1998 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems

APPLIED BREAK TO START TRUCK. FOOT WENT TO FLOOR, VERY WEAK PEDAL. CHECKED BRAKE FLUID LEVEL, FOUND FRONT RESERVOIR EMPTY. TRACED BRAKE LINES FOR LEAKS. FOUND PORTION OF REAR HARD BRAKE LINE BETWEEN GAS TANK AND REAR AXLE RUSTED THROUGH AT BEND WHERE BRAKE LINE LEAVES FRAME RAIL AND HEADS TO CONNECT TO FLEXIBLE LINE AT REAR DIFFERENTIAL. ENTIRE AREA AROUND LEAK, BOTTOM OF BED, FRAME RAIL, SHOCK, SPRING, ETC. DRIPPING WITH BRAKE FLUID. REPLACED A PREVIOUS SECTION OF REAR BRAKE LINEAROUND 125K MILES PRIOR TO FINDING OUT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GMC / CHEVY TRUCKS. *TR

I WAS APPROACHING A BUSY INTERSECTION AT A NORMAL SPEED. WHEN I USED THE BRAKE IT INSTANTLY WENT TO THE FLOOR. NO BRAKES! I WENT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION INTO AN EMPTY LOT. THANK GOD NO ACCIDENT. THE BRAKE LINE ROTTED BECAUSE GM ROUTED CHEAP STEEL LINES IN AREAS WHERE SAND, SALT AND WATER COLLECT. GMC REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR AND IT COST ME 500.00. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 139,000. UPDATED 10/21/11 *BF THE WIPER WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $ 311.00. UPDATE 10/26/11

WHILE TRAVERSING A FREEWAY OVERPASS GOING 60 TO 65 MPH THE TRUCK SUDDENLY LURCHED TO THE LEFT. FORTUNATELY NO IMMEDIATE TRAFFIC ON MY LEFT. REALLY FRIGHTENED ME. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THAT A COMPONENT (CIRCUIT BOARD) OF THE NEW "SPEED SENSITIVE" POWER STEERING COULD FAIL, MAKING THE TRUCK THINK IT WAS GOING SLOWER AND INCREASE THE POWER STEERING ASSIST, CAUSING THE LURCH TO THE LEFT. THIS WAS AFTER HAVING THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE CHECKED FOR ALIGNMENT, FAULTY OR DAMAGED PARTS, ANY ADJUSTMENTS OUT OF SPEC. THEY FOUND NO CAUSE. I DON'T ACTUALLY REMEMBER THE DATE AND HAVE ESTIMATED THE DATE BELOW. I EVENTUALLY SOLVED THE PROBLEM (AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATING THAT REPLACING THE CIRCUIT BOARD SOMETIMES WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. THE SOLUTION WAS INSTALLING A "KIT" I FOUND ONLINE THAT COMPLETELY REMOVED THE NEW SPEED CONTROLLED POWER ASSISTANCE. I PROBABLY HAD 4 OR 5 INSTANCES OF THIS OCCURRING, AND CONSIDER MYSELF EXTREMELY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY. THIS WAS THE RESULT OF EXTREME VIGILANCE ONCE I HAD DETERMINED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. DURING MY RESEARCH I FOUND MANY REPORTS OF THE PROBLEM, MANY TRIED FIXES THAT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. ONE MAN SPENT $4000 TO HAVE THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF HIS VEHICLE REPLACED, ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RECUR. WHAT REALLY BOTHERS ME IS BOTH WHY THIS DID NOT RESULT IN A RECALL, AND THE FACT THAT THIS HAPPENED SO FREQUENTLY AND DEALERS WOULD NOT RECOMMEND AN ACTUAL FIX, BUT LET CUSTOMERS WASTE A LOT OF MONEY "TRYING TO FIX" THE PROBLEM, LEAVING THIS SAFETY HAZARD IN PLACE.

