CHEVROLET CHEVY VAN · model year

1998 CHEVROLET CHEVY VAN

11 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998CHEVROLETCHEVY VAN carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 2 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 CHEVY VAN is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (1) and exterior lighting:headlights (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 57 investigation files overlapping the 1998 CHEVY VAN, and 2 remain open. 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.

11
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

11 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER1
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
SERVICE BRAKES1
AIR BAGS1

Recent Complaints

20180726AIR BAGS

PASSENGER AIR BAG EXPLODED AS I PUT MY TRUCK IN REVERSE , SITTING STILL

Mileage: 170,000

20140827CrashSERVICE BRAKES

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES I APPLIED MINE BUT I HAD NO BRAKES. THEY HAD ROTTED OUT. *TR

Mileage: 76,800

20071025FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

BOUGHT 1998 CHEVY ASTRO VAN ON MARCH 8, 2007. WE TOOK A FAMILY VACATION TO IOWA OCTOBER 1-5, 2007. ON THE WAY BACK TO TENNESSEE, ON I-64, LOCATED NEAR NASHVILLE, ILLINOIS, THE VAN BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THINKING IT WAS JUST OVERHEATING, WE PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. SMOKE BEGAN TO COME THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. AS WE WERE EXITING, WE NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND WE RAN. A LARGE GUSH OF WIND CAUSED THE ENTIRE VAN TO BE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WE LOST ALL OUR BELONGINGS AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE ITSELF. WE ARE NOT EXACTLY HIGH ON THE FINANCIAL END AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY AND ALL HELP YOU CAN GIVE US. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

20060131VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING

I HAVE A 1998 CHEVY ASTRO VAN THAT HAS HAD THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT RANDOMLY. I ALSO KNOW OF SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER MODEL CHEVY/GMC TRUCKS, VANS, AND CARS. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY A DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE WIPER MOTOR ITSELF. *JB

20050909CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DT: 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. FAULTY ABS SYSTEM. WHEN DRIVING THE SPEED DROPPED TO 10 MPH AND THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. CURRENTLY, THERE IS A RECALL ON GM CHEVROLET FOR YEAR 1999 TO 2003. THE CONTACT'S CAR IS A 1998 AND IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN RECALL. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THE CONTACT BUMPED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. *AK

Mileage: 90,000

20050906SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

DT: THE SEAT BELT IN THE FIRST ROW MIDDLE SEAT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED, AND THE REAR SEAT BELT WILL NOT PULL OUT AT ALL. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MAY 2004. ALSO, THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE HATCHBACK DOOR. THE DOOR ISSUE HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN A RECALL, AND THE WORK HAD BEEN DONE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNERS. THE RECALL WORK FOR THE DOOR WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DONE. THE SEAT BELT ISSUE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE IS A 1998, CHEVORLET, ADVENTURE. *AK

Mileage: 70,000

20050906STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

DT: THE SEAT BELT IN THE FIRST ROW MIDDLE SEAT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED, AND THE REAR SEAT BELT WILL NOT PULL OUT AT ALL. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE MAY 2004. ALSO, THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE HATCHBACK DOOR. THE DOOR ISSUE HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN A RECALL, AND THE WORK HAD BEEN DONE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNERS. THE RECALL WORK FOR THE DOOR WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DONE. THE SEAT BELT ISSUE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE IS A 1998, CHEVORLET, ADVENTURE. *AK

Mileage: 70,000

20050719ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I HAVE CHEVY VENTURE, NOW STARTED KNOCKING ENGINE WHEN IS COLD, THIS ONE OF SYMPTOMS OF COOLING LEAKING TO ENGINE, THE DEXCOOL COOLING IS EATING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. GM SHOULD BY THE REPAIR AND RECALL. I AM STILL NOT HAS TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE BUT IT MAY HAPPEN SOON OR LATER, I WHICH NEVER HAPPEN. THANK YOU

Mileage: 102,000

20050411EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHT COVER FALLS OFF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. BULB IS EXPOSED TO ELEMENTS, WHICH DESTROYS THE BULB. REPLACEMENT PART, WHICH IS AN HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, INCLUDES A HEADLIGHT BULB, COST $125-$145. THIS IS A REDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY WHEN JUST A PLASTIC COVER FALLS OFF. MAKE THE PLASTIC COVER AVAILABLE WITH A GLUE KIT FOR THE CUSTOMER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEN GET YOUR ENGINEERS TO FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

20050107LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR (AUTOMATIC) DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY IN WEATHER CONDITIONS UNDER 50/60 DEGREES. THE DOOR DOES NOT LATCH (WHICH I'VE PAID TO HAVE FIXED IN 2002), AND NOW BECAUSE IT DOES NOT LATCH, IT IS POPPING BACK OPEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. I'VE ALSO FOUND OUT, BY MY OWN RESEARCH, THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SLIDING DOOR ACTUATORS, AND ANOTHER COMING ON THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN UNACCEPTABLE, AND IS DETERRING ME FROM PURCHASING ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. I'VE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MY WATER PUMP, WHICH IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE VENTURE. THE VAN ONLY HAS 89,000 MILES ON IT, AND SHOULD NOT HAVE AS MANY DEFECTS AS IT DOES.*AK

Mileage: 75,000

20000303CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I WAS DRIVING SOUTH IN A FOUR LANE ROAD. A CAR WAS COMING NORTH AND TURNED INTO ME TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. MY DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WAS HIT, THE WHEEL WENT FLAT. UPON SEEING HIM COME INTO ME, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND SOMETHING SNAPPED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT UP INTO THE STEERING COLUMN . I COULD NOT KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT. I WENT INTO TWO LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE HITTING A FENCE WHICH STOPPED THE CAR. I HAD NO BRAKES. MY ANKLE IS BROKE AND I'M IN A CAST BECAUSE OF THE PEDAL SNAPPING UPWARD. UPON INPACT, THE THIRD BENCH IN THE VAN UNBOLTED AND WENT FORWARD. I WAS ALONE IN THE VAN THAT DAY, THANK GOD. I AM LUCKY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR KILLED SOMEONE BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I FEEL THE BRAKES COULD HAVE BEEN MADE SAFER. PLEASE HELP OTHER FAMILIES WHO COULD BE INJURED WORSE IN WHAT I CONSIDERED A "FAMILY VAN". THANK YOU. IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHO I CAN TALK TO OR WRITE TO, PLEASE LSET ME KNOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

Compare 1998CHEVROLETCHEVY VAN to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 CHEVROLET CHEVY VAN have?
The 1998 CHEVROLET CHEVY VAN has 11 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 CHEVROLET CHEVY VAN?
The most-complained component for the 1998 CHEVROLET CHEVY VAN is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS.
Is the 1998 CHEVROLET CHEVY VAN 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.