IllustrationWHEN MAKING A SLIGHT TURN TO THE RIGHT, STEERING WHEEL JERKS 3 TO 4 INCHES, WHICH COULD TURN THE TRUCK OVER. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK. *AK
1998 Chevrolet Z71
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Z71 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
Limited mileage data: 6 of 45 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Steering. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
45 reportsWHILE DRIVING TRUCK CUTS OFF COMPLETELY. SOMETIMES TRUCK WILL RESTART AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. TRUCK HAS BEEN SERVICED 8 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE JULY OF 98. DEALER HAS TRIED MANY DIFFFERENT THINGS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. BUT, PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK CONTINUES. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING 60MPH, WENT AROUND A CURVE AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. CONTACTED DEALER. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE TIRE WAS RUBBING AGAINST FRAME WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM. DEALER WELDED BLOCKS ONTO THE FRAME, BUT NOW THE VEHICLE DOES NOT TURN CORRECTLY, AND PULLS TO ONE SIDE. MANUFACTURER DENIES T…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING 60MPH, WENT AROUND A CURVE AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. CONTACTED DEALER. THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE TIRE WAS RUBBING AGAINST FRAME WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM. DEALER WELDED BLOCKS ONTO THE FRAME, BUT NOW THE VEHICLE DOES NOT TURN CORRECTLY, AND PULLS TO ONE SIDE. MANUFACTURER DENIES THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *AK *ML
AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. *AK
EXHUAST PIPE IN THE REAR IS VERY SHARP, CONSUMER SUFFERED SEVERE CUTS TO THE KNEE AREA WHILE UNLOADING VEHICLE. ONE CUT HAD TO HVE 16 STICHES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
IN LOW SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP AND WILL NOT TURN INTERMITTENTLY. DRIVER MUST PUT IT IN NEUTRAL, AND MOVE STEERING WHEEL WITH A LITTLE GAS BEFORE IT WILL UNLOCK. DEALER CAN NOT FIX DEFECT. *AK *ML
WITH A 40 MPH IMPACT HIT A VEHICLE WITH FRONT END ,DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES. DRIVER WAS NOT WEARING SEATBELT, AND THERE WAS NO INDICTATION OR WARNING OF DEFECT. *AK
1997 CHEVROLET Z71, WHILE MAKING A TURN AROUND A CORNER, STEERING WHEEL JERKS IN THE POSITION THAT THE CAR IS GOING, IF IT WAS SHARP ENOUGH IT COULD CAUSE A COLLISION. *AK
THE TIRES ON THIS HEAVY DUTY 4 WHEEL-DRIVE TRUCK ARE LIGHT WEIGHT TIRES. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE A BRANCH PUNCTURED THE TIRE DUE TO THE THIN SIDEWALL. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING UNDER RUGGED CONDITIONS THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE ROLLED OFF OF THE RIM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED IN ANY WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, VEHICLE DOES STOP UNLESS CONSUMER APPLIES THE EMERGENCY BRAKES, AND THENVEHICLE STILL SOMETIMES SLIDES. *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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.