1998 Gmc PASSENGER VEHICLE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
14 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
78,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data updated: . 10 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 14 complaints (14.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 2 | 14.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 7.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | 2 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | 1 |
| Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filling/Charging | 1 |
| Parking Brake | 1 |
Electrical System: 2; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor: 2; Electrical System:Wiring: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 1; Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch: 1; Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filling/Charging: 1; Parking Brake: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 2 |
2002: 1; 2003: 6; 2004: 5; 2005: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10078645 · 2004-06-22 (June 22, 2004)
STEERING LINKAGE IDLER ARM FELL APART, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING ON VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF LINKAGE. HAD JUST COME FROM A LONG TRIP ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED WHEN TIS HAPPENED, BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. HAPPENED ONCE IN MISSISSIPPI AND ONCE AT HOME. REPLACED WITH IMPROVED PARTS FROM AUTO PARTS STORE. COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078645 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10118705 · 2005-04-29 (April 29, 2005)
MY DAUGHTERS PONTIAC SUNFIRE RECEIVED A RECALL ABOUT THE STEERING. I TOOK IT IN TO BE FIXED. THEY FIXED IT WITH NO PROBLEM. THE DEALER EXPLAINED WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING IF IT WERE TO GO OUT. THE STEERING TO THE LEFT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY PONTIAC TRANS SPORT MINI VAN. HE SUGGESTED THAT I CALL GM. I DID AND THEY SAID IT WAS DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT THE RECALL WAS CALLED IN FOR, BUT BY MY VIN # MY CAR WAS NOT IN WITH THE RECALL. THEY TOLD ME TO CHECK IT OUT WITH THE DEALER AND CALL BACK. I TO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10118705 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041512 · 2003-10-09 (October 9, 2003)
FIRES AT THE GAS PUMPS CAUSED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY. VEHICLES ARE CATCHING FIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FUEL VEHICLE. FEWER VEHICLES DOES NOT PROPERLY GROUND WHEN FUEL NOZZLE INSERTED INTO FILL SPOUT OF VEHICLE. I HAVE PERFORMED A STUDY TO SHOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OLDER FUEL SPOUTS WITH A GROUNDING CABLE AND NEWER SPOUTS THAT DO NOT HAVE CABLE. ALSO, THE MATERIAL OF THE SPOUTS HAVE CHANGED FROM ALL METAL TO A METAL WITH A PLASTIC INSERT. THIS WOULD PREVENT VEHICLE FROM BEING GROUNDED. IN MY STUDY, I FOUND MANY DIFFERENT MAKES AND MODELS OF VEHICLES …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041512 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
14 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 17.1%ODI 10075366FIRESTONE TREAD SEPARATION. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *AK | 17.7%ODI 10039307 · 37,567 miON 7/13/2003 THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRE (UNIROYAL LAREDO P2357015) LOST IT'S TREAD GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR. ON AUGUST 10TH, 2003 THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE LOST IT'S TREAD. IN BOTH INCIDENTS THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 110 DEGREES. BOTH TIRES WERE IN THE FRONT . MILEAGE WAS 36180 & 37567.*JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1% | 133.3%ODI 10025220 · 15,000 miTREAD SEPARATION ON 3 OF 4 TIRES PURCHASED ,TIRE WERE THORNBIRDS MADE BY INTERCO TIRE LA . SEPARATION HAPPENED WITHIN FIRST 2000 MILES OF HIGHWAY USE.*AK |
