1998 Chevrolet Silverado recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• Oct 12, 2008 · crashAir bags
  VEHICLE LEFT ROADWAY AND WENT INTO A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY RESULTING IN THE DRIVERS DEATH. *JS
• Apr 1, 2013 · 130,000 milesVehicle speed control
  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. ONE YEAR AGO WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD, BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND RESPOND AS IF IT WERE A STANDARD VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY; HOWEVER, MORE RECENTLY IT BEGAN TO OCCUR EVERY TIME HE DROVE THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND WAS WITHIN ONE INCH OF A CRASH FORCING THE CONTACT TO APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION/CCC SOLENOID DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHILE RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE ILLUMINATED. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER; HOWEVER, THEY DID…
• Oct 12, 2013Service brakes
  I ALMOST HIT A PERSON CROSSING THE STREET, I WAS COMING TO A SLOW STOP, THE BRAKES STARTED MAKING A BOING BOING NOISE, EVERYTIME IT MADE THE NOISE THE BRAKES STOPPING POWER WENT AWAY THE PERSON CROSSING THE STREET REALISED THE TRUCK WAS HAVING PROBLEMS... I"VE HAD 3 OF THIS MODEL TRUCK MY FIRST WAS A 97 TAHOE BAD BREAKS I ACTUALLY GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH THAT TRUCK REAR ENDED HONDA CIVIC, MY OTHER ONE WAS A 94 SILVERADO I HAD TO BRAKE HARD ONCE THE BREAKS GAVE WAY N THE PEDAL WAS SOFT AFTER THAT. MY NEW ONE, THE ONE I'M ACTUALLY COMPLANING ABOUT IS A 98 SILVERADO 3500 WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES THIS IS A POOR DESIGN BY GM MOTORS THIS HAS TO BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED. I DO KNOW SOMEONE WHO…
• Apr 13, 2013 · 185,000 milesSeats
  GOT IN LEANED BACK AND ENDED UP LAYING INTO THE BACK SEAT AREA. NOW SEAT-BACK WON'T LATCH IN ANY POSITION. *TR
• Oct 26, 2012 · 158,000 milesStructure › Body
  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES THE MECHANIC NOTICED CORROSION AND CRACKS ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.
• Jul 10, 2012 · 144,000 milesTires
  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH COOPER DISCOVERER H/T TIRES, TIRE SIZE 235/75/15. THE DOT NUMBER WAS 3DHLC5U0607. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY ACROSS THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD WAS COMPLETELY SEPARATED AND THE STEEL WAS VISIBLE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO FOUR DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT MECHANICS. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE…
• Jul 11, 2012 · 179,420 milesSteering
  RETURNING FROM DELIVERIES, BACKING INTO DRIVE TO RELOAD, STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED. NO STEERING AT ALL. YOU CAN SPIN THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION WITH NO RESPONSE. *TR
• May 10, 2012 · 127,000 milesElectrical system
  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE FAILURE FOUND WAS RELATED TO THE SECURITY SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• EA05007 · opened Apr 14, 2005 · closed Apr 11, 2006 · led to recall 06V066000TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES
  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 · opened Sep 28, 2004 · closed Apr 14, 2005TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE
  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…