IllustrationVEHICLE TRANSMISSION LET LOOSE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT DIDN`T COME ON. THIS HAPPENED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A RESTURAUNT INTO TRAFFIC. *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 reportsTHROTTLE STUCK HALF OPEN WHILE GETTING ON FREEWAY. FOUND A PIECE OF THE THROTTLE BODY BUTTERFLY HAD BROKEN AND FALLEN IN THE WAY SO THAT THE BUTTERFLY COULD NOT CLOSE. LOOKS LIKE A DESIGN DEFECT.*AK
CONSUMER STATES WHILE USING WINDSHIELD DRIVER HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING IN THE RAIN. *AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS. YESTERDAY, 7/1/2003, THE WIPERS DID NOT OPERATE AT ALL*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPIER DO NOT COME ON SOMETIMES AND AT OTHERS WILL NOT TURN OFF, ALSO WILL GO FROM ITERMITTENT TO FULL SPEED WITHOUT BEING SELECTED. FRONT SEAT RECLINER HANDLES BOTH HAVE BROKEN OFF, LEFT SIDE TWICE.*AK
MY ABS LIGHT GOES ON FREQUENTLY. I HAVE BEEN IN A COUPLE OF ALMOST COLLISIONS. IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC, THE SENSOR GOES ON AND FREEZES MY BRAKES. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP AND TO REPAIR CENTERS AND ALL COMPANIES SAY THEY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE SOLUTION EACH TIME WAS JUST TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, HOWEVER, EVEN DRIVING O…
Read full complaint
MY ABS LIGHT GOES ON FREQUENTLY. I HAVE BEEN IN A COUPLE OF ALMOST COLLISIONS. IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC, THE SENSOR GOES ON AND FREEZES MY BRAKES. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP AND TO REPAIR CENTERS AND ALL COMPANIES SAY THEY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE SOLUTION EACH TIME WAS JUST TO REPLACE THE SENSOR, HOWEVER, EVEN DRIVING OUT OF DEALERSHIP THE ABS LIGHT WENT ON. I HAVE READ IN THE PAST SIMILAR INSTANCES WITH ABS PROBLEMS, IS THERE EVER GOING TO BE A RECALL, OR IS IT GOING TO TAKE A SERIOUS LAWSUIT/ACCIDENT BEFORE THE PROBLEM GETS FIXED? I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT HANDLE BREAKING, AND IT IS STILL BROKEN. *JB
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
THE REAR SEAT BELT WAS INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO FASTEN THE SEAT BELT, AS A RESULT OF THE BUCKLE BEING INOPERATIVE. THE SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE DID NOT GO INTO THE BUCKLE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PART. (PART UNKNOWN). *TS *JB
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.