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1998 GMC Sierra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sierra years

Owner complaints for the 1998 GMC Sierra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

50 reports with mileage · 140 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 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports8 fire reports8 injury reports

What owners actually said

190 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 1999
Service Brakes, Air

VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO SHOP SEVERAL TIMES. FIRST TIME: FRONT CALIPERS REBUILT. NO CHANGE. SECOND TIME: FRONT CALIPERS REPLACED. REAR BRAKE SHOES REPLACED WITH A TYPE NOT ORIGINALLY MEANT FOR MY TRUCK. ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION REMOVED AND JACKS INSTALLED SO THAT ALIGNMENT COULD BE PERFORMED TO SPECS FROM SOME GM ENGINEERS THAT…

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VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO SHOP SEVERAL TIMES. FIRST TIME: FRONT CALIPERS REBUILT. NO CHANGE. SECOND TIME: FRONT CALIPERS REPLACED. REAR BRAKE SHOES REPLACED WITH A TYPE NOT ORIGINALLY MEANT FOR MY TRUCK. ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION REMOVED AND JACKS INSTALLED SO THAT ALIGNMENT COULD BE PERFORMED TO SPECS FROM SOME GM ENGINEERS THAT WERE CONTACTED. STILL PULLS, BUT MUCH BETTER. AFTER SOME TIME, NOTICED DS FRONT TIRE WEARING ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE. THIRD TIME: INFORMED THEM OF ABNORMAL WEAR AND THAT TRUCK STILL PULLS UNDER BRAKING. THEY REALIGNED IT AND THE "GMC AREA SERVICE MANAGER" ROAD TESTED IT OK. IT STILL PULLS UNDER BRAKING AND NOW IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT CONSTANTLY. I CALLED THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP, HE HAS ME CONTACT THE SERVICE MANAGER FOR A MEETING WITH THE GMC AREA SERVICE MANAGER. WE TAKE IT FOR A ROAD TEST. HE CLAIMS HE CANNOT FEEL A BRAKE PULL, BUT AGREES THAT IT NEEDS ALIGNED. I ASKED HIM TO REPLACE OR REPURCHASE THE TRUCK. HE WOULD NOT BUT OFFERED A 5 YEAR/75K MILE WARRANTY. I ACCEPTED. FOURTH TIME: FRONT END ALIGNED AGAIN. TRUCK DRIVES NORMALLY AGAIN, BUT NOW IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT, WHILE BRAKING, WORSE THAN EVER. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE LEMON LAW WHEN I FOUND THIS SITE. I CANNOT FIND ANY TSB'S OR RECALLS ON MY TRUCK, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT MY TRUCK IS NOT THE ONLY TRUCK THEY HAVE FOUND WITH THIS PROBLEM. SO THERE MUST BE MANY MORE OUT THERE, WHY ISN'T GMC ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM? I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS. THANKS. MELDENTON@YAHOO.COM

NHTSA ODI #705672

Mileage unknown · Mar 25, 1999
Power Train

CONSUMER WAS DOWNSHIFTING FROM 5TH TO 4TH AND VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #836149

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT THE REAR BRAKES LOCKS UP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834267

Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ODI #544529

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 1999
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SEATBELT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. CONSUMER NEEDS TO PULL HARD IN ORDER FOR THE SEATBELT TO COME OUT OF THE HOUSING. IT RETRACTS "TOO HARD," AND NOT ENOUGH SLACK IN THE SEATBELT SYSTEM. DEALER SAID SEATBELT SYSTEM IS USED FOR CHILD SEAT PROTECTION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834695

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT NOT RETRACTING. YH

NHTSA ODI #6900313

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control

SPEED SENSOR SOLENOID FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #608900

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL INJECTOR FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ODI #607470

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL INJECTORS FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #607336

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Fuel System, Other

FUEL METER/GAUGE FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ODI #606239

Official recalls

0

No 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

2

EA05007 · Tailgate Support Cables

Opened Apr 14, 2005 · Closed Apr 11, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch; Structure:body:tailgate ; Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments

GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch

GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.

Structure:body:tailgate

GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.

Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments

GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 805,368 MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT 800 MODEL VEHICLES.THE MODEL YEAR 1999 AND 2000 GMT-800 SERIES VEHICLES THAT WILL BE CAMPAIGNED HAD CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (79%) ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE IN THE MODEL YEAR 1998 - 2000 C/K SERIES VEHICLES ADDRESSED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.

RQ04010 · Tailgate Support Cable Breakage

Opened Sep 28, 2004 · Closed Apr 14, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch; Structure:body:tailgate ; Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments

ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-010 AND OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998, 1999, AND PARTIAL YEAR 2000 SILVERADOS AND SIERRAS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch

ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-010 AND OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998, 1999, AND PARTIAL YEAR 2000 SILVERADOS AND SIERRAS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.

Structure:body:tailgate

ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-010 AND OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998, 1999, AND PARTIAL YEAR 2000 SILVERADOS AND SIERRAS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.

Structure:body:tailgate:hinge And Attachments

ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-010 AND OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998, 1999, AND PARTIAL YEAR 2000 SILVERADOS AND SIERRAS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000 - 2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS.GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE TAILGATE CABLE SHEATHING INSTALLED IN C/K MODELS HAD INADVERTENTLY CHANGED IN OCTOBER 1999, INCREASING THE PROPENSITY FOR VOIDS IN AND AROUND THE GALVANIZED STEEL CABLE STRANDS WHICH CAN ALLOW MOISTURE TO WICK AMONG THE STRANDS, LEADING TO OXIDATION AND WEAKENING OF THE STRANDS.SINCE ODI INITIATED RQ04-010 IN SEPTEMBER 2004, ODI HAS RECEIVED 10 ADDITONAL NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS ON MY 1998-99 C/K VEHICLES, BUT NO ADDITIONAL INJURY COMPLAINTS.DURING THIS SAME PERIOD, GM HAS RECEIVED 564 NON-INJURY AND 35 INJURY COMPLAINTS. ODI HAS RECEIVED 6 INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 38 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF MODEL YEAR 2000 C/K VEHICLES AND REQUIRES FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CAMPAIGN 04V-129 OR SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE INJURY SUMMARY FOR RQ04-010.