Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 GMC Sierra, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic56
- Visibility32
- Power train15
- Steering15
- Engine and engine cooling11
- Suspension11
- Seat belts10
- Fuel system, gasoline9
- Electrical system9
- Unknown or other8
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 9 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 41 1998 Sierra vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 27 people died inside them, and 9 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 GMC Sierra failed the safety check 1.16% of the time — 32% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 165,372 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1998 GMC Sierra.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What GMC told its dealers about the 1998 GMC Sierra: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634905 | SOME VEHICLES WILL NOT MOVE WHEN 4-WHEEL DRIVE IS REQUESTED, NOISE, SHUDDER, POOR PERFORMANCE, TRANSMISSION / TRANSFER CASE SLIPS, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT, SLIPS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE. *TT |
| 10021450 | REDUCED STEERING EFFORT (DIAGNOSE/REPLACE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR). *KB |
| 10017191 | SUPPLEMENT TO BULLETIN 99-06-04-047A FOR FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING. *TT |
| 10016707 | FOUR WHEEL DRIVE INOPERATIVE AND THE 4WD SERVICE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE. DIAGNOSIS MAY REVEAL THAT THE ATC FUSE COULD BE OPEN, POSSIBLE DTC C0308, OR VARIOUS U CODES MAY BE SET. THE ENCODER MOTOR MAY ALSO BE SHORTED OR THE TCCM MAY BE DAMAGED. *TT |
| 10014959 | REPLACEMENT OF CONNECTOR WHEN REPLACING FUEL TANK MODULE/FUEL PUMP MODULE. *TT |
| 10014809 | 4WD INOPERATIVE AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) U1026 ATC FUSE OPEN. *TT |
| 10010375 | SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT AND P0300 WHEN TOWING, CRUISING UPHILL OR ON HARD ACCELERATION. *TT |
| 10007838 | DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT |
| 10007717 | ENGINE COOLANT LEAK AT INTAKE GASKET. * MJ |
| 10007237 | 4L60E, 4L65E FORWARD AND LOW REVERSE WAVED STEEL CLUTCH PLATE APPEARANCE CHANGE. *TT |
| 10005566 | 4L60-E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OIL PUMP FIRST AND SECOND DESIGN IDENTIFICATION. *TT |
| 10005439 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH A P0300 SET AND A MISFIRE. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 1996 - 1999 P32 MODELS. SIT BULLETIN 1416475. *TT |
| 10005412 | SPRING SLAP NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE GMT 400 SERIES TRUCK. *MN |
| 10004371 | RATTLE NOISE IN ENGINE. *TT |
| 10004301 | RATTLE NOISE IN ENGINE. *TT |
| 10004223 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON WITH A P0300 SET AND A MISFIRE. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1996-1999 P32 AND THE 1996-2002 GMC C/K TRUCK. *TT |
| 10004214 | POOR PERFORMANCE FROM A STOP IN 2WD, AUTO OR 4WD HI. 2003, 2003 CADILLAC EXT ALSO INCLUDED. *TT |
| 10001916 | INSTALLING A FUSE JUMPER HARNESS TO CORRECT A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. *TT *JB |
| 10001595 | ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH SHORT CIRCUIT. *TT |
| 10001110 | SLIPS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE, NOISE, VIBRATION, LEAKS, HOT ODOR. *TT |
| 10000749 | ANTILOCK BRAKE (ABS) ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS ON VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING THE 1995 AND 1996 ENVOY. *TT |
| 10000062 | ANTILOCK BRAKE (ABS) ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES
TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLE BREAKAGE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation