Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The ABS brakes on my truck have never worked correctly and, if you brake hard and hit a little bump in the road at the same time, the brakes cut loose and don't stop. An accident occurred in 2000 due to the brakes not working. When you hit them hard, they cut out. Complained numerous times to 3 different Chevrolet dealers, and was told that that was a normal brake functioning. Have changed brake pads several times and brake rotors and hasn't helped a bit. Truck is scary to drive. Only have 56000 miles on it due to trepidation in using it. Have had nothing but problems with it since the day I bought it brand new.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet k2500. When the brakes were applied, the brake pedal extended to the floor. As a result, the contact crashed into a building. The vehicle sustained minor damage. The passenger was not injured. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and the mechanic stated that the failure was due to defective hubs. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified. The VIN was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 36,000.
Brakes went out completely after depressing brake pedal. Had to leave the roadway into the bushes to avoid hitting stopped car in front of me. Upon inspection of the vehicle after bringing it home, noticed that the brakeline to the rear of the vehicle was completely rusted through. Similar lines did not show sign of corrosion but this one was completely deteriorated to the point of no repair.
In January of 2003 the service brake began resisting foot pressure and making a loud vibrating noise when approaching a full stop on dry pavement on my 1998 Chevy pickup with aprox. 24,000 miles. By July the problem occurred at almost every stop. The dealer from whom the truck was purchased repaired the rear brakes ($303) and advised me that the problem with brake pedal was related to the ABS system and would require replacement of the front rotors at a cost of $1000+. A dealer mechanic told me the problem could eliminated by remove the brake fuse (disabling the ABS system). I confirmed this with a local garage who also informed me that the $1000 repair would only temporarily cure the problem. I have therefore been driving with ABS system disabled, replacing the fuse only for inspections and removing it immediately thereafter. …
Driving on dry pavement, applying brakes and the anti-lock kicked in. The truck (k-2500 ext cab 4x4) wouldn't stop. I quickly used the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. While under warranty, no one could find anything wrong with the brakes! I had multiple problems with this same issue over and over again. Taking to the dealer and still they found nothing.. It amazes me that after my warranty had expired, they told me the anti-lock sensors in the front hubs were bad and it would cost over $1,200 per side to fix!! I just don't have that kind of money. This issue should have been fixed when I bought the truck... There should be a recall on this so the consumer doesn't have to pay for faulty parts installed and the lack of the ase certified mechanics to find this problem until my warranty had expired!! How convenient for them!! I want my vehicle fixed at no cost to me. …
The ABS brake system when braking and you hit a bump, pothole or depression the brakes go into anti lock and do not come out. It takes about 1/3 more distance to stop. This is especially bad on snow and ice. When traveling with other pickups in upper Canada the other trucks could stop on snow but I would go by them by about 25-30 ft. I had one accident where I was approaching a stop sign at a t in the road and the highway was slippery and I hit a bump as I was stopping. Instead of stopping I just slowed and could not make the turn I hit a tree. $20,000 damage to truck. On the interstate i78 I was following traffic which came to a halt for contruction work I was unable to stop and had to pass a car on the right birm of the road. This problem has occured several times with mysel and my son driving. …
Dt: when applying brake pressure at low speeds the vehicle skids. It does stop but the brakes squeal. This causes the vehicle to fishtail in sandy or snowy conditions. The consumer took the vehicle to a local service shop, who noted there was rust on the entire brake system, including the adjusting pad, which literally fell apart upon inspection. There is a recall, but this vehicle is not included due to model year. The dealer said the damage was caused by road salt. The consumer has not had any repairs or corrections done. The consumer has not contacted GM/Chevrolet at this time regarding the brake problem.
Bought a 1998 Chevy Silverado 2500 in December 2005 with approximately 132,300 miles private sale. About 1 month ago I had a complete brake job done $1,000 (new everything) not by a Chevy dealer. I was shown the old brake components, the rears were severely rusted and there was no wear on the pads. I was told this was because they hadn't been engaging. There was corrosion in the front and extreme wear. I brought the truck back to the shop three times because it would pull to the right upon braking, and stopping was either really touchy (locking up) or a bit delayed. Each time they replaced parts and looked at it for free. The third time the repair shop said "it was something related to the ABS system, but we would have to go to a Chevy dealer to have it diagnosed". …
When the brakes are applied and the truck is going over rough road or rr tracks the brakes seem to lose stopping power and fade or sink to the floor and the truck does not stop as expected. I must give myself lots of stopping room, and I have told the wife to give herself a lot of stopping room. The wife has scared herself, and I have also when this problem occurs unexpectedly. I have taken the truck to the dealer, and they have worked with me. Then I was told that nothing further could be done and others having this problem. Disconnected the ABS or they put heavy loads in the bed of the truck. I did not know anyone else to talk to until I was watching the news tonight the 17th of jan. 2000, and saw an article about your site on news channel 5 out of nashville, tn. …
The problem seems to be a vacuum leak in the power brake assist unit . There is a clearly audible hissing sound when the brake pedal is depressed while the engine is running, stopping power has diminished by approximately75% with the ability to stop quickly { in less than 100 feet} virtually nil. This problem developed without any warning or signs of gradual failure. At the onset of the failure I was pulling a trailer equipped with electric brakes,for the remainder of my trip I relyed heavily on the trailer brakes to safely come to a stop. With out the trailer to assist me stopping the vehicle was extremely difficult and un relyable. Thank you.
Brake complaints in other Silverado 2500 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500?
NHTSA has 32 complaints about the brakes of the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 44% of the model year's 73 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (21 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.