WHILE DRIVING AT ALMOST ANY SPEED THE STEERING SEEMS TO "SLIP" ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING LEFT, HOWEVER THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THIS ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS HAS ALMOST GOT ME IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER DOES NOT SEEM TO EITHER FIND OR RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS SEATED IN THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. WHEN THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A DEER RAN IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE DEER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT DUE TO THE COLLISION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND KNEE, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WHEN I BOUGHT TRUCK (120,000 MILES) THE PREVIOUS OWNER INFORMED ME THAT THE GAS TANK WAS FULL. AFTER 200 MILES I WONDERED WHY THE GAS GAUGE WAS STILL ON FULL. TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, SAME VEHICLE WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE SENDING UNIT ON THE FUEL PUMP. THIS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. GM NEEDS TO START TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR VEHICLE DEFECTS. *TR

MY 1998 GMC 1500 PICKUP HAS 121,000 MILES VIN#[XXX]. WITHIN THE LAST 50,00 MILES AND/OR 2 YEARS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND SENDER THREE TIMES AND AT A COST OF $1000.00 EACH TIME. I SPOKE WITH FIRESTONE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE INFORMS ME HE HAS A SIMILAR MODEL AND HAS HAD THE SAME DIFFICULTY AND HAS ALSO HAD OTHER REPAIRS TO SAME YEAR MODELS THAT HE HAS SERVICED. I CANNOT FIND ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE ISSUES, NOR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEB SITE. I FEEL THEREFORE IT IS IMPORTANT TO LOG ON THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM ON THIS GMC YEAR MODEL. *JB UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

MY DASHBOARD BECAME BRITTLE, AND FALLS APART IF YOU TOUCH IT! ALSO MY TRANSMISSION HAS HAD TO BE REBUILT THREE TIMES. BUT IM ONLY WORRIED ABOUT MY DASH. *JS

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A STOP LIGHT I HEARD AND FELT A METALLIC BANG. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO 1ST GEAR AND WOULDN'T SHIFT UP. I LOST REVERSE TOO. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A STOP LIGHT I HEARD AND FELT A METALLIC BANG. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO 1ST GEAR AND WOULDN'T SHIFT UP. I LOST REVERSE TOO. *TR

EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE ARE UNKNNOW, AT NO TIME WAS ADVERSE STRESS OR STRAIN PLACED ON THIS VEHICLE. THE PROBLEMS BEGAN IN NOVEMBER 2003 WHEN I LOST FIRST GEAR IN MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I DROPPED THE PAN TO REPLACE THE FILTER AND FLUID, THERE WERE METAL ROLLER BEARINGS AND METAL DEBREE IN THE PAN. I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. 80,000 MILES IS WAY TOO YOUNG FOR A TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. MARCH, MY WATER PUMP BEGAN LEAKING, I REPLACED IT. APRIL, MY HEATER CORE BEGAN LEAKING, I BY PASSED IT. MAY, MY RADIATOR BEGAN LEAKING, I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE RADIATOR AND HEATER CORE ARE BEING STORED FOR A SHORT TIME FOR ME UNTIL I CAN DECIDE IF I AM GOING TO BEGIN LEGAL CLASS ACTIONS ON THE FAULTY COOLING SYSTEM ON THIS GMC SERRIA 1500 PICKUP. GMC OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC 1500. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO POWER. NONE OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE OPERABLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND AS HE REMOVED THE COVERING FROM A PLATE UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN, HE FOUND THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL BURNED WIRES. HE THEN SPLICED THE WIRES TOGETHER AND USED A RUBBER PROTECTOR TO PROTECT THE WIRES FROM RUBBING AGAINST THE METAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

THE WIPERS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SHORT OF SOME KIND IN THE SYSTEM. I CAN GET THEM TO WORK BY MANUALLY MOVING THEM SOMETIMES. ALSO I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORKING. I HAVE REPLACED THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY TWICE. AGAIN IT SEEMS TO BE A SHORT IN THE SYSTEM, THEY WORK ON AND OFF, ITS VERY DANGEROUS. *NM

HAD A ANTIFREEZE LEAK FOR MONTHS. STARTED LOOKING AROUND AND NOTICED THE FITTING FROM THE HEATER CORE RETURN LINE INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CORRODED AND READY TO FALL OF. I BARELY TOUCHED THE RETURN LINE AND IT THE FITTING SNAPPED OFF. I'M THE 3RD PERSON I KNOW WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM, SAME VEHICLE. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM HERE GM NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *TR

