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1998 Chevrolet Tahoe

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 246.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

89 reports with mileage · 174 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 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports7 fire reports9 injury reports

Power Train complaints

21 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2003
Power Train

WHILE TRAVELING, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS. *AK *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10039707

78,797 miles · Sep 3, 2003
Power Train

PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE @ 78,797 MILES ON 1998 CHEVROLET, TAHOE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10037145

Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2003
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING FRONT END AXLE CAME OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10033613

67,000 miles · Aug 7, 2003
Power Train

SLIP IN THE DRIVETRAIN WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. I HAVE TAKEN MY 1998 CHEVROLET TAHOE TO A CERTIFIED DEALER AND CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A SEVERE CONCERN TO ME AS I COULD LOSE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10031034

Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2002
Power Train

7/15/98ONE MONTH OLD THE CAR LOCKED INTO 4WD WHEN IT WAS STARTED IN THE DRIVEWAY.IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT IT WAS INOPERATIVE.IT NEEDED PARTS REPLACED TO FIX.THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN AGAIN BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE IT WAS LOCKED IN 4WD AGAIN BECAUSE ALL THE AXILES WERE TURNING.I WAS TOLD THAT WAS NORMAL AND THAT THE UNIVERSALS WERE WORN …

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7/15/98ONE MONTH OLD THE CAR LOCKED INTO 4WD WHEN IT WAS STARTED IN THE DRIVEWAY.IT WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT IT WAS INOPERATIVE.IT NEEDED PARTS REPLACED TO FIX.THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN AGAIN BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE IT WAS LOCKED IN 4WD AGAIN BECAUSE ALL THE AXILES WERE TURNING.I WAS TOLD THAT WAS NORMAL AND THAT THE UNIVERSALS WERE WORN OUT.THAT MADE THREE UNIVERSALS IN THREE YEARS.ALSO THAT THE LIGHTS ON DASHBAORD FOR THE 4WD UNI WOULD NOT STAY ON TO TELL IF YOU WERE IN 4WD OR NOT.NOW SOMETHING IN THE TRANSFER CASE IS BROKEN.I RECENTLY READ THE OWNERS MANUAL ON THE 4WD UNIT AND IT SAYS THE FRONT AXSILES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO TURN IN 2WD.I BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE DEALER SAYING THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS CAR HAS 93000.00 MILES THE TRANSFER CASE WOULD NOT HAVE MORE THAN 1000.00 MILES ON IT AND THAT THIS CAR HAS A DRIVE TRAIN HISTORY OF FAILURE WITH THREE UNIVERSALS AND THREE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSFER CASE.THEY TELL ME THAT ALL THE AXILES TURN AND WEAR OUT WHICH IS NOT WHAT THEIR OWNERS MANUAL SAYS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #757202

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2002
Power Train

THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. IT HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION . THE REPLY HAS ALWAYS BEEN "REAREND WIND-UP" IS THE PROBLEM AND IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WE PURCHASED A THREE YEAR /36,000 MILE WARRANTY TO COVER THESE TYPES OF DEFECTS, ONLY TO HAVE THE DEALER TELL US T…

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THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. IT HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION . THE REPLY HAS ALWAYS BEEN "REAREND WIND-UP" IS THE PROBLEM AND IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WE PURCHASED A THREE YEAR /36,000 MILE WARRANTY TO COVER THESE TYPES OF DEFECTS, ONLY TO HAVE THE DEALER TELL US THAT THE WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS "REAREND WIND-UP" AS IT IS A REGULAR MAINTANENCE ITEM. I HAVE SEARCHED THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR THIS ITEM AND HAVE NOT FOUND IT AS A MAINTANENCE ITEM, ACCORDING TO GM. AT ALL SERVICE INTERVALS THE ONLY MENTION OF THE REAREND IS TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL. THIS HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT BY THE DEALER FOR THE FIRST 45,000 MILES. I HAVE SINCE LOST FAITH IN GM AND MY DEALER AND HAVE PURCHASED MY LAST AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE.NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #756443

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2001
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

STEERING PROBLEM- I SUDDENLY LOST STEERING WHILE DRIVING. ACCORDING TO THE DEARORSHIP THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION OF THE POWER STEERING SENSOR. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, AND LUCKILY THERE WERE NO VEHICLES AROUND AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I ASKED THE DEALER IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON…

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STEERING PROBLEM- I SUDDENLY LOST STEERING WHILE DRIVING. ACCORDING TO THE DEARORSHIP THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION OF THE POWER STEERING SENSOR. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, AND LUCKILY THERE WERE NO VEHICLES AROUND AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I ASKED THE DEALER IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY EITHER. BRAKES- WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING, HE LOST BRAKES ON THE CAR. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT, THE REAL AXEL SEALS WERE LEAKING, AND THE FRONT CALIPERS WERE STUCK. SEALS AND GASKETS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER. THIS ITEM WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WE'VE HAD ON-GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE BRAKING VERY ROUGHLY AND "SKIPPING". THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE DUE TO THEM WARPING DUE TO OVERHEATING. THE BRAKES ARE STILL GIVING US PROBLEMS. THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY WENT UP WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. THERE WERE ABSOLUTLY NO SIGNS OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE THIS TIME. THE FLUID WAS CLEAN WHEN I PULLED THE CAR OVER, AND THERE WAS NO SLIPPING EITHER. I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND A VERY LOUD NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE CAR- IT SOUNDED LIKE THE REAR-END, AND THE CAR BECAME SUDDENLY UNDRIVEABLE. LUCKILY I WAS ON A DESERTED ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. I FEEL THAT IF I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC DRIVING AT 55-65 MPH IN ANY OF THE ABOVE INSTANCES A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #752616

