Total Complaints
13 filings
GMC GMC TRUCK · model year
13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998GMCGMC TRUCK carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 GMC TRUCK is suspension:rear with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1) and engine and engine cooling:cooling system (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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1998 GMC TRUCK. 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.
Total Complaints
13 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
THIRD TIME I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKE LIGHT STOP SWITCH REPLACED ON MY 1998 GMC TRUCK. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS ARE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING AS THE 1995 AND 96 GMC SIERRA TRUCKS. I DRIVE A 1998 GMC SO YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE FIGURED THIS OUT BY NOW. MY WIPERS WILL WORK OCCASIONALLY BUT NOT WHEN YOU REALLY NEED THEM. I KNOW ITS NOT THE MOTOR BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF GMC WOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM. *NM
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WENT INTO 4 LOW, BY ITSELF, GOING AT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, WIPERS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN ONE YEARS TIME, NO TURN SIGNALS/BACKUP LIGHT- CAN'T BE FIXED BY DEALER-FOUND NOTHING WRONG, CALLED GMC WHICH OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE DUE TO IT BEING A USED VEHICLE. THEY FELT IT WAS RELATED TO PREVIOUS DRIVER. THE BRAKES WILL GRAB AND LOCK UP WHEN YOU FIRST DRIVE IT. YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR SEAT BELT ON BECAUSE YOU WILL BE PUT INTO THE DASH WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I DO NOT FEEL THE PREVIOUS DRIVER IS THE CAUSE IN THIS SITUATION. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE FOR BOTH MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS TRUCK TO OTHERS. YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. THE DATE I AM REQUIRED TO SELECT IS NOT APPROPRIATE IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *CB
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WENT INTO 4 LOW, BY ITSELF, GOING AT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, WIPERS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN ONE YEARS TIME, NO TURN SIGNALS/BACKUP LIGHT- CAN'T BE FIXED BY DEALER-FOUND NOTHING WRONG, CALLED GMC WHICH OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE DUE TO IT BEING A USED VEHICLE. THEY FELT IT WAS RELATED TO PREVIOUS DRIVER. THE BRAKES WILL GRAB AND LOCK UP WHEN YOU FIRST DRIVE IT. YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR SEAT BELT ON BECAUSE YOU WILL BE PUT INTO THE DASH WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I DO NOT FEEL THE PREVIOUS DRIVER IS THE CAUSE IN THIS SITUATION. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE FOR BOTH MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS TRUCK TO OTHERS. YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. THE DATE I AM REQUIRED TO SELECT IS NOT APPROPRIATE IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *CB
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WENT INTO 4 LOW, BY ITSELF, GOING AT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, WIPERS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN ONE YEARS TIME, NO TURN SIGNALS/BACKUP LIGHT- CAN'T BE FIXED BY DEALER-FOUND NOTHING WRONG, CALLED GMC WHICH OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE DUE TO IT BEING A USED VEHICLE. THEY FELT IT WAS RELATED TO PREVIOUS DRIVER. THE BRAKES WILL GRAB AND LOCK UP WHEN YOU FIRST DRIVE IT. YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR SEAT BELT ON BECAUSE YOU WILL BE PUT INTO THE DASH WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I DO NOT FEEL THE PREVIOUS DRIVER IS THE CAUSE IN THIS SITUATION. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE FOR BOTH MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS TRUCK TO OTHERS. YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. THE DATE I AM REQUIRED TO SELECT IS NOT APPROPRIATE IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *CB
