1998 GMC Sierra complaints

WINDSHIELD WIPERS & WASHER SPRAY INTERMITTENTLY WOULD STOP WORKING, BUZZ SOUND FROM MOTOR HOUSING. TYPICALLY I COULD GET TO START AGAIN BY HITTING BLACK COVER OF WIPER MOTOR. I TOOK OFF COVER AND DETERMINED THE CONTROL CIRCUIT BOARD FAILED, PROBABLY THE RELAY. I PURCHASED NEW BOARD AND WORKS FINE. I NOTIFY NHTSA FOR 2 REASONS & THINK SHOULD BE RECALL. 1) NEW PART INDICATES NEED TO SEAL COVER, ORIGINAL NOT SEALED 2) FRIEND HAS SAME YEAR CHEVY K2500 & HAS IDENTICAL PROBLEM. SUSPECT MAY BE DUE TO NORTHEAST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND DEFECT IN DESIGN.*AK

CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AND WENT TO WORK, CAME OUT AND VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE FIRE PUT ITSELF OUT, THE FIRE STARTED IN THE AREA OF THE POWER MIRROR SWITCH, CLAIM 22-V226-581. *SLC

VEHICLE FIRE CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE WIRING OF THE DOOR, CLAIM 42-1295-954. *SLC

CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AND WENT TO WORK, CAME OUT AND VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE FIRE PUT ITSELF OUT, THE FIRE STARTED IN THE AREA OF THE POWER MIRROR SWITCH, CLAIM 22-V226-581. *SLC

VEHICLE FIRE CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE WIRING OF THE DOOR, CLAIM 42-1295-954. *SLC

OUR FLEET HAS A NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES MODLE YEARS 1997- 2000 WITH REPEAT FAILURE OF THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES.*AK

WHEN ACCELERATING SOUNDS LIKE A VIBRATING NOISE , BUT VEHICLE IS NOT VIBRATING. THIS IS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SOUND. *AKTHE NOISE HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND THE VEHICLE FAILED EMMISIONS INSPECTION. NLM

I HAVE A 1998 GMC Z71 WITH 61,000 MILES THAT I BOUGH NEW AND JUST HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN AT A COST OF $2000.00. WHEN I TOLD THE SERVICEMAN WHAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DOING HE AUTOMATICALLY NEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE SAID THAT IT WAS THE SHAFT HOUSING THAT HAD BUSTED AND IT MESSED UP THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN BY THE WAY HE RESPONDED. HE SAID THAT THE SHAFT HOUSING WAS NOT AS HEAVILY BUILT AS THE NEW ONE THEY INSTALLED. DOES THIS MEAN THAT OTHER OWNERS WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THERE TRUCK AROUND 60,000 MILES? IT SOUNDS LIKE A DEFFECT TO ME IF THE SHAFT HOUSING WAS NOT BUILT STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE THE USE THAT A TRUCK IS PUT THROUGH. I TOW A SMALL 5X10 UTILITY TRAILER AND HAVE HAULED A 27 TRAVEL TRAILER ONE TIME WITH THIS TRUCK SO IT DOES NOT HAUL A LOT OF WEIGHT. I JUST HOPE THAT I DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN ABOUT 60,000 MILES. I LIKE MY TRUCK AND HAVE PAYED A LOT OF MONEY FOR IT AND PLAN TO KEEP IT.*AK

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 55MPH, AND THEN VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, AND COULD NOT SHIFT GEARS ANYMORE. VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVEABLE. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKEDT AND SHUT OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY FOR FOUR HOURS WHEN THE CUSTOMER NOTICED FLAMES AND SMOKE, DASH HERNESS FAULTY (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT).

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN POWER STEERING WILL SUDDENLY KICK IN, CAUSING CONSUMER TO OVERSTEER. DEALERSHIP HAS YET TO DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

A HEATING CONNECTOR ON COOLANT LINE HAS DETERIORATED / MELTED WITHIN TWO YEARS, CAUSING COOLANT LEAKAGE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. *AK

THERE IS SEVERE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING DUE TO ROTORS THAT ARE PREMATURELY WHARPING. CAUSE IN UNKNOWN. *AK

