Complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | vs. typical* | Recalls | Top problem | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 21 | −95% | 1 | Brake | Good |
| 2003 | 178 | −67% | 1 | Brake | Good |
| 2002 | 214 | −56% | — | Body | Good |
| 2001 | 308 | −35% | 1 | Body | Average |
| 2000 | 471 | 1.5× | 4 | Brake | Caution |
| 1999 | 231 | −52% | — | Brake | Good |
| 1998 | 613 | 2.0× | 6 | Window & Wiper | Avoid |
| 1997 | 469 | 1.5× | 6 | Window & Wiper | Caution |
| 1996 | 670 | 2.4× | 7 | Brake | Avoid |
| 1995 | 917 | 3.2× | 5 | Brake | Avoid |
* Complaints compared with the median S10 year at the same age, so new and old years are judged fairly. How this works.
Most common Chevrolet S10 problems
Latest Chevrolet S10 recalls
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Remedy: Owners will be provided with correct labels and installation instructions. Owner notification began on June 4, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
On certain minivans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with certain model-engine combinations, the windshield wiper motor May fail due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. The windshield wipers could work intermittently or not at all.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover. Owner notification began on June 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery
Vehicle description: electric passenger vehicles and pickup trucks containing a nickel metal hydride (nimh) battery pack. These vehicles contain software within the battery pack module intended to disable the vehicle from being driven if the electrical resistance with the battery pack exceeds a prescribed value.
Remedy: Dealers will install revised software in the battery pack module.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles were built with incorrect payload information on the vehicle certification label. The payload shown on the label is greater than the maximum validated payload.
Remedy: Owners will be sent a new label for installation on the driver's door of the vehicle.
Exterior lighting
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the daytime running lights built with a candela value greater than 3,000 cannot be mounted higher than 864mm above the road…
Remedy: Dealers will install a revised wiring harness that changes the drl's from high beam to low beam drl's, and install new long-life low beam bulbs.
Frequently asked questions
What years of the Chevrolet S10 should you avoid?
1995, 1996, 1998, 1997 and 2000 — these years have the most complaints relative to other S10 years at the same age, led by brakes problems in the 1995.
What is the best year for the Chevrolet S10?
2004 has the fewest complaints compared with other S10 years at the same age, followed by 2003 and 2002. Newer years can look better simply because fewer complaints have come in yet, so we compare like with like.
What are the most common Chevrolet S10 problems?
Across all years, owners report the most problems with the brakes (993), windows, wipers & sunroof (649) and body & structure (396). Brake complaints peak in the 1995 model year.
How many recalls has the Chevrolet S10 had?
21 recalls across 1995–2004. The model year with the most is 1996. See all Chevrolet S10 recalls by year.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.