1998 Chevrolet Express

Routine

Owners filed 23 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt3
000
Tires3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip2
000
Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior1
000
Suspension › Rear1
000
Suspension › Front1
000
Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and Attachments1
000
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments1
000
Structure › Body › Door1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting09E012000
Filed Apr 7, 200916,270 vehiclesSabersport

Defect. SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor98V033000
Filed Feb 17, 19981,137 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. 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.

Risk. IF A DRIVER CONTINUES TO DRIVE WITH A CRACKED ROTOR, THE CRACKS COULD CONTINUE AROUND THE WHEEL MOUNTING BOLT CIRCLE AND ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A WHEEL SEPARATION.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ROTORS FOR A CORE DATE OF "287" AND, IF FOUND, REPLACE THE ROTOR.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jan 20, 200642,233 milesWI

FAILURE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT AT 42000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 90008 MILES. *NM

Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Nov 19, 200361,125 milesMI

THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HINGE BROKE COMPLETELY OFF WITHOUT EXCESSIVE FORCE BEING APPLIED. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE DOOR WAS NOT FREQUENTLY USED. IN AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE HINGE, THE DEALERSHIP MADE THE PROBLEM WORSE. *AK THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE PIN SEIZED UP DUE TO NO LUBRICATION. *JB

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Jul 11, 200380,000 milesWI

THE DOOR HINGES FROZE UP AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CLOSE THE DOOR WHICH CAUSED THE DOOR TO BE MISALIGNED. *JB PH *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 29, 2002MI

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

Suspension › Rear
Filed Oct 29, 2002MI

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE REAR AXLE FAILED CAUSING OIL TO LINK FROM THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

Fuel System, Gasoline › StorageFire
Filed Jul 11, 2002PA

SMELLED GASOLINE AND SAW FUEL DRIPPING FROM SIDE AND BOTTOM OF VAN...VAN SPUTTERED TO STOP, LOST POWER STEERING BUT WAS ABLE TO COAST TO CLOSED GARAGE PARKING LOT...DETERMINED PLASTIC FUEL LINE WAS PUNCTURED--THEY TOLD ME PART(FUEL LINE) WAS DISCONTINUED!??

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Mar 24, 2002TX

I NOTICED A CONTINUOUS TIRE THUMP" AND STOPPED THE VEHICAL AND CHECKED THE TIRES. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD A FLAT SPOT IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD, ABOUT 2IN X 1.5 IN. THERE WERE NO OTHER ABNORMATITIES. AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 30 MORE MILES THE "THUMP" GOT ALOT MORE APPARENT AND I HEARD A LOUD "CLINKING" NOISE. I STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE OVER ABOUT A 12 IN. OF LENGTH WHERE THE STEEL BELT STOPS AT THE SIDE WALL. THE TREAD WAS STILL INTACT. I BELEIVE THAT IF I HAD NOT STOPPED WHEN I DID THAT TOTAL SEPERATION OF THE TREAD WOULD HAVE OCCURED WITHIN THE NEXT MILE OR SO. I HAVE THE TIRE IF YOU NEED TO INSPECT IT AND/OR I CAN SEND YOU PHOTOS .*AK (DOT NUMBER: VN1181A098 TIRESIZE: LT 245/ 75)

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Oct 3, 2001CA

AIR TEMPERATURE 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AIR PRESSURE IN TIRE CHECKED AT 80 PSI COLD, SPEED 60MPH. THIS IS THE THIRD TIRE OF THIS SIZE AND MAKE, MADE IN CANADA. THIS ONE AND OTHER TWO HAD ABOUT 9 TO 10 THOUSAND MILES ON THE ROAD. EACH SUFFERED A TREAD SEPARATION. OTHERS HAD ODI#735190. *AK (DOT NUMBER: TPC 2012MS TIRESIZE: 24575R16 E)

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Jul 21, 2001KY

THE PROBLEM IS IN BUCKLE FAILURES AND RETRACTOR FAILURES. RIVERSIDE VANS (CONVERSION CO.) SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THESE BELTS. I HAVE HAD 4 FAILURES. MFR. IS ATWOOD MOBILE PRODUCTS. *AK