TRANSMISSION MADE GRINDING NOISES IN LOW AND HIGH GEARS, AND SHIFTING WAS ROUGH. DROVE DIRECTLY TO TRANSMISSION SHOP. CALLED SERVICE MANAGER AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBILITY AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. VEHICLE WAS ONLY 4,000 OVER WARRANTY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE TREAD OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED, INSPECTION OF THE SECOND REAR TIRE REVEALED SEPARATION OF THE TREAD AND AIR LEAKAGE (THE TIRE MAKE/MODEL WAS NOT GIVEN). NLM

PROBLEM WITH FUEL SYSTEM EVAC CANISTER. THE CANISTER, LOCATED IN LEFT FRONT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS A FRESH AIR VENT OPENING FOR PARTIAL VENTING OF VACUM DIRECTED TOWARDS FUEL VAPOR CONTROL. IT IS COVERED BY A LOOSE FITTING CAP. THIS UN-PROTECTED OPENING ALLOWS DIRT TO ENTER THE TOP OF THE CANISTER AND EVENTUALLY CLOG THE OPENING. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE ENTIRE VACUM FORCE IS APPARENTLY DIRECTED TO THE FUEL TANK CAUSING FUEL TANK TO COLLAPSE. AN OLDER MODEL TRUCK (I BELIEVE IT WAS A 1997) WAS EXAMINED AND A SIMILAR CANISTER FRESH AIR VENT WAS STAMPED WITH THE WORDS "AIR CLEANER" THOUGH IT TOO WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE AIR CLEANER BUT WAS ONLY COVERED BY A LOOSE FITTING CAP. THIS PROBLEM IS PROBABLY NOT EVIDENT IN VEHICLES OPERATED ON HIGHWAY ONLY. A LOCAL SERVICE STATION, JOHN MELHISER'S AMOCO, PETERSBURG INDIANA, RELATED TO ME THAT HE KNEW OF 3 OTHER AREA PICKUPS (FARM USE) THAT EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. SYMPTOMS OF EMMINENT FUEL TANK COLLAPSE BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE ARE: 1-INCREASED VACUM IN FUEL TANK AS NOTICED WHEN REMOVING THE FUEL CAP; 2 FUEL GAGE BEGINS TO MALFUNCTION (CAUSED BY BOTTOM OF TANK BEING PUSHED UPWARD ON THE SENDING UNIT). I SUSPECT THAT THE EFFECT IS MORE PRONOUNCED AT LOWER FUEL LEVELS. I CONTACTED GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE # JAN 26 THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN MARCH 16. THEY INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN NOTED BUT THAT NO FIRTHER ACTION WAS PLANNED. GM INDICATED THAT A "PRODUCT ALLEGATION REPORT" COULD BE FILED IF THE PROBLEM CAUSED SIGNIFICANT P

WHEN MAKING TURNS AT 2:00 ANGLE STEERING WILL JERK. DEALR HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND APPLIED BRAKES, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER, AND VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED AND FAILED AGAIN. *YH

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING ABS TO ACTIVATE WHEN IT WAS NOT SUPPOSE TO DO SO ON DRY PAVEMENT OR EVEN WHEN NOT BRAKING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH AND FELT A BUMP. FELT LIKE A TIRE HAD BLOWN AND WENT FLAT. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, AND CHECKED TIRES. NOTICED LEFT REAR TIRE HAD LOST ALL OF ITS TREAD. FIRESTONE STEEL TEX AT P245/75R16 WITH 36,000 MILES.*AK

DURING THE 29 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED MY GMC I HAVE HAD 4 FLATS AND 2 BLOWOUTS. ALL OF THEM OCCURRED WITH LESS THAN 16,000 MILES ON THE TIRES. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE STEELTEX TIRES.*AK (TIRESIZE: 245/75R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 245/75R16 )

THE FRAME RESONANT VIBRATION FREQUENCY ON THIS TRUCK PRECISELY MATCHES THE TIRE ROTATION FREAUENCY AT ABOUT 45 MPH. THIS CAUSES VERY ANOYING BOUNCING OF THE REAR END AT 45 MPH. WHEN BRAKIN AT 45 MPH, THE REAR END JUMPS ABOUT UNCONTROLABLY AND COULD EASILY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. ONLY THE EXTENDED CAB MODELS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IF ONE USES THE EXACT SAME FRAME THAT IS ON THE REGULAR CAB MODEL FOR THE EXTENDED CAB MODEL AND SIMPLY MAKES IT LONGER, THE STIFFNESS WILL BE LESS AND COULD LEAD TO THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE IT IS THE RESULT OF INADEQUATE FRAME STIFFNESS, AND I BELIEVE GMC KNOWS (AND HAS KNOWN) THIS AND HAS MADE A BUSINESS DECISION TO PUT UP WITH THE COMPLAINTS RATHER THAN FIX THE PROBLEM. ALL OWNERS OF SIMILAR MODELS OF GMC AND CHEVY THAT I HAVE TALKED TO HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. GM SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO IGNORE A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM.

