AI Damage1998 Chevrolet S Series: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Chevrolet S Series filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about visibility and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Visibility 57% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Latches, locks, linkages 14% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 14% of all complaints
- Visibility: 4 complaints (57% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Seats: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 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.
Windshield wipers worked and stopped for the past 6 years and now totally stopped raining hard and also caused a wreck truck in good condition only 50,000 miles.
Engine seized up with no warning throwing rocker arm out through engine block. Truck towed to gm dealership. Over two years later, the truck is still at gm dealer. Customer awaiting estimate of repair.
Driver and passenger recliner handle both get stock and will not function when pulled and then breaks. This has happen to me 1 time in a 98 s10 single cab plus the previous owner had just had it replaced 2 months ago. It also happen two times on my other 98 s10 ext cab.
Windshield wipers operation has become very unreliable. Started out just being a problem in the intermittent setting but has progressed to all settings. Sometimes they will not come on at all no matter what I try and other times they will not shut off.
Windshield wipers stop working when using intermittent wiper function. Happens without warning and wipers must be set on full speed setting to get them to work at all. They will remain unusable in intermittent settings for several minutes or sometimes days.
The defect(s) relate to the extended cab version of the vehicle with a 3rd door on the drivers side. 3rd door upper latch has broken several times. Part is made from steel rod stock which is formed into a u shape then stamped to form holes for the mounting screws and the serrated mounting surface.
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 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S Series has 3 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 7, above average.
What to check before buying
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- 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.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chevrolet S Series?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: visibility, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Chevrolet S Series?
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 S Series 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.