IllustrationFAME ROT ALMOST COMPLETELY BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES IN REAR BY LEAF SPRING MOUNTS
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
Steering complaints
15 reportsGMC 1998 SIERRA P/U- STEERING SUDDENLY BECOMES LOOSE AND STEERING WHEEL JERKS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DECELERATING AND TURNING RIGHT. PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS ALTHOUGH NOT A DRASTIC. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, HOWEVER NO SOLUTIONS FROM GMC OR DEALERSHIP. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING WHEN THE …
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GMC 1998 SIERRA P/U- STEERING SUDDENLY BECOMES LOOSE AND STEERING WHEEL JERKS TO THE RIGHT WHILE DECELERATING AND TURNING RIGHT. PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS ALTHOUGH NOT A DRASTIC. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, HOWEVER NO SOLUTIONS FROM GMC OR DEALERSHIP. I HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING WHEN THE STEERING SUDDENLY JERKS TO THE RIGHT. GM DEALER HAS NO CLUE AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *JB
COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL."MY PICKUP HAS OCCASIONAL RESISTANCE WHEN MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS CATCHING AND THEN LETTING GO. THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS A LITTLE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT'S MORE ANNOYING THAT ANYTHING. THE TRUCK HAS 130,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT WITH 44,000 MILES. THE TRU…
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COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL."MY PICKUP HAS OCCASIONAL RESISTANCE WHEN MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS CATCHING AND THEN LETTING GO. THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS A LITTLE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT'S MORE ANNOYING THAT ANYTHING. THE TRUCK HAS 130,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT WITH 44,000 MILES. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN INTO THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS WITHOUT THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. " *NM *TT
WHILE MAKING SLOW RIGHT HAND TURNS CONSUMER NOTICE SURGING IN THE STEERING WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *NM
WINDSHIELD WIPER PARTIAL FAILURE. WORKS SOMETIMES...SOMETIMES NOT. PERHAPS A SHORT IN THE SWITCH. STEERING PROBLEM IS HARD TO DISCRIBE. AT LOW ENGINE RPM'S, EXPECIALLY AT IDLE ITS AS IF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AT ALL. STEERING WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. THEN, AT ROAD SPEED, AT TIMES WHEN YOUTURN THE WHEEL TO ABOU…
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WINDSHIELD WIPER PARTIAL FAILURE. WORKS SOMETIMES...SOMETIMES NOT. PERHAPS A SHORT IN THE SWITCH. STEERING PROBLEM IS HARD TO DISCRIBE. AT LOW ENGINE RPM'S, EXPECIALLY AT IDLE ITS AS IF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AT ALL. STEERING WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. THEN, AT ROAD SPEED, AT TIMES WHEN YOUTURN THE WHEEL TO ABOUT THE TWO O'CLOCK POSITION THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SUDDENLY LOOSE ALL 'FEEL' AND WILL 'FALL' TO ABOUT THE FOUR O'CLOCK POSITION. THE STEERING IS STILL OPERATIONAL AS THE TRUCK WILL VEER IF YOU DON'T CATCH IT FIRST AND CORRECT. THE STEERING SYSTEM JUST LOOSES ALL FEEL AND THERE IS LITTLE OR NO EFFORT INVOLVED WITH TURNING THE WHEEL. WE'VE HAD ONE SHOP LOOK AT IT BUT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG.
DON'T HAVE MY VIN HANDY AT THE MOMENT B/C MY TRUCK IS IN THE SHOP HAVING $1400 OF TRANSMISSION WORK DONE ON IT. IT'S A 1998 GMC SIERRA 2WD, AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT 8/21/03. THE TRANNY HAD 84,000 MILES BEFORE COMLETE FAILURE. THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN BY AN EXCEPTIONALLY GENTLE DRIVER, NEVER USED FOR TOWING (EVEN THOUGH IT C…
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DON'T HAVE MY VIN HANDY AT THE MOMENT B/C MY TRUCK IS IN THE SHOP HAVING $1400 OF TRANSMISSION WORK DONE ON IT. IT'S A 1998 GMC SIERRA 2WD, AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT 8/21/03. THE TRANNY HAD 84,000 MILES BEFORE COMLETE FAILURE. THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN BY AN EXCEPTIONALLY GENTLE DRIVER, NEVER USED FOR TOWING (EVEN THOUGH IT CAME WITH A TOWING "PACKAGE") AND NEVER ABUSED IN ANY WAY. YESTERDAY, IT WOULDN'T REVERSE OR GO INTO 1ST GEAR. TWO WEEKS PRIOR IT BEGAN SHIFTING HARD, EMITTING A LOUD "CLANK" SOUND...WE KNEW THE END WAS NEAR!
INTERMITTENTLY AND MOMENTARY THE STEERING WOULD LOSE CONTROL AT MULTIPLE SPEED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACES THE EVO SENSOR TWICE AND THE PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
LOSS OF CONTROL / ERRRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN POWER STEERING WILL SUDDENLY KICK IN, CAUSING CONSUMER TO OVERSTEER. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
WHEN MAKING TURNS AT 2:00 ANGLE STEERING WILL JERK. DEALR HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*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.