POSITIVE POST FOT DELCO BATTERY HAD PULLED OUT AND WAS LEAKING ACID AND RELEASING HYDROGEN ACID. CONSUMER REPLACED BATTERY, AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH SLACK FROM THE CLAMP TO THE BATTERY CABLE TO ALLOW BAD MOVES FROM THE CHASSITY.*AK

WHEN MAKING A CURVE TO RIGHT WHEEL JERKS TO THE RIGHT. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE . *AK

WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, BUT THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

SIDEWALL FAILURE. HUGE TEAR IN SIDEWALL(NOT DUE TO ANY IMPACT).TIRES HAD LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON THEM. REPLACED THEM ALL THE NEXT DAY. THEREFORE, I'M NOT SURE OF TIRE SIZE OR DOT CODE, DATE OF INCIDENT OR MILEAGE ON VEHICLE(IRRELEVANT).( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )

HEATER CONNECTOR LEAKING CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SOMETIMES IT LOOKED LIKE VEHICLE WOULD NEVER STOP.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING DRIVER'S VIEW. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *ML

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL FELT SOFT AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER SAID IT WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE. *AK *ML

VEHICLE JUMPS LANES WHEN USING BRAKES. BRAKES APPEAR TO BE UNDERSIZED FOR VEHICLE. ALSO, CONSUMER HAS HAD 3 FRONT PADS REPLACEMENTS WITHIN 20,000 MILES. IF CONSUMER WAS TAKING A TRIP HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKES. *AK

BRAKE DESIGN IS INADEQUATE FOR SIZE OF VEHICLE, ONE TON 4WD TRUCK ALSO MOST 3/4 SUBURBANS AND TRUCKS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IN THE PAST THE TRUCK HAS PULL HARD LEFT ACROSS THE ROAD WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, BRAKE PADS ARE REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED DEPENDING ON PADS EVERY 5000-10000 MILES. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN IN UNDER WARRANTY THREE TIMES TO REPLACE PADS, ONCE TO REPLACE ROTORS, ONCE TO REBUILD CALIPERS, AND ONCE TO REPLACE REAR DRUMS WITH 21000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT NORMAL PASSENGER DESIGN SIZE BRAKES WERE USED ON A LIGHT TRUCK AND THAT THE PROPORTIONING BETWEEN FRONT AND REAR UTILIZE THE REAR BRAKES VERY LITTLE. THIS BRAKE LIFE IS WITH OUT ANY TOWING OR HEAVY HAULING. GIVEN THE LIFE WHICH IS ABNORMALLY LOW, DURING STEEP MOUNTIAN DRIVING ON A LONG TRIP THE FRONT PADS COULD FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND THE FRONT APPEARS TO BE DOING ALL THE BRAKING ON UNDER DESIGNED SIZE PADS. WHY ELSE WILL THE 2000 MODELS CREW CAB 4WD HAVE HUGH 4 WHEEL DISC BRAKE SETUPS?? GM HAS DONE NOTHING TO RETROFIT OR RESOLVE ISSUES EXCEPT REPLACE PARTS OVER AND OVER, REFERENCE GM FILE # 99063603...THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE. *AK

POSITIVE TERMINAL OF BATTERY LEAKED BATTERY ACID. *AK

INITIAL PROBLEM 09/02/98 WAS BOTH REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKING CAUSING BRAKES TO FADE. AGAIN ON 11/04/98 REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKING, ADJUSTED BRAKES. 11/06/98 BRAKES LOCKING-UP. 11/13/98 BRAKES GRABBING, REPLACED BOTH REAR BRAKE SHOES, ABS LIGHT ON-MODULE NOT ACTIVATING BRAKE RELEASE-REPLACED ANTI-LOCK BRAKE MODULE-MASTER CYL BYPASSING-REPLACED MASTER CYL. 01/20/99 ABS LIGHT COMES ON-BRAKE PEDDLE HARD TO PUSH-REPLACED ABS BRAKE VALVE. 03/23/99 BRAKES FAILED TO SLOW VEHICLE-INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT-REPLACED ABS PRESSURE MODULATING VALVE.

