1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL PUMP WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VENT CONTROLS FAILED. THE BOLTS ON THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE REPLACED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHERE A WIRE FAILED CAUSING THE LIGHTING FOR THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

THE HEATER BLOWER ON THE HIGH SETTING THAT DEFROSTS THE WINDSHIELD FOR VISIBILITY STOPPED WORKING. THE CAB OF THE TRUCK FILLED WITH SMOKE AND SMELLED LIKE PLASTIC BURNING. THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS BURNING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT BUT THE YEAR OF MY TRUCK DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. IF I DIDN'T CAN'T THE BURNING WIRES WHEN I DID MY TRUCK WOULD HAVE BURNED TO THE GROUND. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. I HAD IT VERIFIED THAT THE LOAD FOR THE WIRE AND THE TYPE OF CONNECTOR USED FOR THE WIRING HARNESS IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOAD OF BLOWER MOTOR AND BLOWER SPEED RELAY. I OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR YEARS WITHOUT BEING IN A HOT OR EXTREME COLD ENVIRONMENT. WHEN I USED THE HIGH SPEED BLOWER TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD IT COULD HAVE KILLED ME. THE TRUCK STILL HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, THE MFR REFUSES TO ACCEPT THAT THIS TRUCK FALLS UNDER THE SAME DEFECT AS OTHER YEARS.

Mileage: 80,000

THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. MY BATTERY HAS SIDE MOUNTED TERMINALS. EACH TIME THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP OR DOWN THE POSITIVE POST BECOMES LOOSE. MOST TIMES IT IS A PROBLEM AS I START THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TURN THE KEY THE ENGINE BEGINS TO START, THEN IT SHUTS DOWN DUE TO LACK OF ELECTRICAL POWER. TWICE IN THE PAST WEEK IT HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD, ONCE IN THE MIDDLE OF I-83, DURING RUSH HOUR IN DOWNTOWN HARRISBURG, PA. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IT HAS, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, "HICCUPPED" SEVERAL TIMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAVE TIGHTENED THE SCREW-IN POST DOWN (TWICE) TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE ROUNDED THE HEX HEAD OFF AND THE WRENCH JUMPED OFF THE HEAD BUT, IT CONTINUES TO COME LOOSE. I SPOKE WITH AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND THEY RECOMMENDED AN ADHESIVE, WHICH I TRIED. IT STILL CAME LOOSE. I HAVE EVEN CHANGED OUT THE BATTERY BUT, STILL THE PROBLEM EXISTS. THIS WAS A VERY POPULAR YEAR FOR CHEVY W/T PICK UP TRUCKS. I CANNOT IMAGINE THESE PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN RECALLS BEFORE NOW. THE OBVIOUS FIX IS TO REPLACE THE BATTERY WITH ONE THAT HAS TOP MOUNT POSTS. I WOULD ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE CABLES. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY THAT WHEN THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW? *TR

Mileage: 230,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 184,000. UPDATED 06/17/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS INTERMITTENT SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN FOR A WEEK. THERE WAS ALSO AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. UPDATED 06/24/14

Mileage: 184,000

1998 CHEVORLET SILVERADO C1500 PICKUP FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE GM PASS LOCK II SYSTEM. PROBLEM STARTED 1.5 YEARS AGO AND HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. I TALKED WITH THE LOCAL GM REPAIR FACILITY , AND THEY SAID IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $200 - $6OO TO TROUBLESHOOT. REPLACEMENT PARTS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST. ALSO, THEY STATED THAT GM WAS AWARE OF AN OCCASIONAL MALFUNCTION WITH THE PASS LOCK II SYSTEM, BUT GM DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THIS MALFUNCTION HAPPENED WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SOMETIMES IT TOOK ANYWHERE FROM A FEW MINUTES TO SEVERAL HOURS FOR THE MALFUNCTION TO CORRECT ITSELF TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD START THE TRUCK. I HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL PARTS RELATED TO THE PASS LOCK II SYSTEM, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. GM OFFERED NO HELP. *AK

