AI Damage1998 Chevrolet C/K 3500: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Chevrolet C/K 3500 filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 44% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
- 5 Equipment 11% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 11% of all complaints
- Visibility: 4 complaints (44% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Brake lines resting on top of chassis in driver's front wheel well corroded and breached/leaked brake fluid. Vehicle is in michigan.
My windshield wipers work when they feel like it. Sometimes they won't turn on other times they won't turn off. I have had them looked at several times and to no avail. I have read on this site of the exact same issue with another vehicle same year and model. This is dangerous and should be looked into.
My windshield wipers work when they feel like it. I have had them looked at several times and to no avail. I have read on this site of the exact same issue with another vehicle same year and model. This is dangerous and should be looked into. Also it happens on another chevrolet model truck we have.
After consumer was able to find a dealership, they found that the truck had overheated, causing the wires to fuse together. Dealer told him this happened because the wires were too close to the manifold where they get extra hot and fuse together.
I have a 1998 chevy ck3500 4x4 dually, this truck has 50,000 miles on it and has never been used for towing. While driving down the highway in rainy conditions not only did the windshield wipers stop working, the transfer case locked up, the rear tires locked up and we had to swerve off the road, we thought it was a…
Injector pump failure cause loss of engine running, near total loss of steering and brakes. Dt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,368 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the C/K 3500 has 6 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chevrolet C/K 3500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: overheating, coolant loss (11%), rust, corrosion (11%), steering or power steering problems (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Chevrolet C/K 3500?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Chevrolet C/K 3500 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.