1998 Chevrolet Silverado 3500: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 filed 67 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 67
involving a crash: 4

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 36% of all complaints
2 Fuel system 15% of all complaints
3 Tires 15% of all complaints
4 Suspension 12% of all complaints
5 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
7 Steering 7% of all complaints
8 Electrical system 4% 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: 24 complaints (36% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Fuel system: 10 complaints (15% of all).
Tires: 10 complaints (15% of all).
Suspension: 8 complaints (12% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 6 complaints (9% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 67 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire4 · 6%
stalls while driving4 · 6%
vibration4 · 6%
jerking, harsh shifts3 · 4%
loss of power / limp mode3 · 4%
steering or power steering problems3 · 4%
unintended acceleration3 · 4%
tires: bulges, blowouts3 · 4%
headlights and tail lights2 · 3%
brake failure1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	24	3
Fuel system	10	0
Tires	10	0
Suspension	8	0
Vehicle speed control	6	0
Powertrain	5	1
Steering	5	0
Electrical system	3	0
Engine and cooling	3	0
Exterior lighting	3	0
Visibility	3	0
Wheels	2	0
Engine	1	0
Fuel/propulsion system	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.

Consumer was traveling about 15mph and was slowing down for a stop sign, applied the brakes, and in the process he hit a bump and vehicle rolled forward. When vehicle stopped, it was in the street passing the crosswalk. Abs braking system didn't kick in. Consumer stated that he has contacted the dealer.
Service brakes · crash · 2000-09-27 · NHTSA complaint #871658
The truck had warped brake drums which caused the front wheels to shake out of control when on ice, rain or snow, resulting in loss of control.
Service brakes · crash · 1999-07-22 · NHTSA complaint #843034
Consumer stopped the truck and put it in park ,went in to house, and minutes later the truck charged into the barn, hitting anothe new truck parked in the barn.
Powertrain · crash · 1998-12-10 · NHTSA complaint #832159
I was driving my ~ chevy dually diesel truck ~ on a freeway pulling a trailer with my antique car in it when the truck kind of hesitated / sputtered and died ! I lost power brakes - but was able to get pulled over to side and after a period of time the truck restarted ...
Fuel system · 2012-11-13 · NHTSA complaint #10484122
98 chev k3500 with 6.5 turbo diesel would stall at highway speeds causing loss of power steering and power brakes. Engine sometimes would restart when vehicle put in neutral other times it may take sveral minutes.
Fuel system · 2012-05-05 · NHTSA complaint #10457557
Fuel injection pump failed.....loss of power, sudden acceleration with no warning, replaced unit 3x....dealer stated that was the way they were, sometime having to install 2 to get it out of shop.
Fuel system · 2012-05-04 · NHTSA complaint #10457506
The brakes were engaged and exhibited a jerking motion. The vehicle was driven onto the emergency lane. The engine was turned off. The failure occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing which indicated an code regarding an increase in the rpms.
Vehicle speed control · 2010-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10325043
Dt*: the contact stated while lying under the vehicle changing the oil, the radiator burst. This occurred at an independent repair shop. The contact sustained second degree burns to both arms. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealership. The contact replaced the radiator.
Engine and cooling · 2006-08-23 · NHTSA complaint #10166310

When owners complained

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

19971
19988
199919
200011
20015
20023
20035
20041
20052
20062
20071
20092
20103
20111
20123

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,534 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Silverado 3500 has 34 complaints (32 years in the data). This year has 67, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 3500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel system, tires. Total complaints: 67. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (6%), stalls while driving (6%), vibration (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 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 Silverado 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.