SERVICE REQUEST # FILED AT GENERAL MOTORS REGIONAL OFFICE #(71-448842107)INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING IN ALL 4 CORNERS ON MY GMC SIERRA PICK UP TRUCK. LOSS OF ANTI-FREEZE, AND POSSIBLE SEIZURE OF ENGINE. BACKORDER OF GM INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. A PETITION HAS BEEN CREATED AND SENT TO GM AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU EXPLAINING ....AS OF APRIL 10, 2002, THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. AT THIS TIME, IS IT NOT EVEN KNOWN WHEN THE PART WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. BEING AWARE OF THIS PROVES THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED. BECAUSE OF APPARENT POOR ENGINEERING, GM CAN NOT MANUFACTURER REPLACEMENTS FAST ENOUGH FOR ALL THE VEHICLES IN WHICH THEY ARE NEEDED. INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS CAN LEAD TO ANY NUMBER OF VERY SERIOUS, AND EXPENSIVE, PROBLEMS. WHILE THE PART ITSELF ISN'T COSTLY, THE LABOR TO REPAIR IT IS VERY INTENSIVE, AND HAS BEEN QUOTED AROUND $800 USD (GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE HUNDRED DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE). THIS IS IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER COSTLY PROBLEM(S) THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK MAY HAVE PRODUCED. WE ARE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FROM GENERAL MOTORS. A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER SHOULD BE REASON ENOUGH FOR GM TO ASSEMBLE A RECALL. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE WORLD'S LARGEST VEHICLE MANUFACTURER WHO HAS BEEN THE WORLD'S AUTOMOTIVE SALES LEADER SINCE 1931 WILL STAND UP AND CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS SO PREVALENT AMONG THEIR VEHICLES. RECALLS SHOULD BE MANDATED IN ALL CASES OF INCOMPETENCE, NOT SOLELY WHEN IT AFFECTS PUBLIC SAFETY. SINCERELY, 13,000 SIGNATURES HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/GMCNSMRS/PETITION.HTML *JB

MY DASHBOARD BECAME BRITTLE, AND FALLS APART IF YOU TOUCH IT! ALSO MY TRANSMISSION HAS HAD TO BE REBUILT THREE TIMES. BUT IM ONLY WORRIED ABOUT MY DASH. *JS

TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE. *TR

The dash is busted in several pieces and places.

I WAS STANDING ON THE TAILGATE UNLOADING OIL AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE CABLE ON THE TAILGATE BROKE. I WAS NOT INJURED BUT WAS UPSET BECAUSE I THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WOULD BE DAMAGE TO MY TAILGATE, THAT IT MAY MAY DENTED OR SPRUNG. I PURCHASED A NEW CABLE AND INSTALLED. I QUESTIONED THE CABLE AS TO HOW IT LOOKED WHEN BROKEN. IT ALMOST LOOKS AS THOUGH IT WAS CUT. THE CABLE BEING COVERED DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF WEAR. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE CABLE SHOULD HAVE BROKEN IN STRANDS. IT JUST SEEMS TO BE AN UNUSUAL BREAK. *AK

GAS PEDAL STICKS ALL THE TIME WHEN YOU FIRST STEP ON PEDAL. YOU THEN ACCELERATE IN A JERKY MANNER AS YOU HAVE TO PRESS IT HARD TO GET IT TO UNSTICK!!! ALSO DOS IT ON OUR 2001 GRAND PRIX AND MY FATHERS 1999 CHEVROLET PICKUP.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TRACKS WEAR OUT EVERY 3-4 MONTHS - CAUSES LOOSE SEAT - WHEN STOPPING CAUSES DRIVER TO SLIDE FORWARD MAKIING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. THE RELEASE LEVERS ON BOTH SIDES OF FRONT SEAT HAVE TORN HOLES IN SIDES OF THE SEAT. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT CONTINUES TO TIGHTEN UP WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS... SO PERSON RELEASED BELT TO PUT BACK ON WHICH CAN CAUSE INJURY IF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS AT THIS TIME. I WAS TOLD THAT TOO BAD THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE SO IF YOU WANT TO PUT IN A BABY SEAT. UNLESS THE BELT IS PULLED ALL THE WAY OUT IT IS NOT SUPPOSE TO TIGHTEN UP ON ITS OWN.,BUT ROUGH ROADS WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WOULD BE FREE WHEELING(OVERSTEERING) WHEN MAKING TURNS. HAD LOST CONTROL OF VEHCLE AND HIT A POST. MANAGED TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE SENSOR IN STEERING. *AK