1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 73 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is service brakes, hydraulic (38% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Oct 2007
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I bought this truck with 70k miles on it .has been a good truck but the dash is coming apart and in the near future I do not know what is going to hold the gauges in place. I can not even buy a replacement part for the vehicle from gm and every part out of a salvage yard is in the same condition.”Owner report · Structure · Dec 2015
“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. *tr”Owner report · Service Brakes · Oct 2013
“1998 chevrolet k2500. For some time now the truck has had an intermittent windshield wiper issue (does not work when wet.) 03/25/2009 the wipers stopped working while I was driving in the rain causing a very dangerous situation. Did some research and found out chevrolet has an ongoing reputation for this issue and have recalls on earlier year models but their position is that these problems ended 1997. *tr”Owner report · Visibility · Mar 2009
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl*the 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.”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Oct 2008
“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chevrolet silverado 2500. While idling at a light or driving 60 mph, the engine intermittently fails. The vehicle lost power steering and power brakes. In the beginning, the vehicle would immediately restart, but now it takes approximately five minutes after the vehicle shuts down to restart. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage was 64,260 and failure mileage was 63,700. Updated 04/22/08. *lj the consumer stated the problem was finally resolved by replacing the fuel injection driver module.”Owner report · Fuel System, Other · Feb 2008
“Severe vehicle frame corrosion/rusting of front frame extensions, particularly in area of steering box mounting on several agency owned 1998 -2000 model chevrolet pickup trucks. Disposition is scrapping vehicles as beyond economical repair and unsafe to operate. *nm”Owner report · Structure · Feb 2007
“Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph under normal road conditions, the engine stalled. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer, who determined that the fuel solenoid driver had failed.”Owner report · Fuel System, Diesel · Aug 2006
“Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled suddenly while driving 65 mph. An independent mechanic determined the injector pump failed and needed to be replaced”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · Jul 2006
“Anti lock brakes activating at low speeds, sometimes making the vehicle difficult to stop. The condition is intermittent & will surprise the driver.”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · May 2005
“Repeated ABS brake failure...has not been corrected. Tailgate handle failure. Driver side door handle, lock mechanism & window track defective”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Feb 2005
When filing, owners marked a crash in 7 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AND PART NUMBER APPEAR ON THE FILTER HOUSING. FRAM RACING HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS NOT BEARING A DATE CODE IN THIS RANGE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE GASKET OF THE OIL FILTER BECOMES MORE PLIABLE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES.
Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
How other years compare
Check your exact Silverado 2500 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 reliable?
NHTSA has 73 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The most complained-about area is service brakes, hydraulic (38% of complaints).
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 82,274 miles or less.
Does the 1998 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning equipment. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.