FaultScore

1998 Chevrolet Suburban electrical problems

18 of the 299 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Suburban are about the electrical system — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 80,000 miles.

C

18

Complaints

0

Crashes

3

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Wiring 6 33.3%
12V/24V/48V Battery 2 11.1%
Interior/Under Dash 2 11.1%
Electrical System 2 11.1%
Control Module 2 11.1%
Front Underhood 1 5.6%
Switch 1 5.6%
Starter Assembly 1 5.6%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 1 5.6%

Electrical System across every Chevrolet Suburban year

1994 24 3.1%
1995 37 4.8%
1996 60 7.7%
1997 54 7.0%
1998 18 2.3%
1999 66 8.5%
2000 14 1.8%
2001 31 4.0%
2002 10 1.3%
2003 83 10.7%
2004 72 9.3%
2005 38 4.9%
2007 25 3.2%
2008 22 2.8%
2009 16 2.1%
2011 10 1.3%
2012 10 1.3%
2013 14 1.8%
2015 58 7.5%
2016 26 3.4%
2017 21 2.7%
2018 16 2.1%
2021 17 2.2%
2022 20 2.6%
2023 13 1.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 110,890 miles Bremerton, WA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE

1998 CHEVY TAHOE WONT START, SPONTANEOUSLY. IT WILL TURN OVER, BUT WONT START. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS WRONG, TRIED IT AGAIN AFTER 10-15 MINUTES AND IT STARTED. I FIGURED IT WAS JUST COLD. SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED, IT WAS ABOUT 45 MINUTES BEFORE IT STARTED, AND I WAS TOLD BY THE GUY AT THE TIRE DEALER, THAT HIS AND A FRIENDS TAHOE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I DID THIS AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE THEFT DETERRENT MODULE. AFTER SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS AND A RENTAL CAR FOR A WEEK I GOT THE TRUCK BACK. IT WAS ABOUT 2 MONTHS LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. SAME THING, COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS, A RENTAL CAR FOR A WEEK AND I GOT IT BACK AFTER 3 DAYS. 3 DAYS LATER, THE SAME THING. I DO NOT HAVE MY TRUCK NOW, I HAVE A RENTAL AGAIN. I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS A "....TOTALLY DIFFERENT SET OF CODES THAN READ THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES..."

NHTSA complaint #10109951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Adelphi, MD

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE

PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1998 MODEL. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 1997 BUT IS A 1998 MODEL. PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWS: . CHEVROLET HAS A RECALL FOR 1997 MODEL FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTION I HAVE A 1998 MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER IT. 2. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL. VEHICLE HAS SOME SORT OF WIRING PROBLEM, I CHANGED THE BATTERIES ON THE REMOTE CONTROL BUT IT WILL NOT WORK. 3. I HAD TO CHANGE WIRING HARNESS FOR REAR LIGHTS SINCE THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK AND DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I HAD TO CHANGE THE WIRING.

NHTSA complaint #10029090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Adelphi, MD

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1998 MODEL. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 1997 BUT IS A 1998 MODEL. PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWS: . CHEVROLET HAS A RECALL FOR 1997 MODEL FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER MALFUNCTION I HAVE A 1998 MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER IT. 2. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL. VEHICLE HAS SOME SORT OF WIRING PROBLEM, I CHANGED THE BATTERIES ON THE REMOTE CONTROL BUT IT WILL NOT WORK. 3. I HAD TO CHANGE WIRING HARNESS FOR REAR LIGHTS SINCE THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK AND DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I HAD TO CHANGE THE WIRING.

NHTSA complaint #10029090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, SC Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

ELECTRICAL SHORT DUE TO FAULTY SWITCH THAT CONTROLS OUTSIDE MIRROR, CAUSED DRIVER SIDE DOOR TO START BURNING, CLAIM 40-2517-187. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #6901248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, SC Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

ELECTRICAL SHORT DUE TO FAULTY SWITCH THAT CONTROLS OUTSIDE MIRROR, CAUSED DRIVER SIDE DOOR TO START BURNING, CLAIM 40-2517-187. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #6900445 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Keller, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY LEAKED ACID AND CAUSED ELECTRICAL FAILURE, ALTERNATOR FAILURE, WIRE SHORT.

NHTSA complaint #751014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Keller, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

BATTERY LEAKED ACID AND CAUSED ELECTRICAL FAILURE, ALTERNATOR FAILURE, WIRE SHORT.

NHTSA complaint #751014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Keller, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

BATTERY LEAKED ACID AND CAUSED ELECTRICAL FAILURE, ALTERNATOR FAILURE, WIRE SHORT.

NHTSA complaint #751014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mauldin, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, STOPPED AND SAW YELLOW SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND DRIVER'S DOOR PANEL, SPARKS WERE FLYING. SMOKE STOPPED, FUSE HAD BLOWN. MECHANIC FOUND THAT WIRE TO OUTSIDE MIRROR SWITCH. *AK AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRE WAS 14 GAUGE. THE ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURED AT THE MIRROR SWITCH.

NHTSA complaint #889892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chatsworth, CA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

FIREMAN CONTACTED DETERMINED TO BE AN ALECTRICAL SHORT CAUSE FIRE TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. (AK

NHTSA complaint #742105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sylvania, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL NOT START. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND DISCOVERED THAT WIRES TO BATTERY WERE LOOSE. SINCE DEALER RECONNECTED WIRES, VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND DIED. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #882992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chicago, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WIRES KEEP GETTING CUT BY THE CAR HARNESS, WHY ARE THE WIRES LOCATED IN THE HARNESS? THIS IS GETTING DANGEROUS DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS IS A HAZARD. THE FUEL LINE / PUMP HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY, AND WHO EVER HEARD OF A TRANSMISSION GOING OUT AT 50,000 MILES. PLEASE NOTE I HAVE NEVER TOWED ANYTHING WITH THIS CAR AND I AM A VERY CAREFUL FEMALE DRIVER WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENTS OR SPEEDING TICKETS, OIL IS CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES, ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING. PLEASE HELP! THIS CAR IS A DISASTER AND A HAZARD. THE LEAKING FUEL LINE COULD HAVE KILLED ME, NO BRAKE LIGHTS...OBVIOUS ISSUE. THANK YOU! LIZ ZIMMER.

NHTSA complaint #738749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Northport, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

INNER HARNESS SHORTED, CAUSING THE DOME LIGHTS TO COME ON WHEN RIDING OVER BUMPS, THE ACCESSORY LIGHT ALSO DID NOT WORK, THE DEALER FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION AT THE REAR LIGHTING. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #554863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boise, ID

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

I RECENTLY READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT 1995-1997 SUBURBANS, TAHOES THAT HAVE BATTERIES.

NHTSA complaint #718746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Seal Beach, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

STARTER FAILED. YH

NHTSA complaint #609328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Glendora, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE WIRE LOOM UNDER THE DASH WAS CUT WITH EXPOSED WIRES, CAUSED THE ABS MODULE AND RELAY SHORT. YH

NHTSA complaint #606763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greensboro, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

STEERING WHEEL SENSOR FAILED. IN ADDIRION, RADIO/ELECTRICAL C OMPONENTS WILL NOT CUT OFF WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF.

NHTSA complaint #535426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greensboro, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STAYS ON AFTER CAR IS TURNED OFF.

NHTSA complaint #535426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Chevrolet Suburban problems

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