IllustrationMY CAR STARTED TO SHACK AND SHIMMY I INSPETED THE FRONT TIRES AND FOUND THAT BOTH TIRES HAD BROKEN STEEL BELTS IN THEM AND WERE NOTTED UP. *AK
1998 Chevrolet Blazer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Blazer years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Blazer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 32.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Blazer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
100–25K
4425–50K
9350–75K
6775–100K
41100–150K
14150K+
269 reports with mileage · 447 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility. Review the 256 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
46 crash reports15 fire reports31 injury reports
What owners actually said
716 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO TURN ON WHEN NEEDED. WIPERS OFTEN STOP WORKING WHILE SWITCH IS IN PROPER "ON" POSITION FOR OPERATION DURING RAIN - VERY DANGEROUS. WIPERS FAIL TO SHUT OFF WHEN SWITCHED INTO CORRECT "OFF" POSITION. WIPERS ADJUST THEIR OWN INTERMITTENT SPEED.*AK
VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. *MR ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASION THE HEAD LIGHTS FAILED. THE FIRST TIME THE LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON THE SECOND TIME THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING IN THE EARLY EVENING. *SCC *NLM
1998 CHEVY BLAZER - WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SPORADICALLY. WILL SOMETIMES STOP WORKING WHILE ON, AND WILL SOMETIMES NOT TURN ON WHEN NEEDED. THEY SEEM TO GIVE PROBLEMS WHEN IT IS RAINING, AND USUALLY WORK FINE IF TRIED WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING. MAY BE A WIRING MOISTURE PROBLEM? PROBLEM IS NOT JUST ONE OCCURENCE... IS CONTINUOUS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY.*AK. THE WIPERS CHANGED FROM INTERMITTENT TO FULL WITHOUT CHANGING WIPER CONTROL. *PH *JB
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, WHICH RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK THE SYMPTOMS WERE THE SAME AS THE RECALL ON THE 96-97 BLAZERS. *SCC *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEWS. DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOT RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK
ON MY 1998 BLAZER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY. MY HUSBAND WOULD WIGGLE THE WIRING HARNESS AND THEY WOULD START UP AGAIN BUT ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (USUALLY MINUTES). CHEVROLET MORAN 586-791-1010 SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CIRCUIT BOARD. *NLM
MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL CUT OFF BY IT SELF. THIS HAS LEFT ME TRYING TO FIND AN EXIT ON THE FREEWAY IN HEAVY RAIN WHEN I CANNOT SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. AT TIMES THEY WILL NOT COME ON AND I MUST LIFT THE HOOD AND MOVE WIRES AROUND. GM HAS. *AK RECALLED UP TO 1997 BUT NOT 1998. MY LOCAL DEALER TELLS ME THERE HAVE BEEN MAN…
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MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL CUT OFF BY IT SELF. THIS HAS LEFT ME TRYING TO FIND AN EXIT ON THE FREEWAY IN HEAVY RAIN WHEN I CANNOT SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. AT TIMES THEY WILL NOT COME ON AND I MUST LIFT THE HOOD AND MOVE WIRES AROUND. GM HAS. *AK RECALLED UP TO 1997 BUT NOT 1998. MY LOCAL DEALER TELLS ME THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 1998. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.
VEHICLE SHUT DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH,HAD TO DRIFT TO SIDE OF ROAD, PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING SECURITY LIGHT, WOULD NOT RESTART.HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHO CHECKED IT OUT NEXT MORNING. STARTED RIGHT UP AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG.*AK HAD HAPPENED BEFORE BUT OCCURED IN PARKING LOT AND STARTED BACK …
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VEHICLE SHUT DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH,HAD TO DRIFT TO SIDE OF ROAD, PANEL LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING SECURITY LIGHT, WOULD NOT RESTART.HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHO CHECKED IT OUT NEXT MORNING. STARTED RIGHT UP AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG.*AK HAD HAPPENED BEFORE BUT OCCURED IN PARKING LOT AND STARTED BACK UP. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN IT OCCURS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. NO ENGINE, LOSS OF POWER STEERING ETC. HAVE SEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET AND HAVE HEARD OF OTHERS. NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE AN ANSWER, INCLUDING DEALER. WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THIS BUT ARE NOT AROUND TO TELL WHAT HAPPENED. ALL I WANT IS TO HAVE IT FIXED.
Official recalls
300V220000 · Exterior Lighting
Aug 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BUILT WITH A CANDELA VALUE GREATER THAN 3,000 CANNOT BE MOUNTED HIGHER THAN 864MM ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED WIRING HARNESS THAT CHANGES THE DRL'S FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM DRL'S, AND INSTALL NEW LONG-LIFE LOW BEAM BULBS.
98V053000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
Mar 9, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE OR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE. ONE OR BOTH OF THE ATTACHING NUTS FOR THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM ARE UNDER TORQUED. THIS CAN ALLOW THE ATTACHMENT BOLT TO LOOSEN AND SUBSEQUENT BREAK RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RETIGHTEN THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM NUTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION.
97V218000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Nov 24, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE PIPE CAN OCCUR CAUSING A SLOW BRAKE FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. IF THE BRAKE PIPE BREAKS, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1RQ02012 · Front Control Arm Ball Joints
Opened Sep 10, 2002 · Closed Mar 7, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension; Suspension:front; Suspension:front:control Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint; Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Additional source detail variants (7)
Suspension:front:control Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.