IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING GAVE A QUICK LOCK UP AND LOST POWER STEERING TOOK PUMP OFF AND PULLEY AND SHAFT FELL OUT OF PUMP. *TR
1998 Chevrolet C/K Pickups
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet C/K Pickups do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all C/k Pickups 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
20–25K
1225–50K
2650–75K
1175–100K
11100–150K
1150K+
63 reports with mileage · 15 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 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports
Steering complaints
8 reportsSTEERING: I AM HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEN TURNING RIGHT DURING A LONG TURN, IT FEELS LIKE I HIT A PATCH OF ICE OR LIKE SOMEONE GRAB HE STEERING WHEEL & JERK IT TO THE RIGHT. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE GETTING WORST BUT I DO NOT LIKE THE FEEL. SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK…
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STEERING: I AM HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEN TURNING RIGHT DURING A LONG TURN, IT FEELS LIKE I HIT A PATCH OF ICE OR LIKE SOMEONE GRAB HE STEERING WHEEL & JERK IT TO THE RIGHT. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE GETTING WORST BUT I DO NOT LIKE THE FEEL. SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK COULD OVER STEER. *TR
TRUCK STALLS WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING FOR NO REASON. STEERING HAS SUDDEN FAST JERK TO RIGHT THEN WE HAVE TO OVER CORRECT TO LEFT, HAZARD LIGHTS WOULDN'T TURN OFF NOW THEY ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. WIPER FLUID MOTOR DOESN'T WORK, GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK IT JUST VIBRATES REALLY F…
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TRUCK STALLS WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING FOR NO REASON. STEERING HAS SUDDEN FAST JERK TO RIGHT THEN WE HAVE TO OVER CORRECT TO LEFT, HAZARD LIGHTS WOULDN'T TURN OFF NOW THEY ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. WIPER FLUID MOTOR DOESN'T WORK, GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK IT JUST VIBRATES REALLY FAST. THERE ARE WIRES IN DASH THAT HAVE BURN MARKS AND OTHER COMPONENTS ARE MELTED. ITS AMAZING THAT THIS TRUCK EVEN RUNS! WE HAVE SPENT 1200 ON THIS PILE AND STILL HAVEN'T EVEN FIXED ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS. *JB
STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR: STEERING WILL JERK WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. WAS TOLD THAT THE SENSOR HAD A "WORN" SPOT AND THAT THE POWER STEERING BOOST WAS BEING ADDED AT PULL POWER BECAUSE THE SYSTEM DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DOING.
EVERY SO OFTEN IT FEELS AS IF SOMEONE GRABS THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOR A BREIF MOMENT IT FEELS AS IF THERE IS NO STEERING.*AK
MY 1998 TRUCK HAS HAD A SPOT IN THE STEERING THAT WHEN YOU ARE TURNING THERE IS A MOMENTARY LOST OF STEERING. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THERE IS COOLER WEATHER. THERE ALSO SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT TIMES . BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS COME AND GO BUT HAVE BEEN GETTING WORST OVER THE YEARS. *JB
WHEN I BOUGHT MY 1998 CHEVY PICKUP IT HAD A PLACE IN THE STEERING WHEN I TURNED IT TO THE RIGHT IT FELT LIKE I HIT A PATCH OF ICE. IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS A DEAD SPOT. NOW IT IS GETTING WORSE. NOW WHEN I TURN TO THE LEFT IT IS STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED YOUR GOING IT STILL DOES IT. *LA
I EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING, THEN SURGES WHICH CAUSES ME TO OVER STEER. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND KNOW THAT GM HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON OTHER MODELS BUT NOT MINE. PLEASE SEE BELOW: GM, THE WORLD'S LARGEST AUTO MAKER, SAID IT HAD 15 REPORTS OF CRASHES AS A RESULT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE…
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I EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING, THEN SURGES WHICH CAUSES ME TO OVER STEER. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND KNOW THAT GM HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON OTHER MODELS BUT NOT MINE. PLEASE SEE BELOW: GM, THE WORLD'S LARGEST AUTO MAKER, SAID IT HAD 15 REPORTS OF CRASHES AS A RESULT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING, INCLUDING THREE INJURIES BUT NO FATALITIES. THE LOWER PINION BEARING IN THE POWER STEERING GEAR COULD SEPARATE, GM SAID. MOST REPORTS INDICATED THAT DRIVERS EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING LEFT, USUALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. SOME DRIVERS COULD EXPERIENCE HIGHER RESISTANCE WHEN TURNING LEFT, FOLLOWED BY AN UNINTENDED POWER ASSIST TO THE RIGHT, GM SAID. *JB
