RoadVitals

1998 Chevrolet Tahoe Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints 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.
50
Latest Sep 9, 2009
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
19%
of 263 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 50 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

The 25 most recent of 50, in the owner's own words

Other / unspecifiedVisibility
Filed Sep 9, 2009

KEEP REPLACING MY WIPERS BLADE AND WIRES, DON'T KNOW IF IT BEEN RECALL OR THERE SOMETHING WRONG, IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN, IT DON'T WANT TO WORK. 1998 TAHOE CHEVY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10283492
Incident
Jan 1, 2003
Visibility
Filed Aug 16, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

NHTSA ID
10165637
Incident
Aug 16, 2006
Mileage
130,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 9, 2006

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY CREATING A HAZARDOUS OR DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED MANY TIMES WITH THIS DEFECT. I WOULD LIKE IT FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10159401
Incident
Jun 2, 2006
Mileage
171,044 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 7, 2006

IN SEPT 2005 MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED TO CONTINUE RUNNING AFTER TURNING THEM OFF OR ON INTERMITENT. IT HAD PROGRESS AND GOT WORSE EVER SINCE. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPONENT IN MID JANUARY OF 2006. *NM

NHTSA ID
10149675
Incident
Sep 9, 2005
Visibility
Filed Jan 18, 2006

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 98V150001, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10148012
Incident
Jan 14, 2006
Mileage
53,752 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 27, 2005

WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT HELP THE CONSUMER WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS FROM 1998 AND UP. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD TROUBLE WITH THE DEALER IN THE PAST AND DOES NOT WANT TO GO TO THEM YET. *TT *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10120969
Incident
May 15, 2005
Mileage
83,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 10, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1995 GMC SUBURBAN AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK SOMETIMES AND OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD NOT. NOW CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET TAHOE . HE TOOK HIS SON YESTERDAY TO TRY FOR HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE AND THE DMV TOLD HIS SON TO TURN THE WIPERS ON, AND THEY WOULD NOT WORK. SO AFTER THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC, AND THEY WORKED FOR HIM. THE MECHANIC TRIED WIPERS SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY WORKED EVERY TIME. THE CONTACT IS WORRIED THAT IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND THAT COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IF THERE WAS WET CONDITIONS AND THE WIPERS MESSED UP THEN IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE. THE EXPERIENCE HE HAS NOW WITH THE WIPERS IS THE SAME AS WITH HIS LAST VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WENT ON A WEBSITE CONSUMER AFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/GM_TAHOE_WIPERS.HTML AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS THAT CONSUMERS FILED ON THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAS TWO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT HE IS HAVING WITH HIS VEHICLE. RECALLS 03V159000 AND 98V150001.*AK

NHTSA ID
10120585
Incident
May 9, 2005
Visibility
Filed Apr 6, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK *NM

NHTSA ID
10115057
Incident
Nov 8, 2004
Mileage
50,400 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 14, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN THE WEATHER WAS DRY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10096907
Incident
Oct 14, 2004
Visibility
Filed Sep 8, 2004

INTERMITTENTLY,WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ENGAGED THEY WILL SOMETIMES NOT WORK. THERE IS A RECALL ON EARLIER MODELS OF THIS VEHICLE. THE RECALL IS CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. *LA THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH HAVING A BAD CIRCUIT BOARD. *SC

NHTSA ID
10082194
Incident
Jul 17, 2004
Mileage
80,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 16, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF OWN THEIR OWN. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND ALSO THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10087975
Incident
Aug 16, 2004
Visibility
Filed Jul 28, 2004

WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED IN MARCH WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT COME ON. ON JUNE 2, 2004 I WAS DRIVING IN A VERY SEVERE STORM ON THE TURNER TURNPIKE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THEY CAME BACK ON AND WORKED INTERMITTENTLY ON THAT TRIP TO NORMAN. THEY HAVE WORKED ONLY INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THEN. THEY USUALLY WILL WORK WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING BUT NOT WHILE IT IS RAINING NOW. THE FIRST TIME I WAS IN VERY HEAVY RAIN THAT EVEN WITH THE WIPERS WORKING I HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT HAD I NOT BEEN SUCH A GOOD DRIVER AND REACTED THE WAY I HAD.*AK

NHTSA ID
10082878
Incident
Jun 2, 2004
Mileage
11,675 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 19, 2004

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS OF OUR 1998 TAHOE STOPPED WORKING. SOMETIMES WE WOULD HAVE TO PUSH THEM TO GET THEM STARTED, OTHER TIMES WE WOULD HAVE TO JIGGLE THE WIRING TO GET THEM GOING. THEY WOULD SOMETIMES WORK FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP, OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD STOP EVERY FEW MINUTES. THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY TO WHEN THEY WILL WORK. WE WERE STRANDED OUT OF TOWN IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 94-97 RECALL AND NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED. I SPOKE WITH CHEVROLET AND A LOCAL DEALER. BOTH ACTED LIKE THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL I MENTIONED THE PRIOR RECALL, THEN THEY JUST SAID WE WERE NOT COVERED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND CHRVROLET NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10081344
Incident
Jul 17, 2004
Mileage
66,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 30, 2004

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. CONSUMER'S SPOUSE, WHO WAS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC, COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER WAS CONSULTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10080189
Incident
Jul 18, 2000
Mileage
42,000 mi
Visibility
Filed May 31, 2004

WHILE DRIVING FROM BOERNE, TX TO DALLAS, TX THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED DURING A RAINSTORM WHILE ON HIGHWAY. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE. THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN TWO OTHER RECALLS BY GM ON 1994-1997 AND 2002-2003 SUVS FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM; WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE FAILURE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10074535
Incident
Feb 29, 2004
Visibility
Filed May 25, 2004

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD TURN ON AND OFF. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

NHTSA ID
10074233
Incident
May 25, 2004
Visibility
Filed Mar 17, 2004

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY STOPPED OPERATING, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID
10058011
Mileage
53,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Feb 18, 2004

I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 1998 TAHOE AS WAS RECALLED ON THE 1994-1997 VEHICLES IN REGARD TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE DEALER ON THE ISSUE, THERE HAVE BEEN JUST AS MANY 1998'S AS EARLIER MODEL PROBLEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GM RECALL THIS VEHICLE FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE. I WAS IN A RAIN STORM BEHIND A TRUCK, I PULLED OVER, ALMOST GETTING HIT. I COULD NOT SEE AT ALL. THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT AWAY.*AK

NHTSA ID
10058433
Incident
Feb 17, 2004
Mileage
94,605 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 21, 2004

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10055579
Incident
Jan 18, 2004
Mileage
122,000 mi
SuspensionVisibility
Filed Jan 20, 2004

STEERING WHEEL JERKS AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT LIKE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF CONTROL. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10055371
Mileage
71,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10054213
Mileage
95,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 15, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH IN THE RAIN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED AND CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO TEMPORARILY FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID
10054191
Incident
Dec 10, 2003
Mileage
65,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 6, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT THE YEARS INCLUDE 1995-1997 MODELS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10053486
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
Mileage
70,000 mi
SteeringVisibility
Filed Dec 10, 2003

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING MECHANISM. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. THE 2ND ISSUE INVOLVED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHICH WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *PH THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *SCC

NHTSA ID
10047831
Incident
Aug 1, 1999
Mileage
60,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 18, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID
10048150

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .