IllustrationWHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE FROM THE DRIVEWAY AND TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT STEERING COLUMN FAILED. DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR BOX SHAFT SECTOR. *AK
1998 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 525.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silverado 1500 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
110–25K
1725–50K
4050–75K
2075–100K
31100–150K
13150K+
132 reports with mileage · 229 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports11 fire reports3 injury reports
Steering complaints
47 reportsCONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STEERING PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS STEERING JERKED FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. *AK
WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE TEMPORARILY LOST POWER STEERING. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
I OWN A 98 CHEVY PICK UP, AS WELL AS A 96 GMC SUBURBAN, AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING ON BOTH VEHICLES. THE PICK UP HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY BAD WITH THE "HARDER" LEFT TURNS, AND THE "OVERLY" EASY RIGHT TURNS, OR JERKS. TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH EITHER VEHICLE, IF YOU ADJUST THE STEERING FOR A CROSS…
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I OWN A 98 CHEVY PICK UP, AS WELL AS A 96 GMC SUBURBAN, AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING ON BOTH VEHICLES. THE PICK UP HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY BAD WITH THE "HARDER" LEFT TURNS, AND THE "OVERLY" EASY RIGHT TURNS, OR JERKS. TRAVELLING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH EITHER VEHICLE, IF YOU ADJUST THE STEERING FOR A CROSSWIND, THEY WILL FIGHT GOING LEFT (THIS IS NOT CONSTANT, WHICH MAKES IT WORSE AS IT IS UNEXPECTED) AND LAUNCH TO THE RIGHT WITH THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH (ALSO NOT CONSTANT). I BELIEVE THAT THESE VEHICLES COULD EASILY BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAD SPOKEN WITH A LOCAL DEALER AFTER HEARING OF A POWER STEERING RELATED RECALL PENDING (IN OCTOBER 2003) AND WAS ASSURED NO SUCH THING WAS GOING ON, AND MY VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED ANYWAY. I HAVE SHOWN JAN. 10TH 2004 AS AN INCIDENT DATE, AS THE FORM COULD NOT BE COMPLETED WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION. THIS HAS HOWEVER BEEN A PROBLEM ON AND OFF SINCE PURCHASING THE TRUCK (NEW IN JULY 98) AND THE SUBURBAN (USED IN JAN. 99) ALSO, SINCE PURCHASING THE 96 SUBURBAN, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER (MOUNTED ON BOTTOM OF PUMP) POWER STEERING LINE TWICE, DUE TO BREAKAGE AND LEAKS, AND I NOW HAVE ANOTHER (REPLACED SAME HOSE ON PICK-UP) LEAK SOMEWHERE IN THE PICK-UPS POWER STEERING SYSTEM (IT HAS BEEN TOO COLD TO WASH THE VEHICLE PROPERLY UNDER THE HOOD, SO I CAN INSPECT HOSES, BUT AM FAIRLY CERTAIN IT IS ONCE AGAIN THE SAME HOSE)
FAULTY EVO SENSORS CAUSED THE WHEEL TO JERK TO ONE SIDE WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *TS *NLM
UNSPECIFIED INTERNALS OF GEAR BOX FAILED RESULTING IN INTERMITTENT UNWANTED STEERING CHANGES (VEHICLE STEERS ON IT'S OWN) DT
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. CAUSING TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD. MR. GARNEY PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
VEHICLE VEERS SUDDENLY RIGHT OR LEFT DURING TURNS. OWNER RELPACED EVO SENSOR AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPON INSPECTION OF FAILED UNIT, OWNER FOUND THAT THE GREASE FROM STEERING SHAFT HAD LEAKED DOWN INTO THIS SENSOR, CAUSING UNIT TO FAIL. I KNOW OF 2 OTHER OWNERS OF TRUCKS WITH THIS SYSTEM THAT HAVE THIS IDENTICLE ISSUE.*AK
THE STEERING MOMENTARILY "LOCKS UP" THEN RELEASES WHILE COMPLETING SLOW SPEED RIGHT TURNS.*AK
I THINK TSB 86-32-06 SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF A SAFETY RECALL. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.