1998 GMC Suburban Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 1998 GMC Suburban, and owners have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
- 1966
- 1974
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
2 safety recalls for the 1998 GMC Suburban
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Exterior (visibility)
Certain sport utility vehicles, MINI vans, and pickup trucks may develop a short circuit in the electric outside rearview mirror switch.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused jumper harness to the electric outside rearview mirror switch. Owner notification began on april 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service…
-
Rotor (service brakes)
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.
100 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 GMC Suburban have filed 100 complaints with NHTSA; 9 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 7 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 75,280 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 20 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“While sitting.. Standing still.. Parked.. The spare tire in the rear of the suburban exploded.. I discovered this several days later.. The explosion caused approximately $650 in damage.. Not including”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 1, 2011 · Unknown or other
“I have a 1998 GMC suburban just purchased and i experienced the same problem described in recall #05v379000. Result was my wife slammed into the back of another car in our driveway. Damage was minimal”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 26, 2007 · Service brakes, hydraulic
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1998 GMC Suburban (Suburban 1500 2WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 14 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 12 / 17 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 5.7 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare GMC Suburban model years
Recall and complaint counts for every GMC Suburban model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 GMC Suburban | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 GMC Suburban | 0 | 1 |
| 1981 GMC Suburban | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 GMC Suburban | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 GMC Suburban | 0 | 2 |
| 1984 GMC Suburban | 0 | 5 |
| 1985 GMC Suburban | 0 | 3 |
| 1986 GMC Suburban | 0 | 4 |
| 1987 GMC Suburban | 0 | 8 |
| 1988 GMC Suburban | 2 | 8 |
| 1989 GMC Suburban | 2 | 17 |
| 1990 GMC Suburban | 2 | 22 |
| 1991 GMC Suburban | 2 | 30 |
| 1992 GMC Suburban | 2 | 80 |
| 1993 GMC Suburban | 0 | 212 |
| 1994 GMC Suburban | 3 | 411 |
| 1995 GMC Suburban | 6 | 227 |
| 1996 GMC Suburban | 3 | 172 |
| 1997 GMC Suburban | 2 | 200 |
| 1998 GMC Suburban | 2 | 100 |
| 1999 GMC Suburban | 1 | 285 |
| 2000 GMC Suburban | 2 | 15 |
| 2001 GMC Suburban | 2 | 5 |
| 2002 GMC Suburban | 1 | 7 |
| 2003 GMC Suburban | 1 | 5 |
| 2004 GMC Suburban | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1998 GMC Suburban
How do I know if my 1998 GMC Suburban has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1998 GMC Suburban; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised GMC dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V093000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other GMC models
- Sierra 15008,930 complaints
- Acadia5,569 complaints
- Yukon4,989 complaints
- Sierra3,937 complaints
- Terrain3,124 complaints
- Jimmy2,720 complaints
- Envoy2,459 complaints
- Yukon XL2,417 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.