| Electrical System | 214.3%ODI 10000382 · 60,000 miON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS THE "CLUSTER" (DASHBOARD DISPLAY) HAS GONE OUT ON US. NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS GUAGE, NO BLINKERS, NOTHING. WE'VE RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER EACH TIME. THIS LAST TIME, 12/26/02, THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING FOR US. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 18.3%ODI 10013886 · 54,000 miAIRBAG LIGHT IN DASH BOARD INDICATES PROBLEM WITH SYSTEM. DEALER TELLS US THAT THE "SWITCH" IN SEATBELT IS DEFECTIVE. SWITH INDICATES THAT SEATBELT IS IN USE AND PERMITS AIRBAG TO GO OFF DURING COLLISION. FAULTY SWITH MEANS AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. CAR HAS ABOUT 55,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER QUOTES $237 TO REPAIR. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 17.7%ODI 10037346 · 61,000 miTHE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND WENT OUT ON THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 61,000 MILES ON IT. I WROTE TO GM ABOUT IT, AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO MY COMPLAINT. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO WENT OUT ON THIS SAME VEHICLE AT 51,000 MILES. GM IS BUILDING VEHICLES OF VERY POOR QUALITY AND GETTING PREMIUM PRICES FOR THEIR VEHICLES. I AM TIRED OF BUYING AMERICAN BUILT VEHICLES AND GETTING JUNK.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2%ODI 10093309 · 56,000 miRECURRING FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS SINCE BRAND NEW. (3 TO DATE). MOST RECENT FAILURES CAUSED LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER ON HIGHWAY AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED 3 SEPARATE INCIDENTS. FIRST REPORTED IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, TOOK DEALERSHIP (EWING BUICK IN PLANO, TX). THEY COULD NOT RECREATE...YESTERDAY, HAPPENED AGAIN AND I COULD NOT RESTART, HAD TO GET TOWED. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 215.4%ODI 10016985 · 45,000 miTRANSMISSION SLIPS AND MAKES NOISE IN THE FIRST GEAR AT INITIAL START FROM A DEAD STOP. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT ALL OF THEM DO IT. *JB | 18.3%ODI 10047272 · 70,106 miTRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE SUN SHELL FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION SHOP SAID, THAT THEY ARE DOING 5-6 LATE MODEL GM VEHILCES A WEEK WITH THIS SAME FAILURE. OK, SO GM HAS ISSUED A PARTS BULLETIN UPDATE, SO WHAT. THE COST OF REPAIR IS NOT COMING OUT OF THEIR POCKETS. I THINK THAT MORE OF US NEED TO COMPLAIN AND MAYBE SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN. *LA | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 216.7% | 111.1%ODI 10121702 · 28,000 miDT: THE ACCELERATOR STICKS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT OPENS THE GAS AND MAKES THE CAR LURCH FORWARD.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 216.7%ODI 10000955LAST MARCH I RAN INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR FOR A LIGHT IN A PARKING LOT. THE IMPACT WAS CENTER OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I FILE A COMPLAINT WITH GMC BECAUSE THE AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE NOR DID THE SEAT BELT HOLD ME. THEY CHECKED THE DATA ON COMPUTER CHIP AND MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 15MPH. LATER A RECALL WAS ISSUE ON POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH AIR BAG ACTIVATION. THEY SAID MY TRUCK DID NOT SHOW AN ERROR CODE TO SHOW IT MADE THE AIR BAG NOT ACTIVATE. I GOT THE RECALL TAKEN CARE OF THOUGH. IS THERE ANY LEGAL RECOURSE ON THIS? I JUST WANTED MEDICAL BILLS PAID. TS | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Parking Brake | 17.1%ODI 10045400 · 24,000 miAUTOMATIC PARK FAILURE WITH P-30 1998 MOTORHOME RESULTING IN COMPLETE BREAKDOWN ON INTERSTATE NECCESSITATING EXPENSIVE TOWING. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 10038986 · 20,000 miEMERGENCY BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING. *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 17.7%ODI 10023904 · 60,000 miUPPER & LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE METAL THAT HELD THE RECLINER LEVER ON BOTH SEATS BROKE. *JB | 18.3%ODI 10029072 · 52,132 miGMC SONOMA AND JIMMY'S FROM '98-01 WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES FROM THE BACKREST ADJUSTMENT LEVER SHAFT TWISTING OFF AT THE HANDLE, THE SHAFT IS SPLIT ON THE END WHERE THE HANDLE FASTENS ON WITH A SCREW GOING IN FROM THE END THAT PRY'S THE TWO HALF'S TIGHT TO THE HANDLE AND THE SHAFT ALWAYS BREAKS CLEAN WHERE THE SPLIT STARTS, -VERY POOR DESIGN. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | Too few reports for a range | 60,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10000382 · 60,000 miON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS THE "CLUSTER" (DASHBOARD DISPLAY) HAS GONE OUT ON US. NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS GUAGE, NO BLINKERS, NOTHING. WE'VE RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER EACH TIME. THIS LAST TIME, 12/26/02, THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING FOR US. |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | Too few reports for a range | 89,100 mi | 2 (sparse) | ODI 10028850 · 66,000 miINTERNMITTMENT OPERATION OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *AK |
