1998 Chevrolet Corvette Problems, Recalls & Reliability
466 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 5 defect investigations. It scores 63/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 46,912 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 1998 Chevrolet Corvette sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1990, 1994–1996, 2010–2016, 2018–2020.
Avoid
Where 1998 sits among all Corvette years
What owners report
“Steering lock module shorted out causing steering wheel to lock. Mjs (did not count in numbers for ea02-031; duplicate of odi# 852313.)”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Corvette
“Parking brake will not hold on incline. Will not stop car when applied. Dealer acknowledges that brake does not work properly but indicates brake can not be adjusted and has no remedy. Manufacturer says it has no remedy since it is supposed to be self adjusting. Can one sell a car with brakes that…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Corvette
“The dic showed "service steering wheel lock", remove key and wait 10 seconds. There was a recall on 97-2004 corvettes for this. My vin does not show up but gm service bulletin louieinli #04006cc (electronic column lock) covers vehicle vins from w5100001 to w5131069. My steering wheel locked up…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Corvette
“Upon acceleration and braking the drivers seat moves app. 1/2 inch front to back.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Corvette
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 181 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 49,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 36,261 and 79,590 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEMS (ECL), WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO "LOCK," THE ECL SYSTEM PREVENTS TURNING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ECL UNLOCKS THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE…
Fix: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL DISABLE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK BY REMOVING THE COLUMN LOCK PLATE. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LAP BELT WEBBING CAN TWIST ALLOWING THE WEBBING TO BECOME JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL INSERTS TO THE BELT WEB GUIDE OF EACH LAP BELT RETRACTOR.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 04V060000.
Led to recall campaign 00V111000.
Technical service bulletins
152 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1998 Corvette TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette reliable?
The 1998 Chevrolet Corvette drew 466 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 63/100, scored against the model's worst year (2005).
What are the most common 1998 Chevrolet Corvette problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette are steering (222 complaints), brakes & stability (41), and electrical (35).
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Corvette problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Chevrolet Corvette problems around 49,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 36,261 and 79,590 miles.
Does the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.