1998 GMC Sierra 3500: common problems

Owners of the 1998 GMC Sierra 3500 filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 12

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
2 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
3 Tires 17% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
5 Structure 8% of all complaints
6 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
7 Visibility 8% 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: 4 complaints (33% of all).
Fuel system: 2 complaints (17% of all).
Tires: 2 complaints (17% of all).
Electrical system: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Structure: 1 complaints (8% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 12 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 17%
brake failure1 · 8%
rust, corrosion1 · 8%
steering or power steering problems1 · 8%
warning lights, check engine1 · 8%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Service brakes	4	0	0
Fuel system	2	0	0
Tires	2	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0
Visibility	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.

The brake warning light illuminated immediately after. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the brake lines had burst and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileage was approximately 136,000. The vin was unavailable.
Service brakes · 2012-11-13 · NHTSA complaint #10484467
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 gmc sierra 3500. The contact stated while the vehicle was stopped with the brake pressed, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The manufacturer advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for inspection.
Vehicle speed control · 2011-08-17 · NHTSA complaint #10419883
About 4 years ago I had problems with my brake booster system on my truck when the brakes failed and it was hard to stop the truck. I had the brake booster replaced two times then had to have the power steering pump replaced as this is connected to my brake system.
Service brakes · 2009-01-08 · NHTSA complaint #10254211
Severe vehicle frame corrosion/rusting of front frame extensions, particularly in area of steering box mounting of several agency owned 98-2000 year model chevrolet & gmc pickup trucks. Disposition is scrapping vehicles as beyond economical repair and unsafe to operate.
Structure · 2007-03-02 · NHTSA complaint #10184019
Windshield wipers came on and off intermittently while driving in inclement weather. This caused poor visibility. Dealership was contacted and stated that vehicle was not under recall.
Visibility · 2003-10-16 · NHTSA complaint #10044133
Consumer stated that when trying to apply the brakes the brake pedal would go to the floor causing the vehicle to have extended stopping distance. Dealer notified ts
Service brakes · 2002-11-20 · NHTSA complaint #8023036
At 65mph vehicle started making a thumping sound. When consumer pulled over and started feeling around tire tread was separating. Right rear tire had at least 1,000 more miles to go. Consumer used the spare tire to go find a firestone dealer which they replaced and balanced tire for free.
Tires · 2001-06-13 · NHTSA complaint #890297
Pe-00020 original equipment on a 1998, gmc, van 3500, tire size lt24575r16. While driving 55 mph on the highway tread on the right rear tire separated.
Tires · 2000-10-02 · NHTSA complaint #871998

When owners complained

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

19991
20003
20011
20022
20031
20071
20091
20111
20121

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sierra 3500 has 19 complaints (31 years in the data). This year has 12, below 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.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 GMC Sierra 3500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel system, tires. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (17%), brake failure (8%), rust, corrosion (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 GMC Sierra 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 GMC Sierra 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 2026-11-05.