Structure › Body › Door
Filed Jul 18, 2001MI

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Tires
Filed Apr 18, 2001FL

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE WAS SHAKING OUT OF CONTROL. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT.*AK CONSUMER STATES TIRE PEELED BACK AND BELT SEPARATED.*JB

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Mar 5, 2001KY

VARIOUS SEAT BELTS (RETRACTORS AND BUCKLES) HAVE FAILED. CONVERSION BY RIVERSIDE VANS, COLON, MI. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Feb 28, 2001CA

ENGINE SHAKES AND RATTLES, ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP DUE TO FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. SIDE CARGO DOOR WILL NOT LATCH AT BOTTOM, DEALER STATED RIGHT SIDE REAR DOOR LATCH LINK WAS MISALIGNED. *SLC

Tires
Filed Oct 17, 2000SC

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH 14 PASSENGERS WHEN I FELT THE VAN START TO RIDE ROUGH AND THEN FELT A FLAPPING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. I THEN PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO FIND THE TIRE HAD COMPLETELY SHREDDED THE OUTER LAYER, BUT DID NOT BLOW OUT.*AK (TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245/75R16 )

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Oct 1, 2000TX

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY BRING HER CAR POOL HOME WITH SIX CHILDREN. SHE HEARD A LOUD THUMPING SOUND OCCUR ALL OF A SUDDEN. THE TIRE DID NOT BURST BUT WE LOST A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE TREAD. WE HAVE HAD THE TIRES REPLACED WITH GOODYEAR TIRES. THE SAME DAY THIS HAPPENED WE HEARD THESE TIRES WERE ALSO BEING INVESTIGATED. WE STILL HAVE THE TIRES IN OUR POSSESSION. (DOT NUMBER: VN11B1A307 TIRESIZE: LT245/75R1)

Tires
Filed Sep 19, 2000TX

I HAD SOME VIBRATION THEN THE TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE VAN. II DROVE ON THE REMAING AIR BLADDER TILL I COULD GET THE TIRE REPLACED. THE DOT NUMBER I GVE YOU IS NOT FROM THE DAMAGED TIRE BUT 1 OF THE ORIGINAL 5 TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE.( DOT NUMBER: VN11B1A058 TIRE SIZE: LT24575R16 )

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Apr 13, 2000CA

PADS ARE WEARING OUT FROM THE INSIDE WITHOUT ANY WARNING GIVEN. BECAUSE PADS FROM OUTSIDE DO NOT WEAR OUT, SENSOR CANNOT WARN THE DRIVER .PADS WERE REPLACED 7 TIMES WITHIN 12 MONTHS, AND DEALER COULD DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Apr 13, 2000CA

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR WITHIN THE INSIDE OF BRAKE PADS. TOTAL OF 7 SETS OF PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITHIN A YEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior
Filed Sep 30, 1999WI

EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRRORS SHAKE SO VIOLENTLY THAT DRIVER CANNOT JUDGE THE DISTANCE OF OTHER VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Sep 5, 1999NJ

FRONT BRAKES WEAR PREMATURLY INSIDE PADS WEAR BEFORE OUTSIDE PADS, THEREFORE THE ROTORS WILL GRIND BEFORE THEY SQUEEL FOR WARNING

20 of 23 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20260300Routine
20250400Routine
20241000Routine
20232100Routine
202113210Routine
202016100Routine
20198400Routine
201811610Routine
201721600Routine
201615620Routine
20158300Routine
201414700Routine
201322800Routine
201213602Fatalities reported
201112500Routine
201015510Routine
200910700Routine
2008141000Routine
200717410Routine
2006121600Routine
200523910Routine
200421720Routine
2003581170Routine
200255030Routine
200145220Routine
200084110Routine
199968220Routine
1998 — this page23220Routine
199729200Routine
199615330Routine
19951000Routine

Compare every Express year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Apr 7, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.