1998 Chevrolet Silverado

279 federal complaints (335 component records) · 0 recall campaigns on file · 2 federal investigations · 17 service bulletins
See all 34 model years of the Chevrolet Silverado →
Federal complaints
279
Recall campaigns
0
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.

Fault profile

Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.

Brakes
104
Glass & wipers
45
Steering
23
Electrical system
22
Power train
17
Tires
16
Engine & cooling
16
Fuel system
14
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.

When it fails

The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.

Vehicle age when the failure occurred

0 years old: 24 complaints01 years old: 17 complaints2 years old: 32 complaints3 years old: 23 complaints4 years old: 28 complaints5 years old: 28 complaints56 years old: 31 complaints7 years old: 22 complaints8 years old: 8 complaints9 years old: 1 complaints10 years old: 2 complaints1011 years old: 1 complaints12 years old: 0 complaints13 years old: 0 complaints14 years old: 4 complaints15 years old: 3 complaints1516 years old: 0 complaints17 years old: 0 complaints18 years old: 0 complaints19 years old: 0 complaints20+ years old: 0 complaints20+
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 224 of 279 complaints with a usable failure date.

Odometer when the failure occurred

0,000 - 20,000 miles: 4 complaints020,000 - 40,000 miles: 8 complaints40,000 - 60,000 miles: 14 complaints40k60,000 - 80,000 miles: 22 complaints80,000 - 100,000 miles: 14 complaints80k100,000 - 120,000 miles: 13 complaints120,000 - 140,000 miles: 4 complaints120k140,000 - 160,000 miles: 4 complaints160,000 - 180,000 miles: 1 complaints160k180,000 - 200,000 miles: 2 complaints200,000+ miles: 0 complaints200k+
Owner-reported mileage at failure, in 20,000-mile bands. Based on 86 of 279 complaints reporting a plausible odometer (500 to 500,000 miles; unverified).

Known issues

The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.

Brakes

104 complaint records7 crash reports
"A BRAKE LINE FAILURE, BRAKE LINE AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →

Glass & wipers

45 complaint records
"WHILE DRIVING INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETECT THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse glass & wipers parts in the directory →

Steering

23 complaint records1 crash report
"WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL WON'T KEEP VEHICLE STRAIGHT, RESULTING IN VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse steering parts in the directory →

Federal defect investigations

Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.

InvestigationStatusComponentSubject
EA05007
opened Apr 2005
closed Apr 2006StructureTAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES - led to recall 06V066000
GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A...
RQ04010
opened Sep 2004
closed Apr 2005StructureTAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE
ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-010 AND OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998, 1999, AND PARTIAL YEAR 2000 SILVERADOS AND SIERRAS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE...

Service bulletins and warranty extensions

Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.

BulletinTypeComponentSummary
070232001
Mar 2007
SteeringREDUCED STEERING EFFORT (DIAGNOSE/REPLACE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR). *KB
020525006
Jan 2006
Service BrakesANTILOCK BRAKE (ABS) ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS. *TT
020730024A
Aug 2005
Power TrainDIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT
040604088
Mar 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingREPLACEMENT OF CONNECTOR WHEN REPLACING FUEL TANK MODULE/FUEL PUMP MODULE. *TT
030601024A
Mar 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingRATTLE NOISE IN ENGINE. *TT
Show 12 more bulletins
BulletinTypeComponentSummary
01570
Jan 2004
SuspensionSPRING SLAP NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE GMT 400 SERIES TRUCK. *MN
00149D
Jan 2004
Electrical SystemMALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH A P0300 SET AND A MISFIRE. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 1996 - 1999 P32 MODELS. SIT BULLETIN 1416475. *TT
01599
Jan 2004
Power Train4L60E, 4L65E FORWARD AND LOW REVERSE WAVED STEEL CLUTCH PLATE APPEARANCE CHANGE. *TT
01225
Jan 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingENGINE COOLANT LEAK AT INTAKE GASKET. * MJ
01410
Nov 2003
Power TrainPOOR PERFORMANCE FROM A STOP IN 2WD, AUTO OR 4WD HI. 2003, 2003 CADILLAC EXT ALSO INCLUDED. *TT
00149C
Nov 2003
Electrical SystemMALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH A P0300 SET AND A MISFIRE. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1996-1999 P32 AND THE 1996-2002 GMC C/K TRUCK. *TT
030601024
Aug 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingRATTLE NOISE IN ENGINE. *TT
020421005A
Feb 2003
Power TrainSLIPS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE, NOISE, VIBRATION, LEAKS, HOT ODOR. *TT
020525006A
Dec 2002
Service BrakesANTILOCK BRAKE (ABS) ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS ON VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1995 AND 1996 ENVOY. *TT
990730016A
Oct 2002
Power TrainDIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT
020421005
Jun 2002
Power TrainSOME VEHICLES WILL NOT MOVE WHEN 4-WHEEL DRIVE IS REQUESTED, NOISE, SHUDDER, POOR PERFORMANCE, TRANSMISSION / TRANSFER CASE SLIPS, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT, SLIPS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *TT
3325
Fuel SystemSUPPLEMENT TO BULLETIN 99-06-04-047A FOR FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING. *TT

Before you buy this vehicle

A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.

  1. Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
  2. Run the wipers and washers, and test every window.Slow or stuck regulators, streaking wipers, and windshield cracks are this vehicle's visibility complaints.
  3. Drive one straight highway stretch and one slow parking lot.Wander or a shimmy over bumps at speed, and heavy or dropped assist at low speed, are the two faces of this vehicle's steering cluster. A clunk on turn-in points at the linkage.
  4. Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.

Parts search directory

The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.

Open the parts directory for this Chevrolet Silverado →