IllustrationCONSUMER NOTICED GAS TANK WAS LEAKING AFTER SEEING GASOLINE ON DRIVEWAY. CONSUMER STATES" GAS TANK IS RUSTED AND DEVELOPED A HOLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
1998 Chevrolet Blazer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Blazer years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Blazer are substantially higher than the model-year median of 32.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Blazer 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
100–25K
4425–50K
9350–75K
6775–100K
41100–150K
14150K+
269 reports with mileage · 447 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.
- Visibility. Review the 256 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
46 crash reports15 fire reports31 injury reports
What owners actually said
716 reportsCONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER STATES THERE IS A CRACK IN THE MOTOR BOARD. *AK
SEAT HANDLES TO RECLINE FRONT SEATS BROKE OFF ON BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEATS. *JB
MY 98 BLAZER'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. THEY COME ON BY THEMSELVES, GO OFF WHEN THEY WANT TO. ON INTERMITTENT, THEY DO WHATEVER SPEED THEY FEEL LIKE DOING, AND CAN SHUT THEMSELVES OFF AT ANYTIME (IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY WERE JUST TURNED ON OR NOT). IT IS DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS YEAR…
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MY 98 BLAZER'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. THEY COME ON BY THEMSELVES, GO OFF WHEN THEY WANT TO. ON INTERMITTENT, THEY DO WHATEVER SPEED THEY FEEL LIKE DOING, AND CAN SHUT THEMSELVES OFF AT ANYTIME (IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY WERE JUST TURNED ON OR NOT). IT IS DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS YEAR (THERE'S BEEN ONE ON EVERY OTHER YEAR)! PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS SITUATION GM! *JB
STEERING PULLS SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT. UNSUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING AN ALIGNMENT TO PRECLUDE THE SITUATION. *NLM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK WHEN IT RAINS. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. *AK
NO HEAT AT 50,000 MILES --VEHICLE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED BY INDEPENDENT GARAGE 12-31-02. DEX-COOL RENEWED AT THIS TIME. COST $160.00. IN APRIL 2003 NO HEAT AGAIN. I DRAINED DEX-COOL AND USED SYSTEM CLEANER TWICE FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS EACH TIME WITH HEATER ON. I FILLED SYSTEM WITH REGULAR PRESTONE GLYCOL BASED ANTIFREEZE. …
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NO HEAT AT 50,000 MILES --VEHICLE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED BY INDEPENDENT GARAGE 12-31-02. DEX-COOL RENEWED AT THIS TIME. COST $160.00. IN APRIL 2003 NO HEAT AGAIN. I DRAINED DEX-COOL AND USED SYSTEM CLEANER TWICE FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS EACH TIME WITH HEATER ON. I FILLED SYSTEM WITH REGULAR PRESTONE GLYCOL BASED ANTIFREEZE. NO PROBLEMS TO DATE. THE ORIGINAL DEX-COOL WAS A MUDDY SLUDGE WHEN REPLACED AND THE SECOND CHARGE OF DEX-COOL WAS ALREADY CHANGING COLORS AND THICKENING AFTER ONLY 4 MONTHS WHEN IT TOO WAS REPLACED. DEX-COOL DOES NOT LIVE UP TO THE MANUFACTURERS CLAIMS OR THE DEALERS REPRESENTATIONS. I AM A FEDERALLY LICENSED AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN WORKING FOR A MAJOR AIRLINE FOR 14 YEARS AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE A DEPOSITION IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER. *NLM
SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ARE USING THE WIPERS THEY WILL JUST STOP. OR SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT COME ON WHEN NEEDED. YOU HAVE TO KEEP MESSING WITH THEM TO GET THEM TO WORK. WHEN THE WIPERS DO NOT WORK NEITHER DOES THE HEADLIGHTS.....*NLM
WHILE TRAVELING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER TO HAND RESTART WIPER. WITHOUT ANY INDICATION S WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP INTERMITTENTLY, A REAL PROBLEM AT HIGH SPEEDS DURING A STORM. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY CHEVROLET, HAS HAPPENED ON S-10 PICKUPS, THE SOLDER DEVELOPS CRACKS WHICH CAUSES THE FAILURES. PLEASE BE SURE TO SUE CHEVROLET FOR NOT DOING A RECALL. *JB
Official recalls
300V220000 · Exterior Lighting
Aug 11, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS BUILT WITH A CANDELA VALUE GREATER THAN 3,000 CANNOT BE MOUNTED HIGHER THAN 864MM ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED WIRING HARNESS THAT CHANGES THE DRL'S FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM DRL'S, AND INSTALL NEW LONG-LIFE LOW BEAM BULBS.
98V053000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
Mar 9, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 4-WHEEL DRIVE OR ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE. ONE OR BOTH OF THE ATTACHING NUTS FOR THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM ARE UNDER TORQUED. THIS CAN ALLOW THE ATTACHMENT BOLT TO LOOSEN AND SUBSEQUENT BREAK RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND RETIGHTEN THE RIGHT-HAND LOWER CONTROL ARM NUTS TO THE PROPER TORQUE SPECIFICATION.
97V218000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Nov 24, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE REAR AXLE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE PIPE CAN OCCUR CAUSING A SLOW BRAKE FLUID LEAK RESULTING IN A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. IF THE BRAKE PIPE BREAKS, THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, AND THERE WOULD BE A LOSS OF REAR BRAKE PERFORMANCE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE.
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
1RQ02012 · Front Control Arm Ball Joints
Opened Sep 10, 2002 · Closed Mar 7, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension; Suspension:front; Suspension:front:control Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint; Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Arm; Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Additional source detail variants (7)
Suspension:front:control Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.