NHTSA vehicle safety data

1998 Am General Hummer Recalls & Complaints

The 1998 Am General Hummer has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 3 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Am General dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1998 Am General Hummer. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

1998 Am General Hummer owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Am General Hummer, describing incidents dated January 6, 2005 to July 19, 2005.

Most-cited components

Steering 2 complaints
Engine 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10129353 · Filed July 19, 2005
I HAVE A HUMMER H1 (1998). ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT IN TRAFFIC, MY #8 ENGINE CYLINDER WALL CRACKED CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL MY COOLENT FOR BOTH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. IF I HAD NOT NOTICED IT AS QUICKLY HAS I HAD, I WOULD HAVE COME TO A SCREECHING HALT IN THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC AS MY ENGINE MELTED…
ODI #10128076 · Filed January 10, 2005
1998 HUMMER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT STEERING ASSEMBLY.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE FRONT STEERING ASSEMBLY BEGAN OSCILLATING WILDLY AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *NM
ODI #10107042 · Filed February 16, 2005
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE SHOOT SO VIOLENTLY IT CAUSED LOSS…

Read all 3 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1998 Am General Hummer in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Service Query SQ98-026: LOW TRANSFER CASE LUBRICANT
Closed March 5, 1999

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

OIL FILTER/OIL LEAK/POSSIBLE FIRE

NHTSA #07E088000 · Equipment · NHTSA notice

Reported October 24, 2007 · HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Potentially affected: 121,680 vehicles

Owners notified November 8, 2007

Defect description

CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AND PART NUMBER APPEAR ON THE FILTER HOUSING. FRAM RACING HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS NOT BEARING A DATE CODE IN THIS RANGE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE GASKET OF THE OIL FILTER BECOMES MORE PLIABLE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES.

Safety consequence

THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE INADEQUATE SEALING AND LOSS OF ENGINE OIL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.

Notes

CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

AM GENERAL/TURN SIGNAL SWITCH

NHTSA #01V336000 · Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported October 31, 2001 · AM GENERAL CORPORATION

Potentially affected: 2,839 vehicles

Owners notified November 16, 2001 · Vehicles built September 19, 1997 – December 24, 1998 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH PLASTIC CANCELLATION PIN CAN WEAR PREMATURELY CAUSING THE SIGNALS TO FAIL TO CANCEL AFTER COMPLETING A TURN.

Safety consequence

THIS COULD SEND AN INCORRECT LAMP SIGNAL TO OTHER VEHICLES, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WITH A NEW SWITCH HAVING A METAL CANCELLATION PIN. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 16, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT AM GENERAL AT 1-800-638-8303.

Notes

ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1998 Am General Hummer. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Am General Hummer.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10129353

Incident: July 19, 2005 · Filed: July 19, 2005

I HAVE A HUMMER H1 (1998). ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT IN TRAFFIC, MY #8 ENGINE CYLINDER WALL CRACKED CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL MY COOLENT FOR BOTH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. IF I HAD NOT NOTICED IT AS QUICKLY HAS I HAD, I WOULD HAVE COME TO A SCREECHING HALT IN THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC AS MY ENGINE MELTED DOWN. FURTHERMORE, I USE MY HUMMER FOR OFF-ROADING AND HAD IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OFF-ROAD IN THE UTAH DESERT, INJURY OR DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE LIKELY (SINCE I AM OFTEN 20-40 MILES OFF THE HIGHWAY AND IT GETS TO BE 110 DEGREES F EASILY). I HAVE CHECKED AROUND AND APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE VEHICLES FROM 1997, 1998, AND PART OF 1999 AND 2000 HAVE HAD THE #8 CYLINDAR CRACK. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER USED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS BUT ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO STOPPED COVERING THIS UNDER WARRANTEE OR EVEN GOOD-WILL. A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE CAN BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN IF THE TRAFFIC IS HEAVY OR IF THE OCCUPENTS ARE NOT NEAR A TOWN. (OFTEN WHEN I DRIVE THROUGH NEVADA ON SOME VERY LONELY HIGHWAYS, I AM 3 HOURS FROM THE CLOSEST TOWN AND THE HEAT IS IMMENESE). WHEN I AM OFF-ROAD THIS IS EVEN WORSE AND I MAY BE A DAY OR TWO HIKE FROM THE NEAREST (LONELY) HIGHWAY IN 110 DEGREE HEAT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS IT IS A VERY FREQUENT PROBLEM FOR THE AFFECTED YEARS. THANK YOU.

Steering

ODI #10128076

Filed: January 10, 2005

1998 HUMMER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT STEERING ASSEMBLY.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE FRONT STEERING ASSEMBLY BEGAN OSCILLATING WILDLY AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *NM

Steering

ODI #10107042

Incident: January 6, 2005 · Filed: February 16, 2005

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT STEERING PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE VEHICLE SHOOT SO VIOLENTLY IT CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT BY RUNNING OFF THE ROAD. *TT

Other Am General Hummer model years

Check your 1998 Am General Hummer VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Am General Hummer at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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