| Electrical System:Wiring | Too few reports for a range | 60,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10000382 · 60,000 miON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS THE "CLUSTER" (DASHBOARD DISPLAY) HAS GONE OUT ON US. NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS GUAGE, NO BLINKERS, NOTHING. WE'VE RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER EACH TIME. THIS LAST TIME, 12/26/02, THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING FOR US. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Too few reports for a range | 90,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | Too few reports for a range | 115,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10105883 · 115,000 miCOOLANT IN OIL, OIL IN COOLANT. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. 8AK |
| Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | Too few reports for a range | 126,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10082208 · 126,000 miMY WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK IN THE RAIN AND MY TURN SIGNAL ON SIGNAL CLICKS WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL ISN'T ON. BOTH ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE 1997 MODEL, AND SEEM TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE 1998 MODELS. *JB |
| Parking Brake | Too few reports for a range | 24,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10045400 · 24,000 miAUTOMATIC PARK FAILURE WITH P-30 1998 MOTORHOME RESULTING IN COMPLETE BREAKDOWN ON INTERSTATE NECCESSITATING EXPENSIVE TOWING. *AK |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2001: 4 complaints · 2002: 3 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2002 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Electrical System | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | Electrical System:Wiring | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filling/Charging | Parking Brake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | — | 0 | 1ODI 10000382 · 60,000 miON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS THE "CLUSTER" (DASHBOARD DISPLAY) HAS GONE OUT ON US. NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS GUAGE, NO BLINKERS, NOTHING. WE'VE RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER EACH TIME. THIS LAST TIME, 12/26/02, THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING FOR US. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 10041512FIRES AT THE GAS PUMPS CAUSED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY. VEHICLES ARE CATCHING FIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FUEL VEHICLE. FEWER VEHICLES DOES NOT PROPERLY GROUND WHEN FUEL NOZZLE INSERTED INTO FILL SPOUT OF VEHICLE. I HAVE PERFORMED A STUDY TO SHOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OLDER FUEL SPOUTS WITH A GROUNDING CABLE AND NEWER SPOUTS THAT DO NOT HAVE CABLE. ALSO, THE MATERIAL OF THE SPOUTS HAVE CHANGED FROM ALL METAL TO A METAL WITH A PLASTIC INSERT. THIS WOULD PREVENT VEHICLE FROM BEING GROUNDED. IN MY STUDY, I FOUND MANY DIFFERENT MAKES AND MODELS OF VEHICLES … | 0 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1ODI 10000382 · 60,000 miON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS THE "CLUSTER" (DASHBOARD DISPLAY) HAS GONE OUT ON US. NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS GUAGE, NO BLINKERS, NOTHING. WE'VE RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER EACH TIME. THIS LAST TIME, 12/26/02, THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING FOR US. | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting:Hazard Flashing Warning Lights:Switch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filling/Charging | 1ODI 10041512FIRES AT THE GAS PUMPS CAUSED BY STATIC ELECTRICITY. VEHICLES ARE CATCHING FIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FUEL VEHICLE. FEWER VEHICLES DOES NOT PROPERLY GROUND WHEN FUEL NOZZLE INSERTED INTO FILL SPOUT OF VEHICLE. I HAVE PERFORMED A STUDY TO SHOW DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OLDER FUEL SPOUTS WITH A GROUNDING CABLE AND NEWER SPOUTS THAT DO NOT HAVE CABLE. ALSO, THE MATERIAL OF THE SPOUTS HAVE CHANGED FROM ALL METAL TO A METAL WITH A PLASTIC INSERT. THIS WOULD PREVENT VEHICLE FROM BEING GROUNDED. IN MY STUDY, I FOUND MANY DIFFERENT MAKES AND MODELS OF VEHICLES … | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.