RoadVitals

1998 GMC Sierra Engine Problems

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

Data refreshed

Engine 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.
11
Latest Feb 19, 2004
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.
6%
of 190 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.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 GMC Sierra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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 engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Feb 19, 2004

THE ENGINE DIED 3 TIMES WITHIN 10 MILES WITH A LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. *PH ON TWO OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE COULD BE RESTARTED AFTER THE VEHICLE SAT FOR A MINUTE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP DRIVER BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. *NM

NHTSA ID
10059419
Incident
Apr 20, 2003
Engine
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER ON A HILL AND BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE TOP THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A TRERRIBLE SOUND. ALL THE GUAGES WERE READING NORMAL. THE GMC DEALER OR EVEN HEAD OFFICE ARE NOT WILLING TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE MOTOR FOR IT IS NOT OUR FAULT THAT THIS HAPPEN. WE MAIMTAINED THE TRUCK TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS.

NHTSA ID
10071284
Incident
Jul 15, 2003
Mileage
79,788 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 19, 2003

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN EXHAUST LEAK.*JB

NHTSA ID
10008753
Incident
Feb 19, 2003
Engine
Filed Nov 28, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AND THEN VEHICLE STALLS. AT TIMES VEHICLE WILL NOT RESTART. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
899585
Incident
Aug 2, 1999
Engine
Filed Sep 13, 2001

WHEN ACCELERATING SOUNDS LIKE A VIBRATING NOISE , BUT VEHICLE IS NOT VIBRATING. THIS IS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SOUND. *AKTHE NOISE HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND THE VEHICLE FAILED EMMISIONS INSPECTION. NLM

NHTSA ID
896280
Incident
Sep 1, 2001
Engine
Filed May 4, 2001

A HEATING CONNECTOR ON COOLANT LINE HAS DETERIORATED / MELTED WITHIN TWO YEARS, CAUSING COOLANT LEAKAGE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID
887534
Incident
Mar 28, 2001
Engine
Filed Mar 17, 2001

PROBLEM WITH FUEL SYSTEM EVAC CANISTER. THE CANISTER, LOCATED IN LEFT FRONT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS A FRESH AIR VENT OPENING FOR PARTIAL VENTING OF VACUM DIRECTED TOWARDS FUEL VAPOR CONTROL. IT IS COVERED BY A LOOSE FITTING CAP. THIS UN-PROTECTED OPENING ALLOWS DIRT TO ENTER THE TOP OF THE CANISTER AND EVENTUALLY CLOG THE OPENING. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE ENTIRE VACUM FORCE IS APPARENTLY DIRECTED TO THE FUEL TANK CAUSING FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE. AN OLDER MODEL TRUCK (I BELIEVE IT WAS A 1997) WAS EXAMINED AND A SIMILAR CANISTER FRESH AIR VENT WAS STAMPED WITH THE WORDS "AIR CLEANER" THOUGH IT TOO WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE AIR CLEANER BUT WAS ONLY COVERED BY A LOOSE FITTING CAP. THIS PROBLEM IS PROBABLY NOT EVIDENT IN VEHICLES OPERATED ON HIGHWAY ONLY. A LOCAL SERVICE STATION, JOHN MELHISER'S AMOCO, PETERSBURG INDIANA, RELATED TO ME THAT HE KNEW OF 3 OTHER AREA PICKUPS (FARM USE) THAT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. SYMPTOMS OF EMMINENT FUEL TANK COLLAPSE BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE ARE: 1-INCREASED VACUM IN FUEL TANK AS NOTICED WHEN REMOVING THE FUEL CAP; 2 FUEL GAGE BEGINS TO MALFUNCTION (CAUSED BY BOTTOM OF TANK BEING PUSHED UPWARD ON THE SENDING UNIT). I SUSPECT THAT THE EFFECT IS MORE PRONOUNCED AT LOWER FUEL LEVELS. I CONTACTED GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE # JAN 26 THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN MARCH 16. THEY INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN NOTED BUT THAT NO FIRTHER ACTION WAS PLANNED. GM INDICATED THAT A "PRODUCT ALLEGATION REPORT" COULD BE FILED IF THE PROBLEM CAUSED SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE OR BODILY HARM. I SUGGESTED THAT THEY SHOULD AT LEAST PRODUCE A MAINTENANCE INSERT FOR THE OWNERS MANUAL AND SERVICE BULLETINS SINCE DEALERS I CHECKED WITH WERE NOT AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR PLUGGING OF THE VENT AND COLLAPSE OF THE FUEL TANK. A MORE SECURE FIX WOULD BE TO VENT THE SUCTION TO THE AIR CLEANER (AS WAS APPARENTLY INTENDED ON THE EARLIER MODEL) TO ENSURE THAT FOREIGN MATTER DOES NOT CLOG THE VENT.

NHTSA ID
742578
Incident
Nov 1, 2000
BrakesEngineFuel system
Filed Jul 11, 2000

HEATER CONNECTOR LEAKING CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM

NHTSA ID
552967
Incident
Mar 27, 2000
Engine
Filed Nov 5, 1999

THIS PROBLEM OCCURED FIRST IN OCTOBER 1998 AND COURTESY PONTIAC, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DID NOT FIND THE PROBLEM! LAST WEEK UPON RETURNING FROM NEW MEXICO THE ENGINE LOST POWER IN MISSOURI AND I STOPPED AT A GASSTATION AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT IN THE TANK. THIS WAS REFILLED AND ONE EXIT FURTHER THE OIL WAS CHECKED AFTER THE PROBLEM DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CORRECTED. THIS TIME NO OIL WAS IN THE ENGINE. BEFORE THE TRAVEL A GMC DEALER IN SHELBYVILLE KY DID THE MAINTENANCE ON IT, FILLING 5 QUARTS OF OIL IN!

NHTSA ID
714374
Incident
Oct 30, 1999
BrakesEngineFuel system+1 more
Filed Nov 12, 1998

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. WHEN TURNING THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS ON, THE MOTOR MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. VEHICLE ALSO HAS THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: ENGINE COOLANT TANK AND BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ARE LEAKING, BRAKES AND FUEL PUMP ARE NOISY, AND PASSENGER SIDE DEFROSTER DOES NOT FLOW ENOUGH AIR. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
830683
Incident
Dec 26, 1997
EngineSuspensionTransmission
Filed Jun 8, 1998

VEHICLE STALLING.

NHTSA ID
536464

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .