IllustrationCONSUMER STATED THAT FOR SIX MONTHS WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING LEFT TURNS STEERING BECAME LOOSE. *AK
1998 GMC Yukon
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 GMC Yukon do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 103.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Yukon 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
225–50K
250–75K
1675–100K
7100–150K
7150K+
36 reports with mileage · 44 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 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
80 reportsCOMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH OUT NOTICE. PURCHASED EXTENED SERVICE PLAN, 2,700 PAST WARRENTY AND WILL NOT HONOR. ONLY 98000 MILES. YUKON WAS NEVER USED OFF ROAD OR TO HAUL ANYTHING HEAVY.*AK
VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL NHTSA 97V142000. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY EXTENDED-CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 4-DOOR UTILITY TRUCKS. THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT TO STEERING GEAR PINCH BOLT IS "FINGER LOOSE" OR MISSING ALLOWING THE BOLT TO LOOSEN AND FALL OUT. THE STEERING SHAFT YOKE CAN WEAR, CAUSING A…
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VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL NHTSA 97V142000. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY EXTENDED-CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 4-DOOR UTILITY TRUCKS. THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT TO STEERING GEAR PINCH BOLT IS "FINGER LOOSE" OR MISSING ALLOWING THE BOLT TO LOOSEN AND FALL OUT. THE STEERING SHAFT YOKE CAN WEAR, CAUSING AN OFF CENTER STEERING WHEEL.*AK
A BAD ODOR WAS COMING INTO THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS WHICH CAUSED THE OCCUPANTS TO FEEL ILL. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR MATS WERE WET AND COVERED BY CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS AND THE MECHANIC FOUND GREEN MOLD LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE FLOOR MATS. WATER WAS LEAKING INSIDE OF T…
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A BAD ODOR WAS COMING INTO THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS WHICH CAUSED THE OCCUPANTS TO FEEL ILL. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR MATS WERE WET AND COVERED BY CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS AND THE MECHANIC FOUND GREEN MOLD LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE FLOOR MATS. WATER WAS LEAKING INSIDE OF THE WHEELS WELL AND DRAINED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *NLM
THE TRUNK AREA HAS A LEAK INSIDE WHICH CAUSES A BAD SMELL AND GROWTH OF MOLD. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING DUE TO THE WIRES DISCONNECTING, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL.*AK
NAR 05/28/2003 *MR THE CONSUMER BRAKES LOCKED IN A MAJOR TRAFFIC JAM DUE TO SENSOR FAILURE AND THE COST OF REPAIRS WERE APPROX $455.00. *CB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1998 YUKON NEVER SEEM TO WANT TO WORK WHEN IT RAINS. OTHER TIMES THEY SEEM TO BE OK ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME, BUT THE FAILURE IN THE RAIN IS ABOUT 75%. *JB
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY 1998 GMC YUKON WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE TOWING A 23 FT. BOAT! I KNOW GM HAS RECALLED MANY VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY DID NOT INCLUDE 1998 MODELS! PLEASE MAKE THEM FIX THE WHOLE PROBLEM BEFORE A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE! I ALMOST TOOK OUT THREE VEHICLES …
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ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY 1998 GMC YUKON WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE FIRST TIME I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE TOWING A 23 FT. BOAT! I KNOW GM HAS RECALLED MANY VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY DID NOT INCLUDE 1998 MODELS! PLEASE MAKE THEM FIX THE WHOLE PROBLEM BEFORE A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE! I ALMOST TOOK OUT THREE VEHICLES BEFORE I COULD GET OVER ON THE SHOULDER! I'VE FIXED MY YUKON ALREADY BECAUSE IT WAS TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BUT GM IS STILL DROPPING THE BALL! *JB
Official recalls
298V033000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Feb 17, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OR BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTOR/HUBS WERE BUILT WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION GRAY IRON THAT CAN FAIL DURING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A DRIVER CONTINUES TO DRIVE WITH A CRACKED ROTOR, THE CRACKS COULD CONTINUE AROUND THE WHEEL MOUNTING BOLT CIRCLE AND ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A WHEEL SEPARATION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROTORS FOR A CORE DATE OF "287" AND, IF FOUND, REPLACE THE ROTOR.
97V142000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Aug 29, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY EXTENDED-CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 4-DOOR UTILITY TRUCKS. THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT TO STEERING GEAR PINCH BOLT IS "FINGER LOOSE" OR MISSING ALLOWING THE BOLT TO LOOSEN AND FALL OUT. THE STEERING SHAFT YOKE CAN WEAR CAUSING AN OFF CENTER STEERING WHEEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE CHASSIS AND CAB CAN CAUSE THE STEERING SHAFT TO SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS ARE ARRANGING TO HAVE THE VEHICLES INVOLVED TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION IS BEING ARRANGED FOR OWNERS. DEALERS WILL THEN INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR THE PRESENCE OF A PINCH BOLT AND TORQUE THIS BOLT TO PROPER SPECIFICATIONS.
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
3EA01018 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Dec 20, 2001 · Closed Dec 9, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
No summary supplied.
PE01023 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation
Opened Jul 17, 2001 · Closed Dec 20, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE (1) COMPLAINT ALLEGING THAT THE 2ND ROW PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE ANCHOR DETACHED FROM SEAT FRAME DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH.DURING THE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN FROM HIS SEAT, PARTIALLY EJECTED THROUGH THE REAR QUARTER WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE.OCCUPANT SUSTAINED INJURY.GM HAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED SEAT BELT ANCHORING DESIGN IN MY 2000. ODI HAS COMPLETED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND HAS DETERMINED THAT FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.
EA99011 · Erratic Power Steering Assist While Driv
Opened May 12, 1999 · Closed Feb 27, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST FLUCTUATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FOR DETAILS AND A BASIS FOR THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS, PLEASE SEE THE CLOSING REPORT IN THE EA99-011 PUBLIC FILE.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.FUTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS SUBJECT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.THE ENGINEERING IS CLOSED.