1998 GMC Sierra problems & reliability
190 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 GMC Sierra. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
8 complaints report injuries (9 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1998 GMC Sierra vehicles were involved in 41 fatal crashes with 27 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 56 | 29% |
| Visibility → | 32 | 17% |
| Power Train → | 15 | 8% |
| Steering → | 15 | 8% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 11 | 6% |
| Suspension → | 11 | 6% |
| Seat Belts → | 10 | 5% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 8 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 71,500 miles (middle 50% between 56,250 and 96,478 miles), based on 50 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 gmc sierra. The contact stated that the driver side door latch fractured. The vehicle was repaired by the contact but the repair specifics were unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 129,000. ....updated 01/23/15 *bf updated 9/11/2017*cn”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Dec 26, 2014
“Brakes failed while backing up and hit a tree. Found brake line was severely rusted and replaced brake line. *tr”
Service Brakes · filed Jul 10, 2014
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 gmc sierra. The contact stated that the abs warning light illuminated after depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician was unable to rectify the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage…”
Service Brakes · filed Jun 5, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES
Engineering Analysis EA05007 · opened Apr 14, 2005 · closed Apr 11, 2006 · led to recall 06V066000
- TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE
Recall Query RQ04010 · opened Sep 28, 2004 · closed Apr 14, 2005
Technical service bulletins
23 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1998 GMC Sierra. The 10 most recent:
Reduced steering effort (diagnose/replace steering wheel position sensor). *kb
070232001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2007
Antilock brake (abs) activation at low speeds. *tt
020525006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2006
Diagnosis of cracked or broken transmission case. *tt 2006 and prior cars and light duty trucks. *tt
020730024A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2005
Replacement of connector when replacing fuel tank module/fuel pump module. *tt
040604088 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2005
Rattle noise in engine. *tt
030601024A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2004
Engine coolant leak at intake gasket. * mj
01225 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
4l60e, 4l65e forward and low reverse waved steel clutch plate appearance change. *tt
01599 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Malfunction indicator lamp on with a p0300 set and a misfire. Various models including 1996 - 1999 p32 models. Sit bulletin 1416475. *tt
00149D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Spring slap noise from the rear of the gmt 400 series truck. *mn
01570 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2004
Malfunction indicator lamp on with a p0300 set and a misfire. Various models including the 1996-1999 p32 and the 1996-2002 gmc c/k truck. *tt
00149C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 2003
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1998 GMC Sierra in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1998 GMC Sierra?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 71,500 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.