CHEVROLET EXPLORER · model year

1998 CHEVROLET EXPLORER

6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998CHEVROLETEXPLORER carries 6 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 EXPLORER is visibility:rearview mirrors/devices with 2 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal (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 EXPLORER, 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 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:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1

Recent Complaints

20040622SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING/PARKING DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINED BACKWARDS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 123,000

20000131VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

DOOR MIRROR MALFUNCTIONED. YH

19990930VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

DOOR MIRROR MALFUNCTIONED. YH

19990921VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

REAR WINDOW WIPER FAILED. YH

19990329VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

EA 9900, GAS PEDAL STICKS, CONSUMER MUST SURGE THE VEHICLE TO MAKE IT MOVE FOWARD. *AK

19980918POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

VEHICLE ROLLS FORWARDS OR BACKWARDS WITH THE SLIGHTEST DECLINE OR UPHILL SITUATION.

Compare 1998CHEVROLETEXPLORER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 CHEVROLET EXPLORER have?
The 1998 CHEVROLET EXPLORER has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 CHEVROLET EXPLORER?
The most-complained component for the 1998 CHEVROLET EXPLORER is VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Is the 1998 CHEVROLET EXPLORER 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.