IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. DEALERSHIP REPLACED WIPER MODULE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *AK *TT
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 reportsCONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE, AND CONSUMER TOLD MECHANIC TO CHECK VEHICLE FOR ANY OTHERS PROBLEMS. MECHANIC FOUND OUT THAT FRONT SUSPENSION WAS WEARING OUT AND NEEDED IT TO BE REPLACED, WHICH THEY DID. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A STOP, PEDAL IS HARD AND WILL NOT GO DOWN. IF I KEEP MY FOOT ON PEDAL EVENTUALLY IT STOPS BUT IT REQUIRES LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. WHILE DRIVING MAKES HUMMING, MOANING NOISE UNTIL ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND PROBLEM STOPS. BRAKING BECOMES EASIER. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT RIGHT FRONT HUB BEARI…
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WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A STOP, PEDAL IS HARD AND WILL NOT GO DOWN. IF I KEEP MY FOOT ON PEDAL EVENTUALLY IT STOPS BUT IT REQUIRES LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE. WHILE DRIVING MAKES HUMMING, MOANING NOISE UNTIL ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND PROBLEM STOPS. BRAKING BECOMES EASIER. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT RIGHT FRONT HUB BEARING IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WAS TOLD THIS MAY CLEAR UP ABS/BRAKING SITUATION. FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. SHOWS HALF TANK WHEN NEAR EMPTY. AS FUEL LEVEL GOES DOWN, GAUGE GOES UP.FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK
WHILE AT STOP LIGHT HE HEARD BRAKES OF VEHICLE BEHIND HIM. A PERSON APPROACHED CONSUMER, AND TOLD HIM THAT BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER CONTACTED A DEALER, WHO DETERMINED A FAULTY MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE OF REAR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT BEING OPERATIONAL. *AK
BRAKE LINE IS RUBBING UP AGAINST WHEEL COLUMN, RESULTING IN FORMATION OF A HOLE IN BRAKE LINE. THIS HAS CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOSE BRAKE PRESSURE DURING NORMALOPERATION. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK
BATTERY FAILED FIVE TIMES, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER AND GM ARE UNWILLING TO HELP RESOLVE WHATEVER IS CAUSING THE EXCESSIVE BATTERY FAILURES YET THEY ACKNOWLEGDE THAT THE NUMBER OF BATTERY FAILURES IS ABNORMAL. *YH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING THROUGH HAZARD BUTTON OPENING. PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND SHUT OFF IGNITION- SMOKING STOPPED. I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH THAT WAS SMOKING. REPORTED TO GM VIA PHONE (1-800-222-1020) AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDNT/WOULDNT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. STEERING COLUMN COULD HAVE EASILY…
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STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING THROUGH HAZARD BUTTON OPENING. PULLED INTO DRIVEWAY AND SHUT OFF IGNITION- SMOKING STOPPED. I DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH THAT WAS SMOKING. REPORTED TO GM VIA PHONE (1-800-222-1020) AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDNT/WOULDNT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. STEERING COLUMN COULD HAVE EASILY CAUGHT FIRE IF I HADNT STOPPED RIGHT AWAY.*AK
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.