1998 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck filed 33 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and steering. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 33
involving a crash: 3

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 24% of all complaints
2 Steering 12% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
4 Suspension 9% of all complaints
5 Tires 9% of all complaints
6 Visibility 9% of all complaints
7 Air bags 6% of all complaints
8 Seats 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 8 complaints (24% of all).
Steering: 4 complaints (12% of all).
Fuel system: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Suspension: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Tires: 3 complaints (9% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 33 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbags did not deploy1 · 3%
door locks, latches, handles1 · 3%
seat belts1 · 3%
steering or power steering problems1 · 3%
vibration1 · 3%
windows, sunroof1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	8	0
Steering	4	0
Fuel system	3	0
Suspension	3	0
Tires	3	0
Visibility	3	0
Air bags	2	2
Seats	2	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0
Electrical system	1	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Powertrain	1	0
Seat belts	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Vehicle experienced loss of control at 45 mph causing vehicle to run off the road hitting a tree which resulted in no deployment of driver / passenger side airbag during crash.
Air bags · crash · 1999-11-02 · NHTSA complaint #852379
Between 45-70 mph, turning slightly or hard turn, steering makes popping sound and veers in that directions without assistance. On straight-aways, the vehicle will veer either direction on its own without assistance.
Steering · 2011-11-01 · NHTSA complaint #10433754
1998 chevy blazer 4wd windshield motor. This car was only purchase two years ago and for year I almost kill my self it either a electrical default or short . I had gone a dealership and there where other people with the same problem I start to wonder if had a recall on this model of truck. A.s.a.p .
Visibility · 2005-09-23 · NHTSA complaint #10137380
The antilock brake sensor activates the abs system at low speeds nearly every time we try to stop requiring a longer stopping distance than normal. This has caused several close calls, but so far no accidents.
Service brakes · 2005-08-31 · NHTSA complaint #10135004
Dt: the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet 2500 series pickup. The windshield wiper motor quit working. He had to hit the motor to get it to work again. He has several gmc vehicles with recalls on the windshield wiper motor, and until a recall was issued the dealership would not do anything about the problem.
Visibility · 2005-07-05 · NHTSA complaint #10127500
Dt: consumer first had a fuel injection pump failure in april 2004, and it was replaced. It failed again in september 2004, and was no longer covered under warranty.
Fuel system · 2005-06-07 · NHTSA complaint #10124441
Windshield wipers stopped working during ice/snow storm, after trying repeatedly moving wiper switch, was able to get working, but not reliably, would work but stop for no reason with wipers in the up position, moving wiper switch several move times would work at various speeds but not reliably.
Visibility · 2005-02-02 · NHTSA complaint #10108422
Passenger side rear tire lost a piece of tread, 6inches long and 4inches wide from the center of the tread pattern, cooper tires.
Tires · 2001-12-11 · NHTSA complaint #9005111

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19983
199914
20004
20012
20021
20031
20041
20056
20111

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,523 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Chevrolet Truck has 16 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 33, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, steering, fuel system. Total complaints: 33. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (3%), door locks, latches, handles (3%), seat belts (3%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Chevrolet Chevrolet Truck?

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 Chevrolet Truck 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 2026-11-05.