Total Complaints
8 filings
CHEVROLET S SERIES · model year
1998 CHEVROLET S SERIES
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998CHEVROLETS SERIES carries 8 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 S SERIES is visibility:windshield wiper/washer with 3 filings, followed by visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring (1) and latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (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 S SERIES, 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130110ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED AND STOPPED FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS AND NOW TOTALLY STOPPED RAINING HARD AND ALSO CAUSED A WRECK TRUCK IN GOOD CONDITION ONLY 50,000 MILES. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
20130110VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED AND STOPPED FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS AND NOW TOTALLY STOPPED RAINING HARD AND ALSO CAUSED A WRECK TRUCK IN GOOD CONDITION ONLY 50,000 MILES. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
20040422ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE SEIZED UP WITH NO WARNING THROWING ROCKER ARM OUT THROUGH ENGINE BLOCK. TRUCK TOWED TO GM DEALERSHIP. OVER TWO YEARS LATER, THE TRUCK IS STILL AT GM DEALER. CUSTOMER AWAITING ESTIMATE OF REPAIR.
20031204SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER AND PASSENGER RECLINER HANDLE BOTH GET STOCK AND WILL NOT FUNCTION WHEN PULLED AND THEN BREAKS. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME 1 TIME IN A 98 S10 SINGLE CAB PLUS THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD JUST HAD IT REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO. IT ALSO HAPPEN TWO TIMES ON MY OTHER 98 S10 EXT CAB. I BELIEVE THIS A RISK BECAUSE ONES THE HANDLE BREAK U CANT ADJUST THE SEAT TO SIT UP RIGHT GM SHOULD HAVE THIS RECALLED AND PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT THE VEHICLES THAT ARE AFFECTED ARE 1998-2003 CHEVROLET S10 (ALL MODELS), 1998-2003 GMC SONOMA (ALL MODELS) AND ANY CAR MADE BY GM WITH THE SAME INTERIOR STYLE. *NLM
20031026VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATION HAS BECOME VERY UNRELIABLE. STARTED OUT JUST BEING A PROBLEM IN THE INTERMITTENT SETTING BUT HAS PROGRESSED TO ALL SETTINGS. SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL NO MATTER WHAT I TRY AND OTHER TIMES THEY WILL NOT SHUT OFF. A FRIEND HAD HER OLDER TRUCK RECALLED BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT'S STILL A PROBLEM ON THE NEWER UNITS I GUESS. *LA
Mileage: 75,000
20030921VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING WHEN USING INTERMITTENT WIPER FUNCTION. HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND WIPERS MUST BE SET ON FULL SPEED SETTING TO GET THEM TO WORK AT ALL. THEY WILL REMAIN UNUSABLE IN INTERMITTENT SETTINGS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES OR SOMETIMES DAYS. THE DEFECT GOES AWAY AND RETURNS WITHOUT ANY PATTERN OF FAILURE, LATELY, WIPERS STOP WORKING IN ALL MODES UNTIL SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. *JB
Mileage: 66,700
20030614VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING WHEN USING INTERMITTENT WIPER FUNCTION. HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND WIPERS MUST BE SET ON FULL SPEED SETTING TO GET THEM TO WORK AT ALL. THEY WILL REMAIN UNUSABLE IN INTERMITTENT SETTINGS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES OR SOMETIMES DAYS. THE DEFECT GOES AWAY AND RETURNS WITHOUT ANY PATTERN OF FAILURE. *NLM
Mileage: 55,000
20030614LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THE DEFECT(S) RELATE TO THE EXTENDED CAB VERSION OF THE VEHICLE WITH A 3RD DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. 3RD DOOR UPPER LATCH HAS BROKEN SEVERAL TIMES. PART IS MADE FROM STEEL ROD STOCK WHICH IS FORMED INTO A U SHAPE THEN STAMPED TO FORM HOLES FOR THE MOUNTING SCREWS AND THE SERRATED MOUNTING SURFACE. FAILURE EACH TIME HAS BEEN METAL FATIGUE WHERE THE METAL IS STAMPED AND IS DUE TO THE METAL BECOMING FATIGUED BY HITTING THE UPPER STRIKER/LATCH ASSEMBLY. THIS KEEPS THE 3RD DOOR FROM LATCHING AT THE TOP LETTING RAIN AND FUMES ENTER THE CAB. THE DEALER REPLACED IT ON EACH FAILURE BUT ADVISED ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS KEEPS THE DRIVERS DOOR FROM LATCHING CORRECTLY AND THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOULDER BELT IS ATTACHED TO THE 3RD DOOR. ADDITIONALLY THE LATCHING RELEASE HANDLE BREAKS WITH ABOUT THE SAME FREQUENCY. THIS PREVENTS THE RELEASE OF THE 3RD DOOR AND MAKES ENTRY AND EGRESS FROM THE REAR JUMP SEAT VERY DIFFICULT. THIS WOULD
Mileage: 55,000
Compare 1998CHEVROLETS SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 CHEVROLET S SERIES have?▼
The 1998 CHEVROLET S SERIES has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 CHEVROLET S SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 CHEVROLET S SERIES is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH.
Is the 1998 CHEVROLET S 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.