RoadVitals

1998 GMC Sierra 3500 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
12
Latest Nov 13, 2012
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.
2
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Oct 22, 1999

What this page shows

Our database holds 12 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 GMC Sierra 3500. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–12 of 12

Brakes
Filed Nov 13, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED HIS BRAKES TO RELEASE THE GEAR SHIFTER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED IMMEDIATELY AFTER. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD BURST AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10484467
Incident
Nov 10, 2012
Mileage
136,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 17, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA 3500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE PRESSED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT HAD NOT INFORMED THE DEALER, AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

NHTSA ID
10419883
Incident
Aug 3, 2011
Mileage
120,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 8, 2009

ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO I HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKE BOOSTER SYSTEM ON MY TRUCK WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND IT WAS HARD TO STOP THE TRUCK. I HAD THE BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACED TWO TIMES THEN HAD TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AS THIS IS CONNECTED TO MY BRAKE SYSTEM. ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I HAD THIS WORK DONE GMC RECALLED THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON MY TRUCK. NOW I AM HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS SYSTEM AGAIN. IF I TURN MY TRUCK RIGHT OR LEFT THE BRAKE ACTIVATE JUST LIKE YOU ARE PUSHING ON THE BRAKE TO STOP. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT MORE THEM ONCE. I UNDERSTAND FROM OTHER OWNERS THAT THIS SYSTEM HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH IT AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO REMOVE THIS SYSTEM AND REPLACE WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SYSTEM. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME AND OTHER OWNERS TO GET GMC TO REPAIR OUR BRAKES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10254211
Incident
Mar 9, 2008
Mileage
175,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 2, 2007

SEVERE VEHICLE FRAME CORROSION/RUSTING OF FRONT FRAME EXTENSIONS, PARTICULARLY IN AREA OF STEERING BOX MOUNTING OF SEVERAL AGENCY OWNED 98-2000 YEAR MODEL CHEVROLET & GMC PICKUP TRUCKS. DISPOSITION IS SCRAPPING VEHICLES AS BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10184019
Incident
Mar 2, 2007
Mileage
95,173 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 16, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ID
10044133
Incident
Oct 16, 2003
Brakes
Filed Nov 20, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

NHTSA ID
8023036
Incident
Nov 2, 2002
Brakes
Filed Jul 2, 2002

I HAVE THE MISFORTUNE OF OWNING A 1998 GMC 1 TON DUALLY, THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS HAVE SEALS LOACATED ON THE INBOARD SIDE THAT SEAL AGAINST A SURFACE OF THE AXLE. AS IT IS A FULL FLOAT AXLE, MEANING THERE ARE TAPERED BEARINGS IN THE BRAKE DRUMS THE BEARINGS ARE LUBRICATED WITH AXLE FLUID AND THE SEALS ARE THERE TO PREVENT LEAKAGE OF THE FLUID. THE FAILURE OF A SEAL PROVIDES A FLUID LEAKAGE PATH THAT IS DOWN THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE DRUM, ACROSS THE SURFACE OF THE DRUM WHICH THE BRAKE LININGS CONTACT AND OUT BETWEEN THE BACKING PLATE AND DRUM. I HAVE HAD 3 SEAL FAILURES ON ONE SIDE AND 2 ON THE OTHER. A FAILURE OF THE SEAL ALLOWS 80W90 AXLE FLUID TO SOAK THE BREAK LININGS, AS THIS IS NOT OBVIOUS, THE FAILURE IS NOTICED BY INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE AS THE REAR BRAKES ARE RENDERED USELESS BY THE CONTAMINATION WITH AXLE FLUID. SINCE 1-TON TRUCKS ARE UASUALLY SOLD TO PULL OR HAUL THIS IS AN ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION, WITH A FULL RATED LOAD THE REAR BRAKES ARE MUCH MORE CRITICAL THAN THAT OF A PASS CAR. I TALKED TO MECHANICS AT GM DEALERSHIPS AND THEY SAY THE SEALS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE AS LONG AS THEY CAN REMBER. I'VE SINCE LOOKED AT THE BACKSIDE OF THE REAR TIRES OF DUALLY AND NOTICED THE TELL TALE SIGN OF A FAILED SEAL OF AXLE FLUID STAINS. THERES AN AWFULL LOT OF 1 TON DUALLYS ON THE ROAD WITH NO REAR BRAKES.*AK

NHTSA ID
763739
Incident
Jun 10, 2000
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 13, 2001

AT 65MPH VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A THUMPING SOUND. WHEN CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND STARTED FEELING AROUND TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD AT LEAST 1,000 MORE MILES TO GO. CONSUMER USED THE SPARE TIRE TO GO FIND A FIRESTONE DEALER WHICH THEY REPLACED AND BALANCED TIRE FOR FREE. CONSUMER OWNS A 1999 MOTOR HOME WITH A 98 CHEVROLET 3500 CHASSIS WITH ORIGINAL TIRES SIZE LT245/75R16 HAVING 34,000 MILES ON THEM.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
890297
Incident
Apr 11, 2001
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 2, 2000

PE-00020 ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1998, GMC, VAN 3500, TIRE SIZE LT24575R16. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY TREAD ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED. *AK

NHTSA ID
871998
Fuel system
Filed Feb 14, 2000

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM IS CONTINUALLY FAILING. CONSUMER STATES THAT IT IS AN ELECTRICAL FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, AND THE SENSOR HAS BEEN CHANGED. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
856864
Incident
Feb 14, 2000
Electrical
Filed Feb 8, 2000
Fire reported

MAIN BATTERY CABLE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE WHILE IDLING. NLM

NHTSA ID
550809
Fuel system
Filed Oct 22, 1999
Fire reported

SMELL OF FUEL WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE, WHEN VEHICLE LEFT RUNNING PARKED, VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND DESTROYED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
713711
Incident
Oct 10, 1999

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .