Most common 1995 Chevrolet S10 problems
Share of the 917 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet S10 complaints by model year
Best S10 years: 2004, 2003, 2002. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996, 1998, 1997, 2000. Compare all years →
1995 Chevrolet S10 recalls (5)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Vehicle description: certain 4-wheel drive pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with ABS (antilock braking system) manufactured from September 1989 through August 1996. Under certain driving conditions the switch which signals the ABS system whether the vehicle is in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive can malfunction causing…
Remedy: Dealers will replace or repair the 4-wheel/2-wheel drive switch.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, 2 and 4-wheel drive. Solder joints near the wiring harness connector can crack causing the windshield wipers to work intermittently.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover.
Seat belts
Vehicle description: extended cab pickup trucks equipped with 60/40 front bench seats and extended cab pickup trucks and 2-door utility vehicles equipped with manual locking recliner bucket seats. The outboard safety belt webbing on the driver's and/or passenger's seat can separate during a frontal impact.
Remedy: Dealers will install a protective cover over the recliner mechanism.
Steering › Gear box › Shaft sector
The intermediate steering shaft loosens at the steering shaft to steering gear coupling. With this looseness, the yoke pinch bolt can wear on the splines of the shaft until there is no longer an interference between the splines and the bolt.
Remedy: Dealers will retorque the upper and lower bolts to correct specifications.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Fan
Fan blade rivet breakage can occur causing the fan blade to separate from the spider.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace, if necessary, the fan with a newer fan having thicker-headed rivets.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 1995 Chevrolet S10:
Separation of spare tire from vehicle
Alleged that wire cable/winch assembly which holds the spare tire/wheel assembly uder the rear of the vehicle May fail, allowing the tire to fall from the vehicle while in motion
Windshield wiper
During this preliminary evaluation, over 400 additional complaints were furnished by GM.in addition GM reported over 3000 wiper system warranty repairs on the subject vehicles.
Spare tire separation from vehicle
Windshield wiper failure
There is no summary currently available
ABS braking system
This investigation resulted in a safety recall, 99v-193, and a service campaign, 99i-006.
Loss of power assist
There is no summary currently available
What 1995 Chevrolet S10 owners say
Brakes all 323 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Chevrolet S10. While driving 25 MPH, the brakes failed to respond and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The anti lock brake system warning light illuminated prior to the failure and the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000. Updated 07/28/16
Consumer has exprienced brakes failure more than one time. The first time brake warning light came on. Consumer was told that due to faulty parts the brake master cylinder was replaced 2 times. Consumer was pressing the brakes to stop when she crashed into the back of a vehicle driven 10mph. The consumer was driving 40mph. Due to crash, the master cylinder was replaced again at approximately every 7,000 milees. The brakes would lose pressure third time. Consumer went to dealership who bled the brake system and checked the caliper code, (no-code), there was air in the lines.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 204 →
While driving windshield wiper failed when in use. Took vehicle to dealership. Mechanic implied a recall 98V150001 on make/model, and year was issued, but this vehicle was not included due to VIN. The first failure occurred six months after purchase and has been failing for 8 years. Wipers have been replaced numerous times and the consumer has been informed there was no failure. Consumer would like his vehicle added to the recall.
Tl contact owns a 1995 Chevrolet S10. While driving 55 MPH in the rain, the windshield wipers completely stopped. There was a recall on the windshield wipers; however, the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 98V150001 (visibility:windshield wiper/washer). The contact has to purchase the windshield wipers and pulse module and repaired it himself. The failure mileage was 160,000. Updated 10/28/08 updated 10/29/08.
Air bags all 113 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Chevrolet S10. While driving 25 MPH, the brakes failed to respond and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The anti lock brake system warning light illuminated prior to the failure and the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 69,000. Updated 07/28/16
Takata inflators--air bag light is on and stays on even after I had already had it reset,the dome light blows fuses more than it should sometimes 3-4 times a month,the blinkers act funny sometimes and the seat belts hang up and u have to pull on them a few times to get them to release so you can buckle them,the transmission grinds when you put it into reverse,the clutch fan came apart and I had to replace it and most of this happened when I was sitting still I have the recall#'s(n970033--n980043/NHTSA#98V150
1995 Chevrolet S10 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 21 / 26 / 23 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 5.2L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1995 Chevrolet S10 a good car?
Based on 917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1995 S10 rates avoid: 3.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the S10 at the same age. It is one of the S10 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1995 Chevrolet S10?
The brakes — 323 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (204) and air bags (113).
How many recalls does the 1995 Chevrolet S10 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1995 Chevrolet S10, the most recent from July 19, 1999 (antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet S10?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2003 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995, 1996, 1998, 1997 and 2000. See the full Chevrolet S10 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1995 Chevrolet S10 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 119,000 miles; 3% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.