GOD FORBID I WAS ON A MAIN ROAD AND NOT IN MY DRIVEWAY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TR

NHTSA ID
10437425
Incident
Nov 27, 2011
Fuel system
Filed Jul 29, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES WHERE THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE DEALER STATED THE WAY THE PART WAS DESIGNED WOULD CAUSE FOR IT TO FAIL WHEN THERE WERE HOT WEATHER TEMPERATURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000. UPDATED 09/28/10 *BF THE CONSUEMR STATED IT WAS THE BOX CONNECTED TO THE FUEL INJECTOR, BUT THE DEALER STATED IT WAS THE FUEL INJECTOR AND REPLACED IT. UPDATED 10/01/10

NHTSA ID
10346147
Incident
May 10, 2004
Mileage
46,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 12, 2010

SEVERAL TIMES THE TRUCK WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION HAS ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN AND PULLED ME INTO AN INTERSECTION. SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 40 - 45 MPH THE TRUCK HAS ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN TO OVER 70 MPH ON BACK COUNTY ROADS BEFORE I SHUT IT OFF AND COAST TO A STOP. UPON TRYING TO RESTART ENGINE IT WOULD REV UP TO 4000 RPM THEN FLUCTUATE FROM 1000 - 3000 RPM. AFTER SEVERAL RESTARTS IT WOULD RUN NORMALLY UNTIL THE NEXT OCCURRENCE. ONCE WHILE PULLING INTO A BANK PARKING SPACE THE TRUCK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO SHUT IT OFF IT JUMPED THE CURB AND WENT INTO THE SHRUBS. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN A 2 WEEK PERIOD BEGINNING LATE IN MARCH 2010. IT SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY TOYOTA VEHICLES! *TR

NHTSA ID
10325064
Incident
Mar 30, 2010
Mileage
114,500 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 12, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET K3500. THE CONTACT WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND EXHIBITED A JERKING MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHICH INDICATED AN CODE REGARDING AN INCREASE IN THE RPMS. THERE WERE NO DIESEL MECHANICS IN THE AREA TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 700,000.

NHTSA ID
10325043
Incident
Mar 31, 2010
Mileage
114,500 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 29, 2009

SLOW SPEED ACTIVATION OF ANTI LOCK BRAKES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10275211
Incident
Jun 23, 2009
Mileage
60,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

17-NA-073

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

PIT3665L

SERVICE BRAKES

This Preliminary Information communication advises the technician that the Hydro-Boost is not serviceable and will need to be replaced if the brake pedal moves or applies on its own at a full turn.

PIP4723D

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

PIC4696E

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

PIC4696D

EQUIPMENT

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.

PIT3665H

SERVICE BRAKES

This Preliminary Information communication advises the technician that the Hydro-Boost is not serviceable and will need to be replaced if the brake pedal moves or applies on its own at a full turn.

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 Silverado 3500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026230—
2025121052.0
2024473055.2
2023151039.3
2022273059.6
2021385161.0
2020408160.2
2019217057.7
2018186049.1
2017136041.2
2016506052.8
2015527163.5
2014103156.1
2013264151.9
2012234157.5
2011295149.4
2010251—
2009106158.4
2008314364.5
2007395361.9
2006520046.3
2005461033.7
2004411043.6
2003421034.7
2002502252.9
2001722356.9
2000802254.6
1999471037.4
1998Viewing671042.7
1997611147.3
1996100—
1995000—
1994100—

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.