Model year record
1998 Chevrolet Z71 recalls & problems
The 1998 Chevrolet Z71 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 45 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is steering (10 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 1998 Chevrolet Z71.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| SteeringHydraulic power assist system; Linkages › Tie rod assembly | 10 | 60,000 mi |
| Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Foundation components › Disc › Rotor | 9 | — |
| VisibilityWindshield wiper/washer › Motor; Windshield wiper/washer | 9 | 78,500 mi |
| TiresSidewall; Tread/belt | 5 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingExhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe; Engine › Gasoline | 4 | — |
| Air bagsFrontal | 3 | — |
| Electrical systemWiring | 2 | — |
| Power trainAxle assembly; Automatic transmission | 2 | — |
| Service brakes, airAntilock | 2 | — |
| Unknown or other | 1 | — |
| Latches/locks/linkagesDoors › Latch | 1 | — |
| StructureFrame and members | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Engine and engine cooling
STARTED OVER HEATING REALLY BAD NO COOLANT LEAK,NO WATER IN OIL, VERY SMALL LOSE OF WATER. SEVERAL DIFFERENT NOISES NOT NORMAL. BEFORE I KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING MY TRUCK MADE A LOUD BANG AND TRUCK DIED HARD. WOULDN'T RESTART. GOT IT HOME AND PULLED ENGINE OUT AND FOUND BIG HOLES ON BOTH SIDES OF OIL PAN WHERE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER PISTON SNAPPED AND [XXX] MY TRUCK UP. ALSO SEVERE DAMAGE FROM DEXCOOL IN COOLING SYSTEM. MADE REALLY BAD GUMMY BUILD UP IN COOLING SYSTEM. ALSO REALLY BAD CARBON BUILD UP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Steering
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. IT WAS NOT SPEED RELATED - IT HAPPENED FROM LOW TO HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY JERK TO ONE SIDE. NO INSTANCE LASTED LONGER THAN ONE SECOND. MY MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY EVO SENSOR. NO SENSORS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT, BUT GM HAS A "KIT" THAT ELIMINATES THE SENSOR. ELIMINATION OF THE SENSOR FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURES THAT I EXPERIENCED WERE EXTREMELY SHORT IN DURATION AND CAUSED NO HARM OTHER THAN A VERY ELEVATED HEART RATE! I FEAR THAT A GREATER FAILURE WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. *TR
- Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
I AM THE NEW OWNER OF A 1998 CHEVY K1500 Z71. MY GIRLFRIEND AND I WERE GOING TO A FOOTBALL GAME AND SHE TRIED TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. TWO DAYS LATER I WAS COMING HOME WHEN A RAIN STORM STARTED I TURNED ON THE WIPERS AND THEY DID NOT WORK. AFTER GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE AND PICKING UP THE WIPER BLADES THEY STARTED TO WORK. WHEN I GOT HOME I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND MY GIRLFRIEND GOT INTO THE TRUCK TO LEAVE AND TAKE DAUGHTER HOME AND THE WIPERS DID NOT WORK. PICKED UP WIPERS AND THEY WORKED ONCE AGAIN. MY GIRLFRIEND SAID WHILE SHE WAS OUT WIPERS KEPT GOING OFF AND ON EVEN WITH THE CONTROL TURNED TO ON. AT ONE POINT SHE HAD TO PULL OVER IN HEAVY RAIN…
- Tires › Tread/belt
THE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK BEGAN SHAKING AT 50 MPH. TIRES WERE CHECKED BY THE DEALER AND NOTHING WRONG WAS FOUND. TIRE PRESSURE WAS 32 PSI. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED AT 67 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE CAUSING ME TO SWERVE ACROSS TWO LANES. THE TIRE TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF OF THE TIRE CAUSING 2500.00 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND I WAS TOLD THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TIRE BEING CUT, AND NO DAMAGES WOULD BE PAID. THE TIRE WAS SENT BACK TO ME AND I RECONSTRUCTED THE TIRE AND COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF A CUT. THE DOT # OF THE TIRE IS DOT V4LT M132702. *JB
- Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
WHILE DRIVING ON A HEAVY RAINING DAY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE AND RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INDICATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO VIN. *AK
- Service brakes, air › Antilock
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY BRAKES WERE SLOW TO STOP VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING AROUND TOWN BRAKES WORKED FINE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATED POORLY, POWER STEERING WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
- Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR IS NOT WORKING . DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TAIL LIGHT BULB PLATES WHICH WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES AT $58.00 DOLLARS EACH. *PH *JB
- Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK OR QUIT DURING RAIN STORMS. HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE GETTING THEM TO WORK. *PH
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.