Most common 1998 Chevrolet Suburban problems
Share of the 201 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Suburban complaints by model year
Best Suburban years: 2014, 2009, 2020. Years to avoid: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022, 2024. Compare all years →
1998 Chevrolet Suburban recalls (2)
Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior
Certain sport utility vehicles, Mini vans, and pickup trucks May develop a short circuit in the electric outside rearview mirror switch.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused jumper harness to the electric outside rearview mirror switch. Owner notification began on April 24, 2003.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Rotor
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. One or both front brake rotor/hubs were built with an out-of-specification gray iron that can fail during the life of the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rotors for a core date of "287" and, if found, replace the rotor.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban:
Erratic power steering assist while driv
The office of defect investigation (odi) has investigated allegations of power steering assist fluctuations in the subject vehicles.for details and a basis for the investigation conclusions, please see the closing report in the ea99-011 public file.odi has not identified a safety-related defect trend in the subject vehicle population.futher expenditure of agency resources on this subject does not appear to be…
What 1998 Chevrolet Suburban owners say
Brakes all 63 →
Dt: the consumer complained about ABS brakes kicking in at low speeds. The service brakes and ABS will not hold when the ABS kicks in. The problem has been on going since November of 2004. The dealership cleaned and greased the brakes. They machined the rotors and replaced the left upper arm bushing. And they checked the ABS sensors. The problem recurred. When she contacted them they said they could not find the cause of the problem. It started getting worse in July of 2005. She took vehicle to the dealership again. They replaced the sensor bushings and an idle arm. The problem is still occurring. She took it back to them. They replaced two rear drums, the sway bar bushings, the u joints, and t tightened the transfer case. However, the problem recurred. A recall for the 2000 models was issued. …
My truck since new once every one or two weeks the brakes don't work, when you more need them, suddent stop not panic stop. Was reported in several occasion to the deler,they inspected repace pads ... No problem with brakes. The truck continue with the same problem. The last 9/25/00 the car started running like when the brakes is on and lock it.one more time pads every think is replaced, but this time continue lock,know contamination is susp. ??? More parts to be change. I am requesting help this is normal, I am very concern about my family safety. We need to wait until a fatality occur to then someone concern about this matter. I have a naibor have the same problem, and he was involved in an accident. I will like to know if is more data about this matter and what I can do to prevent a fatal accident. Thanks.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 46 →
(1) driving in rain. (2) wiper failure. Consequences are obvious! (3) stop, open hood of vehicle, and smack the wiper control! Note! Due to fact that a friend of mine has a 1996 GMC sierra truck which was recalled for this problem, I refuse to pay hundreds of dollars to have it fixed! My vehicle is a 1998 (ordered in 1997 before they hit the production line) Chevrolet Suburban. The problem is bad solder joints on the board! I am an eet by degree for 25 years and I know the problem well and I also know that the problem with my friend's truck and mine are the same problem! I got absolutely no help from Chevrolet customer representatives! They acknowledged that it was indeed the same wiper control and could not explain why the recall cutoff stopped when it did! But, they also would not give me a guarantee that I would not be charged to have it fixed! …
I had my windshield wipers quit working on my 1998 Chevrolet Suburban. At first it started out once in awhile. However coming back from vacation in the autumn of 2001, I was coming through a mountain pass at 10:30 pm. It was raining very hard and on a two lane highway in the middle of the night my windshield wipers quit. I had my wife and 2 young daughters in the second row seat. There was no shoulder to pull over on, and in the pitch black I thought for sure we would either end up in the other lane and hit an oncoming car or end up in the ditch. I had the windshield wiper module changed at capitol Chevrolet in salem oregon. I have the invoice. I want to make sure that no one else has to go through the same situation as we did. I am aware of the recall on certain Chevrolet models, but it does not include 1998 models...big mistake...it should include 1998's also.
Steering all 21 →
1) near crashes have been caused by an erratic condition in the steering. Called GM national customer service number and gave all information and was promised someone would contact me. (never happened) 2 other families here in rochester have the same vehicle and the same problem. 2) upon turning the steering wheel, the wheel itself suddenly free-wheels several inches. This rapidly accelerates the degree of turn and makes the driver feel as if they have lost control and the entire vehicle often swerves out of control. 3) I brought it to 2 dealers here in rochester and neither was able to detect the problem on a test drive. The problem comes and goes. When it happens, it will scare the living out of you, and the driver on the other side of the road. We have all but lost control on more than one occasion. …
I am having the same trouble with my 1998 Suburban that was filed on NHTSA investigation ea99011. I also notice that it happens worse when driving in winter when temperatures are colder. It seems once vehicle has been driven for awhile its not as bad. But still seem to loose steering control as indicated in the report mentioned above. A very serious problem and scary. Loss of steering for split second causing vehicle to jerk in both directions when the loss occurs.
1998 Chevrolet Suburban engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban a good car?
Based on 201 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Suburban rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Suburban 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 Suburban?
The brakes — 63 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (46) and steering (21).
How many recalls does the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban, the most recent from March 7, 2003 (exterior). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Suburban?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2009 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015, 2021, 2023, 2022 and 2024. See the full Chevrolet Suburban years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Suburban problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 77,000 miles; 18% 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.