1998 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
298 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 GMC Sierra 1500, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 30/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 75,000 miles.
Typical
Where 1998 sits among all Sierra 1500 years
What owners report
“Front brakes heated up, melted wheel weights off and burned abs wires. Truck would not stop. Was there a recall on brakes on this truck. Please let me know and is there anything we could do to keep this from happening again. Thanks”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Sierra 1500
“Windshield wipers fail to work intermittently, obviously i only attempt to use my wipers when it is raining. The last time i was driving in heavy rain on the interstate. I managed to get to the shoulder without incedent. This is a very dangerous situation.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Sierra 1500
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 95 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 55,210 and 112,000 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: CREW CAB PICKUP TRUCKS. THE FRONT, INNER CORNER OF THE FUEL TANK CAN CONTACT THE BODY SILL EITHER INTERMITTENTLY OR CONSTANTLY. THIS MOVEMENT CAN CAUSE A DISCERNIBLE NOISE AND, OVER TIME, CAN WEAR A HOLE IN OR CRACK THE FUEL TANK AT…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK FOR WEAR AND, EITHER INSTALL A SPACER BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER, OR IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FUEL TANK.
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.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 06V066000.
Technical service bulletins
42 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and brakes & stability — are on file for the 1998 GMC Sierra 1500. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1998 Sierra 1500 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 GMC Sierra 1500 reliable?
The 1998 GMC Sierra 1500 drew 298 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 30/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 1998 GMC Sierra 1500 problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 GMC Sierra 1500 are brakes & stability (87 complaints), visibility & wipers (45), and transmission & drivetrain (24).
At what mileage do 1998 GMC Sierra 1500 problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 GMC Sierra 1500 problems around 78,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 55,210 and 112,000 miles.
Does the 1998 GMC Sierra 1500 have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 GMC Sierra 1500. 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.