IllustrationFRONT BRAKES HEATED UP, MELTED WHEEL WEIGHTS OFF AND BURNED ABS WIRES. TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. WAS THERE A RECALL ON BRAKES ON THIS TRUCK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND IS THERE ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THANKS
1998 GMC Sierra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sierra years
Owner complaints for the 1998 GMC Sierra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra 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
20–25K
725–50K
1850–75K
1175–100K
10100–150K
2150K+
50 reports with mileage · 140 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 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 15 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 reports8 fire reports8 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
56 reportsWHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IT FEELS AS IF THERE IS PULSATION FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. DEALER SAYS THERE ARE HEAT CRACKS IN ROTORS AND NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR 3RD OR 4TH TIME. *AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IT DRIVES VERY ROUGH, MEANING THE VEHILCE VIBRATES AND SHAKES CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS/PADS AND SHOES, REAR AXLE, AND HUBS. BUT VEHICLE STILL SHAKES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO MAKE SUDDEN STOPS THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE TRUCK WON'T STOP. *AK
ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ABS SYSTEM. REAR WHEELS PERMATURELY LOCK UP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED, BUT UNABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA TIN THIS MATTER. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON THE BRAKES DON'T WORK, DEALER SAYS VEHICLE IS NOT COVER UNDER CURRENT BRAKE RECALL DUE TO VIN. NLM
ON REPEATED TIMES BRAKING AT LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS WITH AN ROUGH ROAD SURFACE THE REAR TIRES WILL SKIP, THE ABS SYSTEM WILL BUZZ, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO DOWN BELOW THE PRESSURE I AM APPLYING AND IT FEELS LIKE THE TRUCK WILL NOT STOP. ONCE THE TRUCK HAS STOPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ON THE FLOOR. WHEN RELEASED IT SLOWLY COMES BACK …
Read full complaint
ON REPEATED TIMES BRAKING AT LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS WITH AN ROUGH ROAD SURFACE THE REAR TIRES WILL SKIP, THE ABS SYSTEM WILL BUZZ, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO DOWN BELOW THE PRESSURE I AM APPLYING AND IT FEELS LIKE THE TRUCK WILL NOT STOP. ONCE THE TRUCK HAS STOPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ON THE FLOOR. WHEN RELEASED IT SLOWLY COMES BACK UP. WHEN ACCELERATING AWAY FROM THIS STOP, IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES ARE STILL APPLIED. I HAVE LEARNED AFTER MANY TIMES OF THIS HAPPENING I HAVE TO STOP THE TRUCK, BACK UP A BIT AND I CAN FEEL THEM RELEASE. I CAN DRIVE NORMALLY THEN. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, IT IS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND I HAVE REACHED MY DESTINATION I CAN SMELL THE BRAKES IN THE FRONT AS IF THEY HAVE BEEN APPLIED WHILE DRIVING. THE ROTORS ARE NOW BLUE AND THE PADS ARE NOW WORN DOWN TO LESS THAN 30% OF FACTORY THICKNESS. THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS HAS SAID THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS MY DRIVING HABITS ON THE BRAKE WEAR AND IS COMMON FOR THIS MODEL TO WEAR BRAKES LIKE THIS AT THIS MILEAGE. I ALSO CAN NOT STOP THIS VEHICLE ON A PANIC STOP SITUATION. LAST MONTH I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN A PANIC AT 2-3 MPH. I HIT THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE NOSED DOWN, THE ABS BUZZED AND THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO ROLL INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ON THE FLOOR WITH NO FURTHER TRAVEL LEFT. I WAS STANDING ON THE PEDAL PULLING UP ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. THE NEXT MORNING I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SELLING DEALER DURANT AUTOPLEX. I COULD DEMONSTRATE THIS CONDITION AS COULD THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE SAID THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE. HE EVEN SAID HIS DEMO WAS WORSE THAN MINE. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HIM AND GMC. I HAD MY TRUCK FIXED AND RON BAYERS THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE HAD THE ABS SYSTEM CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECKED AND FOUND NO FAULT WITH ANY COMPONENT IN THE ABS SYSTEM. HE SAID THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS WITH SIMILAR VEHICLE THAT CAN NOT STOP THEM UNDER A PANIC STOP EVEN AT HWY SPEEDS. WHAT DO I DO? PLEASE ADVISE. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT THE REAR BRAKES LOCKS UP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
WHILE DRIVING UNDER WET CONDITIONS ONLY, WHEN APPLYING THE BACK BRAKES, THEY REACT AS IF THEY ARE GOING TO LOCK UP. BUT THE ANTI-LOCK SYTEM REACTS, AND PREVENTS LOCKAGE. ALSO, CAUSES THE BACK BRAKES TO GO OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES *AK *ML
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.