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 2001
Power Train

I HAVE NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION GO ON A CAR AND HAVE DRIVEN OTHER GM CARS WELL OVER 100,000 MILES. THIS CAR HAS GONE IN FOR DEALER SERVICE EVERY 3,000 MILES. WHILE CHECKING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS, I FIND THAT SOME OWNERS OF '98 TAHOES HAVE REPLACED THEIR TRANSMISSION TWICE BY 50,000 MILES. I REALLY THINK SOMETHING SHOULD …

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I HAVE NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION GO ON A CAR AND HAVE DRIVEN OTHER GM CARS WELL OVER 100,000 MILES. THIS CAR HAS GONE IN FOR DEALER SERVICE EVERY 3,000 MILES. WHILE CHECKING ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS, I FIND THAT SOME OWNERS OF '98 TAHOES HAVE REPLACED THEIR TRANSMISSION TWICE BY 50,000 MILES. I REALLY THINK SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT A COMPANY THAT PUTS A TRANSMISSION IN A VEHILE THAT THEY KNOW IS FAULTY. IF YOU CAN NOT HELP ME, CAN YOU DIRECT ME TO A CLASS ACTION SUIT OR SOMETHING ELSE I CAN DO?*AK

NHTSA ODI #751927

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2001
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. ECM CODE 1870 SLIPPAGE. VALVE BODY FAILS EITHER BY CONTAMINATION OR DEFECT CAUSING HIGH LINE PRESSURE CAUSING HARD 1-2GEAR SHIFTS. HARD SHIFTS CAUSE INTERNAL DAMAGE AND EMINANT FAILURE. I'VE READ HUNDREDS OF OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES THAT SOUND IDENTICAL. THIS CANNOT BE BY ACCIDENT. ALL TRANSMIS…

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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. ECM CODE 1870 SLIPPAGE. VALVE BODY FAILS EITHER BY CONTAMINATION OR DEFECT CAUSING HIGH LINE PRESSURE CAUSING HARD 1-2GEAR SHIFTS. HARD SHIFTS CAUSE INTERNAL DAMAGE AND EMINANT FAILURE. I'VE READ HUNDREDS OF OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES THAT SOUND IDENTICAL. THIS CANNOT BE BY ACCIDENT. ALL TRANSMISSIONS ARE GM 4L60E.

NHTSA ODI #750764

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2001
Power Train

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE WITH 42,093 MILES WITH THE DEALERS ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF 3,000 MILES BRINGING THE TOTAL COVERAGE TO 45.093 MILES ON 06/25/2001 AT 47,297 MILES MY VEHICLE STARTED HESITATING ON THE START AFTER BEING STOPPED IT WAS TAKEN TO THE REPAIR DEALER MEISSNER CHEVROLET AT 70TH ESSINGTON AVE PHILA PA WHERE IT WAS FOU…

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I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE WITH 42,093 MILES WITH THE DEALERS ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF 3,000 MILES BRINGING THE TOTAL COVERAGE TO 45.093 MILES ON 06/25/2001 AT 47,297 MILES MY VEHICLE STARTED HESITATING ON THE START AFTER BEING STOPPED IT WAS TAKEN TO THE REPAIR DEALER MEISSNER CHEVROLET AT 70TH ESSINGTON AVE PHILA PA WHERE IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE CODE 1870 INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE IT HAS TO BE REPLACED I'M VERY DISSAPOINTED ABOUT THIS I ALWAYS WANTED A CHEVY TRUNK AND NOW I SINCERELY REGRET IT. *AK *TR

NHTSA ODI #747451

Official recalls

2

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.

97V142000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)

Aug 29, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY EXTENDED-CAB PICKUP TRUCKS AND 4-DOOR UTILITY TRUCKS. THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT TO STEERING GEAR PINCH BOLT IS "FINGER LOOSE" OR MISSING ALLOWING THE BOLT TO LOOSEN AND FALL OUT. THE STEERING SHAFT YOKE CAN WEAR CAUSING AN OFF CENTER STEERING WHEEL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE CHASSIS AND CAB CAN CAUSE THE STEERING SHAFT TO SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS ARE ARRANGING TO HAVE THE VEHICLES INVOLVED TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION IS BEING ARRANGED FOR OWNERS. DEALERS WILL THEN INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR THE PRESENCE OF A PINCH BOLT AND TORQUE THIS BOLT TO PROPER SPECIFICATIONS.

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

2

PE01023 · Seat Belt Anchorage Separation

Opened Jul 17, 2001 · Closed Dec 20, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

ODI HAS RECEIVED ONE (1) COMPLAINT ALLEGING THAT THE 2ND ROW PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE ANCHOR DETACHED FROM SEAT FRAME DURING A SIDE IMPACT CRASH.DURING THE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WAS THROWN FROM HIS SEAT, PARTIALLY EJECTED THROUGH THE REAR QUARTER WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE.OCCUPANT SUSTAINED INJURY.GM HAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED SEAT BELT ANCHORING DESIGN IN MY 2000. ODI HAS COMPLETED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND HAS DETERMINED THAT FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.

EA99011 · 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.