Most common 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series problems
Share of the 8 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet C/K Series complaints by model year
Best C/K Series years: 1999. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series:
Driver door electrical fires
By letter dated March 19, 2003, the manufacturer notified NHTSA of the decision to initate a safety recall campaign on selected vehicles within the subject population.the campaign involves 507,000 c/k and m/l vehicles built during model years 1997-1998.the recall involves vehicle models with high incident rates and built at selected assembly plants.a contributing factor to the defect wasinherent variations in…
Vacuum brake booster failure
Odi upgraded the preliminary evaluation to conduct a full technical analysis, including testing.the testing and analysis shows that a torn diaphragm is a slow progressive type of failure.the tear propagates in a slow methodical manner and braking performance is similar to an untorn unit until the tear exceeds 1/2 inch.odi's testing indicates that tears greater than 1/2 inch required increased pedal effort.however,…
What 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series owners say
Windows, wipers & sunroof
Tl contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet ck 1500. The contact stated that the windshield wipers worked intermittently. Occasionally they do not come on and at other times, when they do come on, they will not shut off. The vehicle was inspected and there were no recalls related to the his year, make or model vehicle. The contact spoke with the manufacturer who stated that because his vehicle was manufactured in 1997 it should also be included in NHTSA recall 03V159000, visibility windshield wiper/washer; however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet ck 2500. While the windshield wipers were activated during a storm, they suddenly stopped working. The failure occurs intermittently. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current mileage was 41,000 and failure mileage was 35,000. Updated 09/25/08 updated 09/25/08.
Brakes
Dt: the caller has a 1998 vehicle from a dealer that bought the vehicle from an auction. The vehicle was brought to us from Canada by the auction company and sold to a dealer where the caller bought the vehicle. He said there was recall 05V379000 on other years of vehicle, and he would like this vehicle to be included in recall. Dealer and manufacturer said they could not help him because this vehicle was from Canada. They would give him $1000.00 if he bought a new vehicle. Caller did not know it was brought from Canada and bought by dealer. Caller had some close calls.
We have a 1998 Chevy z71 pickup and have had for several years. We have continual brake problems with this truck. We have replaced rotors, calipers, brake pads all several times. Sometimes replacing brake pads as often as every six months. Still have the same spongy brake pedal with too much pedal travel. Also still have longer stopping distances than we should have. The truck has also had the intermittent wiper problem, the wipers sometimes work sometimes not, we paid for a replacement wiper board and repaired the problem. Now we are having problems with the windshield fogging up especially on the drivers side on the outside of the windshield. We have no idea what is causing this problem, it just started within the last 4 months and is getting worse. It will fog up when the air conditioner is on or when the defroster is on. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series a good car?
Based on 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 C/K Series rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the C/K Series at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series?
The windows, wipers & sunroof — 6 complaints, 75% of all complaints for this model year, most often about windshield wiper/washer › motor. Next is the brakes (3).
How many recalls does the 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet C/K Series?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1999. See the full Chevrolet C/K Series years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet C/K Series problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.