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WENT INTO 4 LOW, BY ITSELF, GOING AT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, WIPERS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE THIRD TIME IN ONE YEARS TIME, NO TURN SIGNALS/BACKUP LIGHT- CAN'T BE FIXED BY DEALER-FOUND NOTHING WRONG, CALLED GMC WHICH OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE DUE TO IT BEING A USED VEHICLE. THEY FELT IT WAS RELATED TO PREVIOUS DRIVER. THE BRAKES WILL GRAB AND LOCK UP WHEN YOU FIRST DRIVE IT. YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR SEAT BELT ON BECAUSE YOU WILL BE PUT INTO THE DASH WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I DO NOT FEEL THE PREVIOUS DRIVER IS THE CAUSE IN THIS SITUATION. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE FOR BOTH MY FAMILY AND OTHER DRIVERS. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS TRUCK TO OTHERS. YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. THE DATE I AM REQUIRED TO SELECT IS NOT APPROPRIATE IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *CB
I PURCHASED A USED 1998 GMC EXTEND-CAB 4X4 PICK-UP HERE IN TN.. I HAVE HAD VERY GOOD SERVICE FROM IT UNTIL I MADE A TRIP 2 1/2 HRS. FROM MY HOME. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION I PARKED THE TRUCK, VISITED FOR AWHILE. WHEN I WAS PREPARING TO MAKE THE TRIP BACK I STARTED MY TRUCK AND AS I PUT IT IN REVERSE I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE TO CLANKS COMING FROM THE REAR, THE PERSON I WAS VISITING ALSO HEARD IT FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHEN THIS HAPPENED I COULDN'T GET THE TRUCK TO MOVE, SO WE HAD TO PHYSICALLY MOVE IT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE DRIVE. AFTER SOME TIME I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET IT OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY WHERE I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK TO MOVE ONLY BY GIVING IT JUST A LITTLE GAS AND THEN LETTING UP JUST ENOUGH SO THAT THE GEARS WOULD CHANGE, THIS I HAD TO DO ALL THE WAY HOME AND THEN TO GET IT TO A GARAGE. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, WELL I FIGURED THAT THE TRUCK WAS NOT OLD ENOUGH TO NEED A TRANSMISSION SINCE IT ONLY HAD SOMEWHERE AROUND 65,000 MILES ON IT AND
Mileage: 70,184
WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL "BOWED" OUTWARD. THE DEALER INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT VEHICLE'S FRAME HAD BROKEN AT THE CROSSMEMBER. THE FRAME HAD PREVIOUSLY CRACKED ON 03/15/02, BUT WAS REPAIRED BY WELDING. VEHICLE IS A 1998 GMC 3/4 TON HEAVY PICK-UP TRUCK. *NLM
Mileage: 76,769
THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD & MANIFOLD GASKET CRACKED LEAKING HIGHPRESSURED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE CYLINDERS CREATING A VAPOR LOCK, AND THE ENGINE DIED. BECAUSE OF THE VAPOR LOCK THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START IN NEUTRAL, GIVING ME NO POWER STEERING AND NO POWER BRAKES!!!!! THIS JUST ABOUT CAUSED A 20 -25 CAR PILE UP WITH 3-5 SEMI TRUCKS. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME AND I AM HAVING TO PAY FOR THESE LEMON LAW VIOLATIONS, LET ALONE THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS WORLDWIDE!! GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO FIX THIS MAJOR DEFECTIVE PART AND RE-IMBURSE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM. THERE IS A CONCERTED EFFORT ON THE INTERNET WITH ALMOST 1,100 SIGNATURES OF THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM. THIS SAFETY HAZARD NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED AND ALL WARRANTY COMPANY'S AND CLAIMS NEED TO BE REVIEWED TO SEE HOW BAD THE SAFETY HAZARD IS. I HOPE THIS "OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD & MANIFOLD GASKET DEFECT" IS TAKEN A
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE TIME, THE BRAKES WILL NOT STOP VEHICLE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAS UNHOOKED THE ABS SYSTEM, AND STATED THAT THE NORMAL BRAKES WORK FINE. *AK *SCC
I WAS TOLD BY GMC SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT A CORRODED COOLING NIPPLE WAS A COMMON FAILURE, THAT HE HAD "SEEN IT TOO MANY TIMES". ALSO VERIFIED WITH INDEPENDENT GARAGE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON MALFUNCTION, SUPRISED NO TSB HAD BEEN ISSUED.*AK
BRACKET THAT HOLD BRAKE HOSE ON UPPER CONTROL ARM CORAODES INSIDE AND PINCHES OFF HOSE. THIS ALLOWES FUILD TO APPLY BRAKE BUT NOT RELEASE. AS A REPAIRER OF TRUCKS I HAVE SEEN 11 OF THESE. THIS IS ON ALL GMC & CHEVY ONE TON TRUCKS AND MOTOR HOME CHASSIES WITH HYD. BRAKES. TWO DID CAUSE A FIRE, THE OTHERS STOPPED WITH VERY HOT BRAKES ON THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THE YEARS COVERED ARE 1980 TO PRESENT.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU START PULLING A LOAD YOU HAVE A VABRATION COMMING FROM THE REAR END, AND PUZZELL BY THE NOISE. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU EAR FROM COMSUMERS ABOUT THAT KIND OF PROBLEM. PICK UP EXT CAB SL2500
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.