IllustrationBATTERY LEAKED ACID AND CAUSED ELECTRICAL FAILURE, ALTERNATOR FAILURE, WIRE SHORT.*AK
1998 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 118.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Suburban 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
10–25K
925–50K
1550–75K
1875–100K
12100–150K
1150K+
56 reports with mileage · 145 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
201 reportsTREAD SEPARATION. AMBIENT TEMP 96 DEGREES. INFLATION 80 POUNDS COLD. MUD/SNOW TREAD. TOWING 6200 LB TRAVEL TRAILER WITH EQUILIZING HITCH.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VN11B3A477 TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)
LT265/75R16, DOT UNKNOWN, REPLACEMENT TIRE WITH 10000 MILES ON A 1998, CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE DRIVING 63 MPH REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. NO ACCIDENT.*AK *YH
PE 00 040/TREAD SEPARATION: LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH WITH DRIVER AND THREE PASSENGERS, ONE ADULT IN A 1998 CHEVROLET, SUBURBAN; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE LT245/75R16. *AK DOT NUMBERS V611B1A447 AND V611B1A487 FOR THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S TIRES, FRONT TIRES WERE KEPT AT 70PSI AND R…
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PE 00 040/TREAD SEPARATION: LEFT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH WITH DRIVER AND THREE PASSENGERS, ONE ADULT IN A 1998 CHEVROLET, SUBURBAN; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE LT245/75R16. *AK DOT NUMBERS V611B1A447 AND V611B1A487 FOR THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX R4S TIRES, FRONT TIRES WERE KEPT AT 70PSI AND REAR TIRES 75PSI. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, STOPPED AND SAW YELLOW SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND DRIVER'S DOOR PANEL, SPARKS WERE FLYING. SMOKE STOPPED, FUSE HAD BLOWN. MECHANIC FOUND THAT WIRE TO OUTSIDE MIRROR SWITCH. *AK AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRE WAS 14 GAUGE. THE ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURED AT T…
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WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, STOPPED AND SAW YELLOW SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND DRIVER'S DOOR PANEL, SPARKS WERE FLYING. SMOKE STOPPED, FUSE HAD BLOWN. MECHANIC FOUND THAT WIRE TO OUTSIDE MIRROR SWITCH. *AK AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRE WAS 14 GAUGE. THE ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURED AT THE MIRROR SWITCH. *YH
BRAKES-WHEN COMING TO STOP PEDAL IS HARD THEN DROPS ABOUT AN INCH MORE BEFORE VEHICLE STOPS.ANTI LOCK WILL SOMETIMES ENGAGE AND STOP VEHICLE. AFTER VEHICLE STOPS I CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. DEALER REPLACED REAR DUMP VALVE BUT PROBLEM STILL THERE. MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED,NEW ROTORS, NEW BACK BRAKE…
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BRAKES-WHEN COMING TO STOP PEDAL IS HARD THEN DROPS ABOUT AN INCH MORE BEFORE VEHICLE STOPS.ANTI LOCK WILL SOMETIMES ENGAGE AND STOP VEHICLE. AFTER VEHICLE STOPS I CAN CONTINUE TO PUSH PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. DEALER REPLACED REAR DUMP VALVE BUT PROBLEM STILL THERE. MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN REPLACED,NEW ROTORS, NEW BACK BRAKE SHOES(3RD SET). BRAKE PROBLEM STARTED IN JAN 2001. INTAKE GASKET IS LEAKING. FUEL PUMP IS RUNNING VERY NOISY, NOSIER THAN WHEN NEW. I KNOW THAT THIS MEANS IT IS GOING TO GO.SO I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE IT.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL NOT START. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND DISCOVERED THAT WIRES TO BATTERY WERE LOOSE. SINCE DEALER RECONNECTED WIRES, VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND DIED. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT PROBLEM.*AK
CLASS I HITCH DEVELOPED HAIRLINE CRACK AT ONE OF WELDS. NLM
FIREMAN CONTACTED DETERMINED TO BE AN ALECTRICAL SHORT CAUSE FIRE TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. (AK
3 FUEL INJECTORS FAILED (#1, #7 AND #8). NLM
Official recalls
203V093000 · 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.
98V033000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Feb 17, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS AND MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OR BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTOR/HUBS WERE BUILT WITH AN OUT-OF-SPECIFICATION GRAY IRON THAT CAN FAIL DURING THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A DRIVER CONTINUES TO DRIVE WITH A CRACKED ROTOR, THE CRACKS COULD CONTINUE AROUND THE WHEEL MOUNTING BOLT CIRCLE AND ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A WHEEL SEPARATION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROTORS FOR A CORE DATE OF "287" AND, IF FOUND, REPLACE THE ROTOR.
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
1EA99011 · Erratic Power Steering Assist While Driv
Opened May 12, 1999 · Closed Feb 27, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
THE OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION (ODI) HAS INVESTIGATED ALLEGATIONS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST FLUCTUATIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FOR DETAILS AND A BASIS FOR THE INVESTIGATION CONCLUSIONS, PLEASE SEE THE CLOSING REPORT IN THE EA99-011 PUBLIC FILE.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.FUTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES ON THIS SUBJECT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.THE ENGINEERING IS CLOSED.