1998 GMC Sierra 1500 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report brake problems — especially antilock brakes that pulse or engage at low speed and a pedal that goes to the floor — along with windshield wipers that stop or restart on their own. Transmission and steering complaints are also common, typically appearing between about 55,000 and 120,000 miles, and many complaints were filed years after the truck was new.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS pulses at low speed, long stopping or pedal to floor

   • 12 complaints (20%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 8.2 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2012

   Complaints describe the antilock brakes vibrating or pulsating when slowing below roughly 10 mph, sometimes with a hissing sound and the truck continuing forward instead of stopping. Several owners report the pedal sinking nearly to the floor during hard braking, or ABS engaging on dry pavement for no apparent reason. Some mechanics pointed to a wheel speed sensor or ABS sensor corrosion; others say they could not find the cause, and one owner notes the year was not covered by a later ABS campaign. Reported across a wide mileage range, often from 50,000 to 150,000 miles, and usually when slowing at low speed rather than at highway speeds.

   Recall 98V0330006 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the brakes at low speed on a dry, empty road and feel for pulsing or a pedal that sinks. Ask whether the front rotor/hub recall was completed and whether any wheel speed sensors or the hydro-boost unit were replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Component: service brakes, hydraulic details: the ABS pulsates at low speeds, usually at 10 MPH or slower. I've almost hit several vehicles because my '98 Gmc sierra wouldn't stop. I see where they had a recall on 99 and newer trucks, but they need to go back further. This happens everytime I go to slow down. Gmc refuses to acknowledge problem prior to 1999.”

   NHTSA complaint #10280558, filed 2009-08, 60,000 miles

   “Since I have owned this vehicle, the antilock brakes seem to engage for no reason on dry pavement. When this happens, you have the feeling that you will not be able to stop. This started after is was out of warranty so the dealer has not looked at this problem. My son is a Gmc certified mechanic, and we have investigated this problem and been unable to determine it's cause. I understand that this is a common problem with this make and model of truck, however I can find no detailed reports on this. …”

   NHTSA complaint #765191, filed 2002-08
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers stop, stall or run on their own

   • 9 complaints (15%)
   • median 96,500 mi at 9.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2012

   Owners describe wipers that quit mid-sweep, sometimes leaving the blades in the line of sight, or that come on unexpectedly when it is not raining. Several say tapping or moving the arms gets them going again briefly, and some point to the wiper control board or a wiring connection. Most report the fix as replacing the wiper motor or control board, while some complaints note the dealer or manufacturer offered no assistance. Complaints span roughly 40,000 to 150,000 miles; many describe the failure happening while driving in rain.

   What to check: Run the wipers through all speeds and the intermittent setting, including a wiggle of the wiring near the motor, and ask whether the wiper motor or control board has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Windshield wipers fail to work intermittently, obviously I only attempt to use my wipers when it is raining. The last time I was driving in heavy rain on the interstate. I managed to get to the shoulder without incedent. This is a very dangerous situation.”

   NHTSA complaint #10020706, filed 2003-05, 119,000 miles

   “Windshield wipers would quit while using them while raining or not. It's lucky I have rainx in my wiper fluid and on the wipers which gave me enough visibility to see, but this could be a very hazardous situation.”

   NHTSA complaint #10082684, filed 2004-07
3. 3
   Steering

   Steering feels loose or pulls on its own

   • 6 complaints (10%)
   • median 55,210 mi at 9.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2020

   Owners report the steering wheel feeling loose or the truck steering left or right by itself, especially in turns, with one complaint describing a sudden lurch at highway speed. Several complaints mention a steering position or speed sensor, replaced more than once in one case, and one owner says a dealer found no problem. One complaint ties a sudden assist change to the power steering control board. Reported from very low mileage up to about 165,000 miles, most often noticed while turning.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive at highway speed and through sweeping turns to feel for wander or assist changes, and ask whether steering sensors or the power steering pump have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While traversing a freeway overpass going 60 to 65 MPH the truck suddenly lurched to the left. Fortunately no immediate traffic on my left. Really frightened me. After much research I discovered that a component (circuit board) of the new speed sensitive power steering could fail, making the truck think it was going slower and increase the power steering assist, causing the lurch to the left. This was after having the entire front end of the vehicle checked for alignment, faulty or damaged parts, any adjustments out of spec. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11311592, filed 2020-02, 165,000 miles

   “Dt: steering position sensor failed for the third time when making a turn. The resistance went away, it turned free. The consumer told the dealer it happened frequently. The sensor was replaced twice and this was third time. This caused the operator to make an uncontrolled over-steer turn.”

   NHTSA complaint #10125490, filed 2005-07, 55,210 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission loses gears or fails

   • 6 complaints (10%)
   • median 81,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2014

   Complaints describe automatic transmissions losing reverse, second and fourth gears, dropping into first and refusing to shift up, or leaving metal debris in the pan. Several owners had the transmission rebuilt or replaced, some more than once, and one transmission shop is quoted as keeping parts in stock for this model. One owner also reports a rear differential failure around 60,000 miles. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 120,000 miles, sometimes recurring after a rebuild.

   What to check: Check the transmission fluid color and smell and look for debris, drive through all gears including reverse, and ask for service or rebuild records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1998 extended cab Gmc sierra 1/2 ton. Rear differential exploded at 60,000 miles. Transmission was rebuilt and now it is acting up again at 80,000 miles. This truck has never been driven by anyone other than myself. This truck has never been abused and I followed the maintenance suggestions in the book. Is there some problem with this make/model. I have always owned Gmc products and never had any trouble like this.”

   NHTSA complaint #10147270, filed 2006-01, 60,000 miles

   “My transmission has failed 3 times, each time losing reverse, 2nd and 4th. The first time between 40k -50k the second time about 65k and the third at about 95k miles. I rarely pull heavy loads in this truck.”

   NHTSA complaint #10005831, filed 2003-02, 45,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag light on or airbag deploys without a crash

   Mentioned in 4 of 54 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the airbag warning light staying on, traced in one case to a short in the steering column coil, and in others airbags that did not deploy in a collision or deployed while the vehicle was parked. One owner reports an inflator-related failure and references the Takata recall. Repairs mentioned include a dealer charging for module work. Reported at high mileage, generally above 95,000 miles and in several cases past 160,000 miles.

   What to check: Confirm the airbag warning light goes out after start-up, and check with a dealer whether any open airbag recalls apply to the specific vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Several months ago, my airbag light came on and didn't extinguish. I took my 1998 Gmc extd. Cab pickup to the dealer and they completed repairs ($755.14, even at a discounted rate). The problem was the sir coil intermittently was grounding, causing a short in the sdm module. My airbag has never deployed and the truck has never been involved in an accident. Since airbags were mandated back in 1998, I would have hoped that I would never have had a problem with that system! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10176287, filed 2006-12, 96,990 miles

   “The contact owns a 1998 Gmc SIERRA 1500. While the contact was seated in the vehicle, the passenger side air bag deployed inadvertently. When the contact exited the vehicle, the driver's side air bag deployed without warning or an impact. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 230,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11222090, filed 2019-06, 230,000 miles

Buying note. On a truck this old, the brake and wiper complaints are the most frequent and the easiest to test on a test drive, so check both carefully and ask for repair records. Service history for the transmission and any completed recall work are worth confirming before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 54 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.