IllustrationTHE CABLE TO THE SPARE TIRE HAD SNAPPED, AND THE SPARE TIRE WAS MISSING. DEALER REPLACED THE CABLE. *AK
1998 Chevrolet Silverado
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Silverado years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado are substantially higher than the model-year median of 76.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 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
60–25K
1225–50K
2550–75K
1975–100K
18100–150K
7150K+
87 reports with mileage · 192 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
279 reportsOWNER HAD PARKED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY. HAD PUSHED EMERGENCY PEDAL DOWN & IT FAIL TO ENGAGE. NOTICED VEHICLE HAD NO EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED BACKWARDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & INFORMED REAR SEALS HAD LEAKED ON REAR BRAKES. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN DUE TO LACK OF REAR BRAKES. HAD TO HAVE FRONT BRAKES & REA…
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OWNER HAD PARKED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY. HAD PUSHED EMERGENCY PEDAL DOWN & IT FAIL TO ENGAGE. NOTICED VEHICLE HAD NO EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE. THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED BACKWARDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & INFORMED REAR SEALS HAD LEAKED ON REAR BRAKES. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN DUE TO LACK OF REAR BRAKES. HAD TO HAVE FRONT BRAKES & REAR SEALS REPLACED.
NO SUMMARY
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL WANDER/DRIFT , WILL NOT STAY IN ALIGNMENT, CAUSING TIRE TO WEAR UNEVENLY AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK
BRAKES-MASTER CYLINDER.
THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JERK. IT FEELS LIKE STEERING WENT OUT. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT AN EVERY DAY OCCURRENCE. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC THEY COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF JERKING. *AK *YC
FUEL PUMP FAILED AT 21000 MILES. RIGHT REAR SIDE WINDOW HAS MAJOR WIND NOISE. DEALER HAS REPLACED LATCH, BUT WIND NOISE STILL EXISTS AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
WINDSHIELD IS DELAMINATING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER DETAILS. *AK
ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING, THIS CONDITION HAPPENS BETWEEN 30-70 MPH. SOMTIMES VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND A TOTAL 45 DAYS, AND DEALER IS STILL UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS IN THIS MATTER. *AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS NO ACTION UNTIL A LONG BRAKE PEDAL STROKE FINALLY ENGAGES THE BRAKES. THIS RESULTS IN EXTRA DELAY TIME BEFORE BRAKES ARE ACTUALLY APPLIED. THE DEALER LOOKED AT THE BRAKES AND ADJUSTED THE REAR BRAKES. THIS DID NOT IMPROVE THE BRAKE PEDAL SQUASHY NO ACTION, DELAY TO APPLICATION OF BRAKES. THE DEALER…
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WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS NO ACTION UNTIL A LONG BRAKE PEDAL STROKE FINALLY ENGAGES THE BRAKES. THIS RESULTS IN EXTRA DELAY TIME BEFORE BRAKES ARE ACTUALLY APPLIED. THE DEALER LOOKED AT THE BRAKES AND ADJUSTED THE REAR BRAKES. THIS DID NOT IMPROVE THE BRAKE PEDAL SQUASHY NO ACTION, DELAY TO APPLICATION OF BRAKES. THE DEALER'S SHOP REPAIR SUPERVISOR/ MANAGER DROVE THE VEHICLE AND DEMONSTRATED THAT THE VEHICLE STOPPED FINE. HOWEVER, HE HAD PERFORMED THIS TEST WITH HIS FOOT ALREADY ON AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE ACTUALLY ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THIS APPROACH OF COURSE REMOVED THE DELAY TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT HARDLY A NORMAL WAY TO DRIVE. I HAVE SEEN THIS REPORTED IN A NUMBER OF AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINES AS A PROBLEM AS WELL AS EXPERIENCING IT WITH OTHER CHEVROLET PICKUPS 1995 THRU 1999 MODELS. IT SEEMS THAT A REPROGRAMMING OF THE ABS MODULE OR SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. AS A FINAL POINT , MY 1998 CHREVOLET MALIBU ABS BRAKE ACTION IS INSTANTANEOUS, AS SOON AS YOU TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL! IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S A SMALLER VEHICLE AND NOT A TRUCK AS THE DEALER TRIED TO IMPLY(BALONEY!) *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
2EA05007 · Tailgate Support Cables
Opened Apr 14, 2005 · Closed Apr 11, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch; Structure:body:tailgate ; Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments
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 SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch
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 SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.
Structure:body:tailgate
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 SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.
Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments
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 SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.
RQ04010 · Tailgate Support Cable Breakage
Opened Sep 28, 2004 · Closed Apr 14, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch; Structure:body:tailgate ; Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments
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 THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch
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 THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.
Structure:body:tailgate
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 THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.
Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments
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 THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.