1998 GMC C/K Pickup 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 GMC C/K Pickup, 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
- Brakes541.7%
- Visibility541.7%
- Body & structure18.3%
- Fuel system18.3%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
1998 GMC SIERRA. A CAR CUT IN FRONT OF MY TRUCK AND I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES VERY HARD. WHEN I DID THIS ,THE BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS ALONG THE FRAME RAIL FAILED AT THE BEND WHERE IT JOINS WITH THE REAR BRAKE HOSE. THE FAILURE APPEARED TO BE FROM RUST. *TR THIS,I FEEL ,WAS DUE TO POOR LOCATION. I HAVE A 1955 CHEVY PICKUP , THAT UNTIL 1 YEAR AGO STILL HAD ITS ORIGINAL LINES STILL WORKING.
TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES AT LOW SPEED DUE TO A.B.S. COMPUTER FAILURE RESULTING IN A CRASH. (1)VEHICLE PASSED GOVERNMENT SAFETY INSPECTION. WITHIN ONE MONTH REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKED NEW BRAKES WERE REPLACED AT LOCAL INDEPENDENT SHOP WITH NEW BRAKE PADS DUE TO OIL CONTAMINATION COMMENTED DID NOT LIKE MY BRAKES AFTER TEST DRIVE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER FOR EVALUTION. SEVRICE MANAGER DETERMINED THE REED SWITCHES IN FRONT BOTH REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $750 I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY KIND OF RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AS I HAD EXPERIENCED IT BEFORE IN A WORK TRUCK . I WAS TOLD THIS WAS AN OLD TRUCK WITH NEARLY 200,000 KILOMETERS ON IT. I WAS ALSO TOLD NO, THERE ARE NO SERVICE ISSUES OR RECALLS AND I WAS RESPONSABLE. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION ON THE DIAGNOSISUPON RETURNING HOME THE NEXT DAY I STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AT LESS THAN 5 M.P.H. .THIS OCCURED WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES BECAUSE NOTHING HAPPENED. NO BREAKING ACTION!I RETURNED TO THE INDEPENDANT WHO CHECKED THE $750. REED SWITCHES AND FOUND THE MILLIAMP OUTPUT TO BE NORMAL. HE SHOWED ME A G.M.BULLETIN THAT SAID THE REED SWITHES MAY NOT FUNCTION DUE TO REDUCED EFFECT OF THE MAGNETS ON THE REED SWITCHES BECAUSE OF CORROSION OR ROAD GRIME.THE DEALER DIAGNOSTIC WAS FAULSE AND THE SAME RESULT WOULD OF OCCURED.THE INDEPENDANT SAID THE $1000. PLUS COMPUTER WAS DEFECTIVE.IT WAS QUICLY UNPLUGGED AND 30,000 TROUBLE FREE KILOMETERS WERE SINCE RACKED UP WITHOUT A BRAKEING CONCERN. I USE MY TRUCK. I HAUL FIREWOOD AND A FISHING BOAT.THIS IS MY POINT.I AM TIRED OF BIG COMPANIES RISKING LIVES OF CONSUMERS.WE HAVE BEEN STOPPING MASS IN MOTION FOR MANY YEARS .IF AN IMPROVEMENT IS MADE TO AN EXISTING PROVEN SYSTEM,THAT SYSTEM CANNOT CAUSE THE EXISTING SYSTEM TO FAILE. IF A.B.S. ON A BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS THE BRAKES MUST STILL FUNCTION.THIS WAS NOT THE CASE.THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO LIGHT, JUST TOTAL FAILURE. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
WIPER WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR GM K1500 1992-97, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS A 1998. I HAVE FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR 1998 WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR
WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING RAIN. *JB
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
1998 GMC SIERRA. A CAR CUT IN FRONT OF MY TRUCK AND I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES VERY HARD. WHEN I DID THIS ,THE BRAKE LINE THAT RUNS ALONG THE FRAME RAIL FAILED AT THE BEND WHERE IT JOINS WITH THE REAR BRAKE HOSE. THE FAILURE APPEARED TO BE FROM RUST. *TR THIS,I FEEL ,WAS DUE TO POOR LOCATION. I HAVE A 1955 CHEVY PICKUP , THAT UNTIL 1 YEAR AGO STILL HAD ITS ORIGINAL LINES STILL WORKING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL GAUGE NOT FUNCTIONING...HAS HAD AN ERRATIC READING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS..READING AT 3/4 FULL WHEN THE TANK HAS LESS THAN FIVE GAL. LEFT. *NM
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 .