Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 240,000.
I OWN A 1998 CHEVY TAHOE 2 DR 4WD. IT HAD 114,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND THE MOTOR WAS RUINED REQUIRING A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN ABUSED. MAINTENANCE WAS REGULAR. I'VE NOW FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON DESIGN DEFECT LEADING TO FAILURE. I NOW BUY MAZDA OR TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TR
ENGINE QUIT DURING HEAVY RAIN,AT 40 MPH, BRAKES LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING AND CONTROL. VEHICLE RAN OFF ROAD AND HIT A TREE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES, BUT MAJOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *NM
PREMATURE CONNECTING ROD AND PISTON PIN WEAR IN CHEVY 5.7 VORTEC ENGINE. WEAR OCCURRED EVEN BEFORE OWNERS MANUAL CALLED FOR SPARK PLUG CHANGE. *JB
ENGINE LEAKED COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. AS A RESULT, ENGINE BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION. *AK CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN COOLANT BEGAN LEAKING. GM HAS A NEW PART NUMBER BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS GASKET HAS BEEN CHANGED TO CORRECT DEFFECT. MECHANIC REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET SET AND SERPENTINE BELT. *LA
I HAVE A 1998 TAHOE (PURCHASE NEW FROM EDMARK CHEVROLET IN NAMPA, IDAHO) WITH A 350 VORTEC WITH 42,000 MILES. I HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT I AM LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEAR THE REAR FIREWALL. A VERY REPUTABLE MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS ENGINE AND WILL COST AROUND $400-$500 TO FIX. WHILE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 6 YEARS I AM AM UPSET THAT A $34,000 CAR WITH ONLY 42,00 MILES HAS A PROBLEM WHICH IS DEEMED TO BE "COMMON". IF IT IS COMMON, AND I SUSPECT IT IS, WHY DOESN'T GM POST A BULLETIN AND OFFER TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. IT CERTAINLY WASN'T CAUSED FROM ABUSE OR NEGLECT. THIS SAME CAR LAST YEAR WITH AROUND 36,000 MILES ON IT HAD TO HAVE ITS ALTERNATOR REPLACED AT A COST OF $350 AND A LEAKING GAS TANK WHICH COST ME $450. THESE REPAIRS SEEM REDICULOUS TO ME CONSIDERING THE PRICE OF THE VEHICLE, THE LOW MILEAGE, AND THE GENERAL OVERALL CARE. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. FRANKLY, I ENJOY THE VEHICLE TREMENDOUSLY AND IT FITS MY LIFESTYLE PERFECTLY. HOWEVER, HAVING SAID THAT I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP POURING MAJOR DOLLARS INTO THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CHEVY GUY AND WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN ONE. I HAVE BEEN LOYAL AND WOULD APPRECIATE CHEVY BEING LOYAL TO ME BY REPAIRING MY COOLANT LEAK AND REIMBURSING ME FOR THE OTHER PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED EXPENSES. *AK
HEATER HOSE ADAPTOR THAT RAN DIRECTLY INTO INTAKE MAINFOLD WAS MADE OF ALUMINUM CORRODED AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE MOTOR. THIS RESULTED IN VEHICLE OVERHEATING. *AK
WATER PUMP STARTE TO LEAK AFTER 2 YEARS WITH A REPLACEMENT FROM THE DEALERSHIP.GASKET ORIGINALLY WAS CORRODED FROM THE DEXOL COOLANT. THIS TIME THE METAL HOUSING FOR THE WATER PUMP DEVELOPED A HOLE JUST BELOW THE SHAFT, LARGE ENOUGH FOR A PENCIL TO BE INSERTED.*AK
COOLANT USED IN MY 1998 TAHOE CAUSES EARLY CORROSION OF PARTS IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. EVEN FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDED FLUSHING, I AM FINDING MYSELF FACING A RATHER LARGE SERVICE BILL TO FIX A LEAK CAUSED BY THE TYPE OF COOLANT USED. THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM (NEW) ADMITTED THAT THEY DO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH EARLY CORROSION, YET CHEVROLET IS NOT COVERING ANY OF THE REPAIR COST. *AK
CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER DETERMINED THAT MAIN ENGINE BEARING FAILED. METAL PARTICLES WERE FOUND IN ENGINE OIL.*AK *YH
THE BRAKE FAILURES ARE WELL KNOWN BY ALL TAHOE OWNERS. THE FAILURES FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL ASSEMBLY, BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ARE ALL RELATED TO POOR QUALITY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS NOT INTENDED FOR ANY REASONABLE SERVICE LIFE. JUNK BY ANY QUALITY STANDARDS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT NELDA STEVENSON CHEVROLET ACKNOLWDGED THESE COMPONENTS HAVE HIGH FAILURE RATES, BUT THEY GET PAID TO CORRECT THEM. THE COOLANTCONNECTOR IS AN EXTEMEMLY POOR DESIGN. DESPITE THREADING INTO THE INTAKE, IT IS MADE OF A POOR QUALITY MATERIAL THAT BREAKS OFF AT THE ENTRY TO THE MANIFOLD REQUIRING REMOVAL OF THE MANIFOLD TO REMOVE THE BROKEN THREADS RESULTING IN A $400 BILL TO REPLACE A $12.95 PART. AGAIN PATHETIC DESIGN AND CHOICE OF MATERIALS TO SAVE A COUPLE OF DOLLARS IN MANUFACTURING. AS A DESIGN ENGINEER, I FIND THESE CHOICES BY GM DESIGNERS DEPLORABLE AND WILL BUY USED BMWS FROM NOW ON. A BMW WITH 200,000 MILES HAS MORE SERVICE LIFE LEFT IN IT THAN A BRAND NEW GM PRODUCT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MILES PER HOUR, THE MOTOR WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. AFTER PULLING OVER IT WOULD THEN RESTART. THIS HAPPENED 8 TO 10 TIMES DURRING THE SAME TRIP, AND THEN IT STARTED RUNNING FINE AS IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM.DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. AFTER THIS PROBLEM STARTED AT THE SAME TIME THE FUEL TANK AT THE TOP WERE THE FUEL PUMP AND LINES ENTER STARTED LEAKING FUEL AT FILL UPS
SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER COMPLETELY BLEW APART CAUSING LOSS OF BELT. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND ELECTRICAL CHARGING. BELT WRAPPED AROUND FAN CAUSING OVERHEATING OF ENGINE. COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF TENSIONER/PULLEY AND BELT NECESSARY.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE LOCKED UP STEERING/ BRAKES. DEALER STATED THAT PCM WAS THE PROBLEM. *AK THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. *YH
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TMES SINCE MAY OF 99, RESULTING IN A REAR END CRASH ON 3/23/00. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER PULLEY ASSEMBLY FAILED, BROKE OFF WHILE VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A STOP, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES AND POWER STEERING, WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN A CRASH.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD, ALSO, MOTOR WENT OUT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. *AK
MUFFLER.
EXHAUST PIPE BRACE FAILED. *YC
ENGINE CONNECTING RODS FIT POORLY . YH
EGR VALVE FAILED. YH
1998 CHEVROLET TRUCK SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS MANY PROBLEMS AND CONSIDERED SAFE *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .