Illustration1998 BLAZER WINDSHIELD WIPERS SPORATICALLY WORKING, STOPPING, NOT STOPPING, NO CONTROL OVER SPEED. VERY HAZARDOUS WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WIPERS STOP IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION AND WILL NOT COME BACK ON.*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 reportsRIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT COLLAPSED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/TIRE DAMAGE, AND NEAR COLLISION.*AK
HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURES SIMILAR TO OTHERS LISTED. WHEN TURNING WIPERS ON IN ANY DELAY SETTING OR CONTINUOUS SLOW, THE WIPERS WOULD QUIT AT RANDOM TIMES. SOMETIMES MOVING SWITCH TO CONTINUOUS HIGH WOULD GET WIPERS TO WORK AGAIN. SOMETIMES NOT. ALSO WIPERS, WHEN TURNED OFF WOULD GO TO BOTTOM OF SWIPE…
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HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURES SIMILAR TO OTHERS LISTED. WHEN TURNING WIPERS ON IN ANY DELAY SETTING OR CONTINUOUS SLOW, THE WIPERS WOULD QUIT AT RANDOM TIMES. SOMETIMES MOVING SWITCH TO CONTINUOUS HIGH WOULD GET WIPERS TO WORK AGAIN. SOMETIMES NOT. ALSO WIPERS, WHEN TURNED OFF WOULD GO TO BOTTOM OF SWIPE AND COME BACK UP 1 INCH. I HAVE SINCE TAKEN OUT THE RELAY CIRCUIT BOARD AND RESOLDERED CONNECTORS TO THE WIRING HARNESS AND FIXED A PARTIALLY BURNED OUT CIRCUIT. WIPERS WORK FINE AFTER.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE DURING RAINY WEATHER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER - TRANSMISSION FAILS TO LOCK UP BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR ON THE HIGHWAY - WEB RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS SO COMMON AFTER MARKET PRODCUTS HAVE BEEN CREATED TO ADDRESS IT... GMC SHOULD FIX FOR FREE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
THE HANDLE CONTROLLING THE RECLINE FUNCTION ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS HAS BROKEN. THE DRIVER SIDE WAS REPLACED ONCE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, BOTH SEATS ARE NOW IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. AROUND APRIL, 2003, THE HOOD LATCH BROKE AND IT TAKES FOREVER TO MANEUVER TO GET THE HOOD UP TO CHECK THE OIL. *NLM
VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE AN AIR BAG ON AND OFF SWITCH. *MR *CB *JB
CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN IN OPERATION. THE PROBLEM CAUSED REDUCED VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. *PH
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THEY WILL JUST STOP WORKING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, AND OTHER TIMES WILL WORK PROPERLY. 1995 THROUGH 1997 BLAZERS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE 1998 WAS NOT INCLUDED (SEE NHSTA CAMPAIGN ID# 98V150001, RECALL DATE JULY 1, 1998). CHEVROLET TOLD ME TO GET IT FIXED AND IF…
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THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THEY WILL JUST STOP WORKING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, AND OTHER TIMES WILL WORK PROPERLY. 1995 THROUGH 1997 BLAZERS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE 1998 WAS NOT INCLUDED (SEE NHSTA CAMPAIGN ID# 98V150001, RECALL DATE JULY 1, 1998). CHEVROLET TOLD ME TO GET IT FIXED AND IF IT BECOMES A RECALL ITEM, I WILL BE REIMBURSED. *PH
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.