IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *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 reportsWAS TRAVELING APPROX. 50-55MPH AND WENT AROUND A CORNER; ROAD HAD UNEVEN SHOULDERS. TOOK FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED INTO A DITCH. NOTICED AND TRIED TO CORRECT, AND VEHICLE HIT DITCH AND CRASHED. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH AN INJURED BACK, CRUSHED 2ND VETERBRAE. *AK
TRUCK BOUGHT NEW. AT 47,576 MILES, LEFT AND RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED. AGAIN, AT 84,200 MILES SAME BALL JOINTS TO BE REPLACED. ANOTHER CHEVY DEALER TOLD ME 96TO97 BLAZERS HAVE BALL JOINT DEFECT RECALL, RECALL NOT EXTENDED TO 98 BLAZERS. SEEMS FISHY. MY TRUCK IS SERVICED EVERY 3,000 MILES.
AT 12300 MILES CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM VEHICLE, DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES THAT HAD BEEN LEAKING. ON 3 SEP 2001, CONSUMER NOTICED ANOTHER LEAK. DEALER AGAIN REPLACED LEAKING TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES.*AK
THE VEHICLE WOULD OCCASIONALLY SHIFT INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT THE DRIVER PUSHING THE TRANSFER BUTTONS, SOMETIMES IT WENT INTO FOUR WHEEL HIGH AND SOMETIMES FOUR WHEEL LOW, THE CONSUMER FIRST THOUGHT HE WAS ACCIDENTALLY HITTING THE BUTTON WITH HIS FIST WHILE SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLI…
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THE VEHICLE WOULD OCCASIONALLY SHIFT INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WITHOUT THE DRIVER PUSHING THE TRANSFER BUTTONS, SOMETIMES IT WENT INTO FOUR WHEEL HIGH AND SOMETIMES FOUR WHEEL LOW, THE CONSUMER FIRST THOUGHT HE WAS ACCIDENTALLY HITTING THE BUTTON WITH HIS FIST WHILE SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE, THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. NLM
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. ALSO, DOORS ON DRIVER'S SIDE RATTLE LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO FALL APART. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN 2-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE WILL JUMPS INTO 4-WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND REPLACED WIRING HARNESS FOR THE FIRST INCIDENT, AND THEN REPLACED TRANSFER CASE SHIFT MODULAR. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED FOR THIRD INCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK
SEAT ADJUSTMENT LEVER BROKE OFF WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST SEAT. THE METAL (ALUMINUM?) ROD THE PLASTIC HANDLE ATTACHES TO SHEARED. NO WEIGHT WAS AGAINST THE SEAT BACK AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE.*AK
CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP LIGHT REAR TIRES STARTED SPINNING AS HE PULLED OFF. AS CONSUMER WENT UP THE BRIDGE HE LOOKED THOUGH REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM REAR. VEHICLE PULLED OVER AND CONSUMER LIFTED HOOD UP AND NOTICED THAT ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AKTHE NYLON RETAINER R…
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CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP LIGHT REAR TIRES STARTED SPINNING AS HE PULLED OFF. AS CONSUMER WENT UP THE BRIDGE HE LOOKED THOUGH REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM REAR. VEHICLE PULLED OVER AND CONSUMER LIFTED HOOD UP AND NOTICED THAT ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AKTHE NYLON RETAINER RING THAT LOCKS THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE INTO THE RADIATOR FAILED, IT BROKE AND SLID DOWN THE COOLER LINE ALLOWING THE OIL COOLER LINE TO DISCONNECT SPRAYING THE ENGINE WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID WHICH CAUGHT FIRE. NLM
MECHANIC EXPRESSED THAT THE AUTO'S MILEAGE WAS VERY LOW TO HAVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM, AND FEELS STRONGLY THAT THIS HOSE MUST BE DEFECTIVE. *AK
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.