Most common 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe problems
Share of the 263 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Tahoe complaints by model year
Best Tahoe years: 2020, 2014, 2018. Years to avoid: 2021, 2023, 2015, 2011, 2022. Compare all years →
1998 Chevrolet Tahoe recalls (2)
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.
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Vehicle description: light duty extended-cab pickup trucks and 4-door utility trucks. The lower steering shaft to steering gear pinch bolt is "finger loose" or missing allowing the bolt to loosen and fall out. The steering shaft yoke can wear causing an off center steering wheel.
Remedy: Dealers are arranging to have the vehicles involved towed to the dealership and alternate transportation is being arranged for owners.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe:
Seat belt anchorage separation
Odi has received one (1) complaint alleging that the 2nd row passenger-side seat belt release buckle anchor detached from seat frame during a side impact crash.during the crash, the occupant was thrown from his seat, partially ejected through the rear quarter window of the vehicle.occupant sustained injury.GM has subsequently changed seat belt anchoring design in my 2000.
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 Tahoe owners say
Brakes all 77 →
My vehicle failed to start upon leaving the mall. After several trouble shooting procedures at my resident the next day, I found that the in tank fuel sending unit was not working. During the gently lowering of the fuel tank, the sending unit to filter fuel line that runs along the inside of the vehicle frame just crumbled into chunks of rust. After further inspection, I can not believe that GM actually installed fuel lines made out of plain unprotected steel tubing, especially on a vehicle that was sold and operated in a snow belt state. Also while I was replacing the fuel supply and return lines, I noticed that the brake line that feeds the rear brakes that also runs along the inside of the frame was in the same sad shape, during removal of this brake line, it also crumbled into chunks of rust, how these lines did not fail prior to this incident is beyond me. …
A current investigation esists (pe05-020) for unwanted ABS brake activation on model year 1999 - 02 GM c/k series vehicles in salt belt states. This investigation should be further expanded to include, at least, model year 1998 as this condition is also exhibited in this vehicle. Reference vehicle is a 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe with 63,000 miles. Condition has existed for more than 2 years. During this time repairs were made to correct the problem, which were effective for less than a year. Problem condition has returned. Problem has resulted in minor contact with other vehicles and objects in that a driver can not predict when the problem will occur and braking distance is extended even on dry pavement. Situation is worsened when in "reverse" and problem occurs.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 49 →
The windshield wipers of our 1998 Tahoe stopped working. Sometimes we would have to push them to get them started, other times we would have to jiggle the wiring to get them going. They would sometimes work for the remainder of the trip, other times they would stop every few minutes. There is no consistency to when they will work. We were stranded out of town in a heavy rainstorm. This is the same problem as the 94-97 recall and needs to be included. I spoke with Chevrolet and a local dealer. Both acted like they knew nothing about the problem until I mentioned the prior recall, then they just said we were not covered. This is a serious safety problem and chrvrolet needs to be held accountable for fixing the problem.
We bought the vehicle in January. The first instance occurred in March when the windshield wipers would not come on. On June 2, 2004 I was driving in a very severe storm on the turner turnpike when the windshield wipers stopped working. They came back on and worked intermittently on that trip to norman. They have worked only intermittently since then. They usually will work when it is not raining but not while it is raining now. The first time I was in very heavy rain that even with the wipers working I had difficulty seeing. There could have been an accident had I not been such a good driver and reacted the way I had.
Steering all 31 →
When turning the steering wheel to the right feels like driving on ice. When it is cold the steering feel like this all the time till the Tahoe warms up then I am back the random turning. Will not let anyone in my household drive the Tahoe because of this. Found a bunch of other tahoes with this problem on the internet and it sounds like the steering evo sensor is bad. Looks like the Tahoe would send some type of message to inform the driver to have this repaired or a bypass installed in case of failure.
1998 Chevy Tahoe loose steering at highway speed when going thru a slight curve it feels as though you hit a patch of ice. The steering wheel has a slight jerk that scares the life out of you. Replaced steering sensor, steering box, entire front end and it still does it..there needs to be a recall on this problem.
1998 Chevrolet Tahoe engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5L 8-cyl turbo diesel | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 15 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe a good car?
Based on 263 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Tahoe rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Tahoe 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 Tahoe?
The brakes — 77 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (49) and steering (31).
How many recalls does the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe, the most recent from February 17, 1998 (rotor). 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 Tahoe?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2014 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2021, 2023, 2015, 2011 and 2022. See the full Chevrolet Tahoe years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 9% 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.