1998 Chevrolet Tahoe Problems, Recalls & Reliability
315 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 22/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 86,000 miles.
Typical
Where 1998 sits among all Tahoe years
What owners report
“Brakes on 1998 chevy tahoe failed causing rear end collision. Abs brakes never came on abs light on ofter collision. Extenssive front end damage to vehicile srs system never deployed with major front end dammage.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tahoe
“Location of power window control panel on drivers side door panel placed where if drivers leg touches the right power window switch the passenger side window can be opened inadvertently. Power window control panel should be relocated higher. This problem occurs when rounding and corner and ones…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tahoe
“When turning vehicle suddenly seems to oversteer like it suddenly has increased power assist. Dealer suggested different alignment specs. Which did not work. Steering box and pump were also changed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Tahoe
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 98 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 84,614 miles. Half of those reports fall between 64,843 and 105,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR…
Fix: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
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.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROTORS FOR A CORE DATE OF "287" AND, IF FOUND, REPLACE THE ROTOR.
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…
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
39 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and electrical — are on file for the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
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 Tahoe reliable?
The 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe drew 315 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 22/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe are brakes & stability (83 complaints), visibility & wipers (51), and steering (33).
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe problems around 84,614 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 64,843 and 105,000 miles.
Does the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe. 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.