IllustrationWHILE ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
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 reportsTHE DRIVER LIFTED THE HANDLE TO RECLINE THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AND THE HANDLE BROKE, WITHOUT USING EXCESSIVE FORCE. A WEEK LATER THE DRIVER SIDE HANDLE BROKE ALSO. THERE IS A TIS BULLETIN (220801) FOR THIS PROBLEM. TS THE DRIVERSIDE HANDLE WAS REPLACED PRIOR TO PURCHASE AND BROKE AFTER ONLY 34,000 MILES. *JG
THE HANDLE USED TO RECLINE THE FRONT SEATS HAVE BOTH BROKEN OFF. THE PASSENGER ONE BROKE OFF FIRST AND "FORTUNATELY" IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP, I NOTICED THERE WERE FOUR OTHER CHEVY BLAZERS IN THE SAME DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE HANDLE BROKE OFF. IT IS NO…
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THE HANDLE USED TO RECLINE THE FRONT SEATS HAVE BOTH BROKEN OFF. THE PASSENGER ONE BROKE OFF FIRST AND "FORTUNATELY" IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP, I NOTICED THERE WERE FOUR OTHER CHEVY BLAZERS IN THE SAME DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE HANDLE BROKE OFF. IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. TS
CONSISTENT AND REPEATED HEATING/COOLING PROBLEMS; CORROSION OF THE COOLANT; EROSION OF THE RADIATOR; LACK OF HEAT FOR 4 WINTERS, ETC.
WHEN WE PURCHASED THE BLAZER IT HAD 36000 MILES ON IT. THE DAY AFTER WE PURCHASED IT THE SEAT ADJUSTER ARM FOR THE DRIVERS SEAT BROKE OFF. WE WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING HEINOUS, JUST ADJUSTING THE SEAT. WE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGREED TO FIX IT. APPROXIMATELY 11 MONTHS THEREAFTER, THE SEAT ADJUSTER ARM BROKE OFF AGAI…
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WHEN WE PURCHASED THE BLAZER IT HAD 36000 MILES ON IT. THE DAY AFTER WE PURCHASED IT THE SEAT ADJUSTER ARM FOR THE DRIVERS SEAT BROKE OFF. WE WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING HEINOUS, JUST ADJUSTING THE SEAT. WE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGREED TO FIX IT. APPROXIMATELY 11 MONTHS THEREAFTER, THE SEAT ADJUSTER ARM BROKE OFF AGAIN. ONLY WE WERE AT 52,000 MILES SO WE WERE SOLD. THE PASSENGERS SEAT ADJUSTER BROKE OFF ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AND THE PASSENGER CUT HER LEG. I CONTACTED BIDDLES CHEVROLET AND THEY QUOTED ME $105 FOR THE PART AND 8 HOURS OF LABOR TO FIX IT. I THEN CONTACTED CHEVROLET ABOUT 3 MONTHS THERE AFTER, AND HENCE THE PROCESS BEGAN. IN THE PROCESS OF MY RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT CHEVROLET HAD ISSUED A TSB WITH THE NHTSA FOR THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. IT SEEMS THAT CHEVROLET KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND FAILED TO CONTACT OWNER'S OF THE BLAZERS. MY GUESS IS IT WORKED OUT TO THEIR STATISTICAL ADVANTAGE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, ABOUT A WEEK AGO MY BROTHER IN LAW QUESTIONED ME BECAUSE HE WAS LOOKING TO BUY A BLAZER ABOUT THE SAME YEAR AS MINE. HE ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. WHEN I TOLD HIM JUST THE SEAT ADJUSTER'S HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD CONTACTED 4 OTHER OWNERS AND THEY INDICATED THE SAME THING. THE ONLY THING I WANT IS THE SEAT FIXED NO MORE NO LESS. DT
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE LEFT SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *JG
I HAD THE SAME STEERING GEAR FAILURE REFERENCED IN THE GM RECALL FROM 11/14/02. EXCEPT THIS RECALL DOES NOT COVER MY VEHICLE. PLEASE CONSIDER INVESTIGATING BLAZERS AS WELL! DT
WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM REPLACED ONCE HOWEVER THE MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL SO THEY CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT. *TS *TT
OIL LINES RUBBING AGAINST POWER STEERING LINES. WIPERS SWEEP TOO LONG AND/OR QUIT MID-CYCLE IN THE WORKS 1/2 THE TIME. DT
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE SOUNDED AS IF SOMEONE WAS TAMPERING WITH THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR HATCH OPENED ON ITS OWN, WHEN THE ENGINE WAS OFF. THE LOCKS CONTINUED TO CLICK. TS PER-INVOICE; ELECTRICAL REPAIR-RELAY, FOUND THE BODY CONTROL MODULE FAULTY-REPLACED THE BCM BATTERY, F…
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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE SOUNDED AS IF SOMEONE WAS TAMPERING WITH THE LOCKING MECHANISM. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR HATCH OPENED ON ITS OWN, WHEN THE ENGINE WAS OFF. THE LOCKS CONTINUED TO CLICK. TS PER-INVOICE; ELECTRICAL REPAIR-RELAY, FOUND THE BODY CONTROL MODULE FAULTY-REPLACED THE BCM BATTERY, FOUND THE THE SWITCH FOR THE ENDGATE GLASS INOP/SHORTED REPLACED. SCC
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
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Additional source detail variants (7)
Suspension:front:control Arm
SEE ATTACHED PAGE.
Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
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Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
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Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Arm
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Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint
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Suspension:front
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Suspension
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