THROTTLE IS STICKING BETWEEN SHIFTS WHEN CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED AND/OR ACCELERATER IS RELEASED, NOT ALLOWING TRUCK TO SLOW DOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY 5-10 SECONDS, CREATING A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION IN PARKING LOTS AND HEAVEY TRAFFIC. DEALER CAN'T FIX. TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL. ALSO SAID RESETTING COMPUTER WOULD HELP. IT DOSEN'T.PROBLEM DIDN'T START UNTIL THERE WAS 13000 MILES AND WASN'T DOCUMENTED BY DEALER. TRIED 2 PROM UPDATES DIDN'T CHANGE. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD ( LUCKILY) THE GROUND WAS WET AND IT HAD BEEN RAINING, ANOTHER VEHICLE APPEARED AND I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THERE WERE NO BRAKES. I KEPT TRYING BUT NOTHING HAPPENED UNTIL A FEW MOMENTS LATER. TO AVOID THE OTHER PERSON I TURNED THE TRUCK AND THE REAR END HIT A TREE. I PAID FOR THE REPAIRS MYSELF. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE BRAKING SYSTEMS OF MY TRUCK IN THAT TIME PERIOD, BUT GMC SAID MY TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED. ( THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES.) THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME A RECALL HAS EXCLUDED US. BOTH OF OUR VEHICLES HAVE HAD PROBLEMS IDENTICAL TO DEFECTS ON RECALLED AUTOS, BUT FOR SOME REASON THEY WILL NOT CHECK OUR VEHICLES. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS ARE THE SAME, BUT DUE TO FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS THE MANUFACTURER IS TRYING TO LIMIT THE KNOWN AUTOS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

IN WET CONDITIONS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO A DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FRONT BRAKES HEATED UP, MELTED WHEEL WEIGHTS OFF AND BURNED ABS WIRES. TRUCK WOULD NOT STOP. WAS THERE A RECALL ON BRAKES ON THIS TRUCK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND IS THERE ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THANKS

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IT FEELS AS IF THERE IS PULSATION FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. DEALER SAYS THERE ARE HEAT CRACKS IN ROTORS AND NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR 3RD OR 4TH TIME. *AK

THIS PROBLEM OCCURED FIRST IN OCTOBER 1998 AND COURTESY PONTIAC, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED DID NOT FIND THE PROBLEM! LAST WEEK UPON RETURNING FROM NEW MEXICO THE ENGINE LOST POWER IN MISSOURI AND I STOPPED AT A GASSTATION AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO COOLANT IN THE TANK. THIS WAS REFILLED AND ONE EXIT FURTHER THE OIL WAS CHECKED AFTER THE PROBLEM DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CORRECTED. THIS TIME NO OIL WAS IN THE ENGINE. BEFORE THE TRAVEL A GMC DEALER IN SHELBYVILLE KY DID THE MAINTENANCE ON IT, FILLING 5 QUARTS OF OIL IN!

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IT DRIVES VERY ROUGH, MEANING THE VEHILCE VIBRATES AND SHAKES CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS/PADS AND SHOES, REAR AXLE, AND HUBS. BUT VEHICLE STILL SHAKES. *AK

SEATBELT RETRACTOR GETS JAMMED AND WILL NOT MOVE ON THE TRACK . DEALER SAYS VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW BELT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO MAKE SUDDEN STOPS THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE TRUCK WON'T STOP. *AK

ONE FUEL INJECTOR FAILED.

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ABS SYSTEM. REAR WHEELS PERMATURELY LOCK UP, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED, BUT UNABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA TIN THIS MATTER. *AK

ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON THE BRAKES DON'T WORK, DEALER SAYS VEHICLE IS NOT COVER UNDER CURRENT BRAKE RECALL DUE TO VIN. NLM

THE VEHICLE SPUTTERS, BACKFIRES AND STALLS BECAUSE THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE WEARING OUT TOO QUICKLY. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE INJECTORS 4 TIMES. *AK