Official recalls
103V093000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
Mar 7, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS MAY DEVELOP A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD RESULT IN AN INOPERATIVE SWITCH, HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND/OR IGNITION OF COMPONENTS IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
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
2EA02005 · Driver Door Electrical Fires
Opened May 17, 2002 · Closed May 1, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System; Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices; Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
BY LETTER DATED MARCH 19, 2003, THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED NHTSA OF THE DECISION TO INITATE A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON SELECTED VEHICLES WITHIN THE SUBJECT POPULATION.THE CAMPAIGN INVOLVES 507,000 C/K AND M/L VEHICLES BUILT DURING MODEL YEARS 1997-1998.THE RECALL INVOLVES VEHICLE MODELS WITH HIGH INCIDENT RATES AND BUILT AT SELECTED ASSEMBLY PLANTS.A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE DEFECT WASINHERENT VARIATIONS IN ASSEMBLY CONDITIONS, WORKER SKILL LEVELS ANDPROCESSES THAT EXIST FROM ONE ASSEMBLY LOCATION TO ANOTHER.TO REMEDY THE DEFECT, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.NHTSA HAS ASSIGNED CAMPAIGN NO. 03V-093 TO THE RECALL.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Electrical System
BY LETTER DATED MARCH 19, 2003, THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED NHTSA OF THE DECISION TO INITATE A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON SELECTED VEHICLES WITHIN THE SUBJECT POPULATION.THE CAMPAIGN INVOLVES 507,000 C/K AND M/L VEHICLES BUILT DURING MODEL YEARS 1997-1998.THE RECALL INVOLVES VEHICLE MODELS WITH HIGH INCIDENT RATES AND BUILT AT SELECTED ASSEMBLY PLANTS.A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE DEFECT WASINHERENT VARIATIONS IN ASSEMBLY CONDITIONS, WORKER SKILL LEVELS ANDPROCESSES THAT EXIST FROM ONE ASSEMBLY LOCATION TO ANOTHER.TO REMEDY THE DEFECT, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.NHTSA HAS ASSIGNED CAMPAIGN NO. 03V-093 TO THE RECALL.
Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
BY LETTER DATED MARCH 19, 2003, THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED NHTSA OF THE DECISION TO INITATE A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON SELECTED VEHICLES WITHIN THE SUBJECT POPULATION.THE CAMPAIGN INVOLVES 507,000 C/K AND M/L VEHICLES BUILT DURING MODEL YEARS 1997-1998.THE RECALL INVOLVES VEHICLE MODELS WITH HIGH INCIDENT RATES AND BUILT AT SELECTED ASSEMBLY PLANTS.A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE DEFECT WASINHERENT VARIATIONS IN ASSEMBLY CONDITIONS, WORKER SKILL LEVELS ANDPROCESSES THAT EXIST FROM ONE ASSEMBLY LOCATION TO ANOTHER.TO REMEDY THE DEFECT, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.NHTSA HAS ASSIGNED CAMPAIGN NO. 03V-093 TO THE RECALL.
Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices
BY LETTER DATED MARCH 19, 2003, THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED NHTSA OF THE DECISION TO INITATE A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN ON SELECTED VEHICLES WITHIN THE SUBJECT POPULATION.THE CAMPAIGN INVOLVES 507,000 C/K AND M/L VEHICLES BUILT DURING MODEL YEARS 1997-1998.THE RECALL INVOLVES VEHICLE MODELS WITH HIGH INCIDENT RATES AND BUILT AT SELECTED ASSEMBLY PLANTS.A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE DEFECT WASINHERENT VARIATIONS IN ASSEMBLY CONDITIONS, WORKER SKILL LEVELS ANDPROCESSES THAT EXIST FROM ONE ASSEMBLY LOCATION TO ANOTHER.TO REMEDY THE DEFECT, DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.NHTSA HAS ASSIGNED CAMPAIGN NO. 03V-093 TO THE RECALL.
PE01001 · Vacuum Brake Booster
Opened Jan 8, 2001 · Closed May 22, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
ALLEGED THAT THE VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER CAN FAIL RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.