Mileage: 106,000

1998 CHEVROLET, K1500,4X4, 5.7 VORTEC AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES HAD TO HAVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WORKS AND THEN DOESN'T,MASTER CYLINDER HAS FAILED TWICE,D/S ELECTRIC WINDOW WORKS AND THEN DOESN'T AND REAR TURN SIGNAL HOUSING AND CONNECTION ON RIGHT SIDE KEEPS FAILING, NOT BULB! ALSO LEAK RESULTING IN LOSS OF COOLANT FROM RESERVOIR, IN THE MIDDLE OF UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. BOUGHT NEW! *JB

Mileage: 10,000

FAN CONTROL FOR AIR CONDITIONER FAILED CAUSING BLOWER MOTOR TO STAY CONTINUOUSLY EVEN AFTER TRUCK TURNED OFF AND KEY REMOVED- CAUSING MULTIPLE DRAINED AND REPLACED BATERRIES BEFORE DEFECT FOUND

Mileage: 40,000

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DASHBOARD, WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT MANUFACTURER.*AK

Mileage: 100,000

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 50 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER ON THE SECOND INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 9, 2005. THE DEALER BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEM MAYBE A FAULTY SAFETY CUT OFF SWITCH. *AK CONSUMER HAD BUDDY-BOOSTER REMOVED AND PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED. *TT

Mileage: 170,000

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY TO MAKE A EXIT ONTO ANOTHER RAMP AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUT OFF. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER. A FEW MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE TURNED BACK ON. HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT CONNECTORS TO POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE WERE DEFECTIVE. MECHANIC REPLACED CABLE.*AK

A FIRE STARTED FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, CLAIM 43-R679-836. *SLC

REMOTE MIRROR SWITCH FAILED IN DRIVERS DOOR CATCHING ON FIRE AND CAUSING OTHER DAMAGE, CLAIM 05-4615-211. *SLC

ESTIMATOR STATED FIRE ORIGIN IS THE DRIVER DOOR, POSSIBLE CAUSE IS WINDOW MOTOR, CLAIM 49-3174-064. *SLC

ESTIMATOR STATED FIRE ORIGIN IS THE DRIVER DOOR, POSSIBLE CAUSE IS WINDOW MOTOR, CLAIM 49-3174-064. *SLC

A FIRE STARTED FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, CLAIM 43-R679-836. *SLC

REMOTE MIRROR SWITCH FAILED IN DRIVERS DOOR CATCHING ON FIRE AND CAUSING OTHER DAMAGE, CLAIM 05-4615-211. *SLC

BATTERY WAS LEAKING BATTERY ACID. POST THAT WAS HOOKED UP TO CABLE FELL OFF, AND THAT WAS WHY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. ELECTRICAL SOCKET AND BRAKE LINE HAD SOME PAINT DAMAGE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT WARRANTY. *AK

BATTERY WAS LEAKING BATTERY ACID. POST THAT WAS HOOKED UP TO CABLE FELL OFF, AND THAT WAS WHY VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. ELECTRICAL SOCKET AND BRAKE LINE HAD SOME PAINT DAMAGE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT WARRANTY. *AK

BATTERY IS LEAKING ONTO RIGHT SIDE STEERING MECHANISM. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET AT ABOUT 30MPH WHEN WE SMELLED SMOKE, I PULLED OVER AND SAW FLAMES SHOOTING FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE DRIVER DOOR PANEL. I TORE OPEN THE DOOR PANEL AND SAW THAT THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE MIRROR CONTROL WAS ON FIRE. I BEAT THE FIRE OUT WITH A TOWEL, AFTER THE SMOKED CLEARED I STARTED THE ENGINE AGAIN AND THE CONTROL BURST INTO FLAMES AGAIN, AT THIS POINT I SEVERED THE WIRING HARNESS.

VEHICLE WENT IN FOR REPAIR, NOT REPAIRED, STILL DOESN'T WORK. COULD NOT PASS TEXAS SAFETY INSPECTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, HORN ALLOWS OTHER DRIVERS TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, DOES NO GOOD WHEN THE HORN DOESN'T WORK.

BATTERY FAILED. YH

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING STATIC ELECTRIC SHOCK. TOOK OWNERSHIP OF VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER;. DEALER NOTIFIED AND HE REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. CONDITION STILL OCCURS. ALSO MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC

STALLING.