RoadVitals

1998 GMC Sierra

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
190
Latest Jan 21, 2016
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
2
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.
24
9 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 190 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 GMC Sierra, most frequently naming the brakes, visibility and steering categories. 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 23 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA05007ClosedEngineering Analysis

TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES

Opened Apr 14, 2005
Closed Apr 11, 2006

GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCHLed to recall 06V066000
RQ04010ClosedRecall Query

TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE

Opened Sep 28, 2004
Closed Apr 14, 2005

ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-010 AND OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998, 1999, AND PARTIAL YEAR 2000 SILVERADOS AND SIERRAS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 190
Filed Jan 21, 2016

THE DASHBOARD CRACKED MIDWAYS AND SPREAD TO THE PASSENGER SIDE.

NHTSA ID
10821434
Incident
Mar 1, 2014
Mileage
200,000 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 26, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT BUT THE REPAIR SPECIFICS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. ....UPDATED 01/23/15 *BF UPDATED 9/11/2017*CN

NHTSA ID
10668373
Incident
Oct 1, 2002
Mileage
129,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 10, 2014
Crash reported

BRAKES FAILED WHILE BACKING UP AND HIT A TREE. FOUND BRAKE LINE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND REPLACED BRAKE LINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10609678
Incident
Mar 8, 2013
Mileage
145,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 5, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 96,000.

NHTSA ID
10596440
Incident
Jun 8, 2006
Mileage
50,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 1, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION LEAK. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10550492
Incident
Dec 1, 2012
BrakesFuel systemSteering
Filed Sep 8, 2013

FAME ROT ALMOST COMPLETELY BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES IN REAR BY LEAF SPRING MOUNTS

NHTSA ID
10542503
Incident
Aug 22, 2012
Brakes
Filed May 3, 2013

CATASTROPHIC BRAKE FAILURE ON STATE HIGHWAY. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES, BUT REPAIRS INCLUDED BRAKE LINES, CALIPERS AND PADS DUE TO CORROSION OF SAID LINES AND CALIPER ASSEMBLIES. SHOP SAID THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR GM PRODUCTS REGARDLESS OF AGE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10510579
Incident
Apr 30, 2013
Mileage
86,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 21, 2010

1998 GMC SIERRA. GMC BRAKE LINE CORROSION INVESTIGATION. THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED A CORROSION RELATED FAILURE OF THE LINE SUPPLYING THE REAR BRAKES. THE FAILED LINE WENT FROM A FITTING OVER THE GAS TANK TO A BRACKET ON THE FRAME OVER THE REAR AXLE. FROM THE BRACKET, A HOSE WENT TO THE DIFFERENTIAL, WHERE THE LINES WENT OUT TO THE REAR BRAKE CYLINDER. AN INSPECTION SHOWED NO OTHER CORROSION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10327400
Incident
May 1, 2009

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

070232001

STEERING

REDUCED STEERING EFFORT (DIAGNOSE/REPLACE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR). *KB

020525006

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

ANTILOCK BRAKE (ABS) ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS. *TT

020730024A

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT

040604088

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

REPLACEMENT OF CONNECTOR WHEN REPLACING FUEL TANK MODULE/FUEL PUMP MODULE. *TT

030601024A

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

RATTLE NOISE IN ENGINE. *TT

01570

SUSPENSION:REAR

SPRING SLAP NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE GMT 400 SERIES TRUCK. *MN

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

GMC Sierra by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2017610037.8
2016620—
2015536050.3
201410112053.9
2013393051.4
2012292051.1
2011432042.2
2010341045.6
2009371041.7
2008682250.8
2007592050.2
2006536052.7
200511711048.1
200418810051.8
20032069558.4
20022497865.4
20012647966.2
200044312965.4
199960091065.3
1998Viewing1900246.8
19972380034.6
19962462358.9
19952616360.6
19941903048.9
1993723051.6
1992304052.6
1991122039.9
1990182051.4
1989162154.7
1988621—
1987100—
1983200—
1982100—
1979001—
1977200—
1976200—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.