CHEVROLET C/K SERIES · model year

1998 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES

9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998CHEVROLETC/K SERIES carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 C/K SERIES is visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor with 3 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1998 C/K SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

9
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

9 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR3
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
VISIBILITY1
SERVICE BRAKES1

Recent Complaints

20130630SERVICE BRAKES

WENT TO STOP AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. *TR

Mileage: 202,000

20110204VISIBILITY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CK 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. OCCASIONALLY THEY DO NOT COME ON AND AT OTHER TIMES, WHEN THEY DO COME ON, THEY WILL NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS RELATED TO THE HIS YEAR, MAKE OR MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT BECAUSE HIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1997 IT SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL 03V159000, VISIBILITY WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Mileage: 80,000

20080827VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET CK 2500. WHILE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED DURING A STORM, THEY SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 09/25/08 *BF UPDATED 09/25/08. *JB

Mileage: 35,000

20050924SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

WE HAVE A 1998 CHEVY Z71 PICKUP AND HAVE HAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS. WE HAVE CONTINUAL BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK. WE HAVE REPLACED ROTORS, CALIPERS, BRAKE PADS ALL SEVERAL TIMES. SOMETIMES REPLACING BRAKE PADS AS OFTEN AS EVERY SIX MONTHS. STILL HAVE THE SAME SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL WITH TOO MUCH PEDAL TRAVEL. ALSO STILL HAVE LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES THAN WE SHOULD HAVE. THE TRUCK HAS ALSO HAD THE INTERMITTENT WIPER PROBLEM, THE WIPERS SOMETIMES WORK SOMETIMES NOT, WE PAID FOR A REPLACEMENT WIPER BOARD AND REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. NOW WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD FOGGING UP ESPECIALLY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM, IT JUST STARTED WITHIN THE LAST 4 MONTHS AND IS GETTING WORSE. IT WILL FOG UP WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON OR WHEN THE DEFROSTER IS ON. IT IS STARTING TO GET SO BAD THAT YOU CANT SEE THRU THE WINDOW WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *NM

20050924VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WE HAVE A 1998 CHEVY Z71 PICKUP AND HAVE HAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS. WE HAVE CONTINUAL BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK. WE HAVE REPLACED ROTORS, CALIPERS, BRAKE PADS ALL SEVERAL TIMES. SOMETIMES REPLACING BRAKE PADS AS OFTEN AS EVERY SIX MONTHS. STILL HAVE THE SAME SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL WITH TOO MUCH PEDAL TRAVEL. ALSO STILL HAVE LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES THAN WE SHOULD HAVE. THE TRUCK HAS ALSO HAD THE INTERMITTENT WIPER PROBLEM, THE WIPERS SOMETIMES WORK SOMETIMES NOT, WE PAID FOR A REPLACEMENT WIPER BOARD AND REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. NOW WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD FOGGING UP ESPECIALLY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM, IT JUST STARTED WITHIN THE LAST 4 MONTHS AND IS GETTING WORSE. IT WILL FOG UP WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON OR WHEN THE DEFROSTER IS ON. IT IS STARTING TO GET SO BAD THAT YOU CANT SEE THRU THE WINDOW WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *NM

20050915VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

1998 CHEVROLET C/K 1500 DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD.*MR THERE WAS A RECALL TO REPAIR THE CIRCUIT BOARD IN 1995-1997 MODELS BUT NOT 1998 WHICH EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE. *NM

20050901SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DT: THE CALLER HAS A 1998 VEHICLE FROM A DEALER THAT BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM AN AUCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO US FROM CANADA BY THE AUCTION COMPANY AND SOLD TO A DEALER WHERE THE CALLER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. HE SAID THERE WAS RECALL 05V379000 ON OTHER YEARS OF VEHICLE, AND HE WOULD LIKE THIS VEHICLE TO BE INCLUDED IN RECALL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP HIM BECAUSE THIS VEHICLE WAS FROM CANADA. THEY WOULD GIVE HIM $1000.00 IF HE BOUGHT A NEW VEHICLE. CALLER DID NOT KNOW IT WAS BROUGHT FROM CANADA AND BOUGHT BY DEALER. CALLER HAD SOME CLOSE CALLS.*AK

Mileage: 63,000

20040414VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

THE 97 CHEVROLET TRUCK HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHILED WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONING. MINE DID THE SAME THING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED BY MY MECHANIC.THE DEALER SAYS EVEN THOUGH IT OCCURS ON THE 97S THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 98S. I KNOW OF OTHER 98S THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

Mileage: 37,000

20030509VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATED ERRATICALLY, IF AT ALL, AT SPEEDS OTHER THAN WHAT WAS SELECTED ON THE SWITCH. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THE THINGS OFF, IF THEY MANAGED TO COME ON, WAS TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER WOULD REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I DID THAT ON MY OWN EXPENSE AND TIME AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REMEDIED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND THE FACT THAT 1998 MODEL C/K VEHICLES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE "RECALL" OF SEVERAL MODELS UP TO 1997 DEFIES COMMON SENSE. *JB

Compare 1998CHEVROLETC/K SERIES to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES have?
The 1998 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES?
The most-complained component for the 1998 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1998 CHEVROLET C/K SERIES safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.