AI Damage1998 GMC Pick UP: common problems
Owners of the 1998 GMC Pick UP filed 14 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and visibility. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 14
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 29% of all complaints
- 2 Visibility 21% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 14% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 7% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (29% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 3 complaints (21% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (14% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 14 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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 pedal goes completely to the floor under severe braking conditions.
1998 gmc pickup has frosted headlight lenses. Customer states they looked scratched. Mechanic told the contact that this model is subject to sand blasting by road debris.
1998 gm pickup truck with severe corrosion on front frame. Customer states that 7 other vehicles are unsafe to use due to this problem. *according to the consumers observation.
Windshield wipers work intermittently. While driving and if hitting a bump or something they may completely fail, or come on while in a rain storm. Contacted the dealer. The problem still exists.
I have a 1998 gmc sierra p/u my wishield wipers have the following symptoms: wipers will not work or work intermittently; wipers stop working for no apparent reason, maybe even in mid-stroke; wiper function is erratic, with no delay feature, delay is the same regardless of setting, or no low- or high-speed setting.
1998 gmc pickup had the intake manifold gasket replaced and still continues to leak. I'm told by dealers its a nationwide problem and is very costly to repair $600 and my have caused engine damage.
Manufacturer's latest "fix it" kit failed. Definitely defective. No safety defec tlisted.
Right front rubber gasket/grommets in wheel cylinders failed.
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 9,551 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Pick UP has 11 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 14, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
- Pick UP 19853 sources
- Pick UP 19863 sources
- Pick UP 19874 sources
- Pick UP 19885 sources
- Pick UP 19894 sources
- Pick UP 19908 sources
- Pick UP 19916 sources
- Pick UP 199210 sources
- Pick UP 199313 sources
- Pick UP 199423 sources
- Pick UP 199532 sources
- Pick UP 199619 sources
- Pick UP 199722 sources
- Pick UP 199923 sources
- Pick UP 200012 sources
- Pick UP 20015 sources
- Pick UP 20025 sources
- Pick UP 999926 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 GMC Pick UP?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, visibility, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 14. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (7%), overheating, coolant loss (7%), rust, corrosion (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 GMC Pick UP?
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 GMC Pick UP 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.