Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Chevrolet S10 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have a 1998 Chevy s-10 and the left tailgate cable broke. It broke when I opened the tailgate and sat down on it. I did not get hurt but I think a cable needs to be able to hold some weight. I have heard that the cables retain moisture which causes them to rust out and mine was rusted. I left the cable on and it damaged the tailgate by putting a dent in it and cracking the paint. I cut the cable so it would not damage the tailgate any more. My brother told me I could use his cable from his tailgate and I am. I think that it should be recalled as this is a safety problem. I heard they might recall this so I decided to put my input because someone could get hurt. I also bought replacement cables, but there is no way to put them on because GM uses a big rivet. I have heard of other people's cables on their 95-2003 s-10's. Thanks.
Dt: consumer stated that the tailgate cable snapped with very light weight on it. At the time the cable snapped there was a child on the tailgate. This was on the right side, but the left side carried the weight. The owner was concerned that he will not be able to trust the tailgate at this point. The owner was going to replace the tailgate cables and maybe the whole tailgate itself. The cables were fine. There were not any wear and tear on the cables. The owner called the dealer, and they were unable to provide any assistance. The owner also called GM, and they contacted the manager, who relayed any assistance in this matter. They were no injuries.
On my 1998 Chevy s-10 both of the tailgate cable broke. The cables broke and the wood I was loading slid off and hit my foot it did hurt it, but luckily it was not bad. It also damage my tailgate on my truck. I have see on the internet and from other people about there tailgate cables breaking. I have seen it on 1995, 1998 and 2000 s-10 trucks. I think that GM needs to make replacement cables this very dangerous and if you were loading something it could slid off the tailgate and hurt themselves like I did. Thank you, [redacted].
The extended cub 3rd door handles continues to break every 6 months. It is made of plastic. I purchased the 1998 S10 in March, 04, in July the handle broke. This same new handle broke was replaced in December, 04. Finally, the 2 new handle broke in August, 05. The break is always in the same area. The dealer has commented that he has numerous complaints to him for this part, but to chev has made no effort to recall or assist in any way. Can I have your review and assistance?
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet s-10. The contact stated that there was a crack in the frame, behind the driver's side lower control arm. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who stated that there was no corrosion or impact that could have caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure was reported to the manufacturer, who refused to provide assistance for the repair. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 47,000. The current mileage was 48,000.
Both cables on my 1998 Chevy s-10 pick-up have snapped. My dog was using a ramp that rested on the tailgate when it happened. It caused the ramp to fall a few inches luckily the dog was uninjured however he is very frightened to use the ramp now. He weighs over 150s so I can't lift him. I went to the local auto parts store to get new cable when I was told about the recall on other similar vehicles. I have put off repairing this in anticipation of a recall.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet s-10. The contact took the vehicle to his mechanic and was informed that the mainframe was rusted very badly. The dealer wants to charge $100 for diagnostic testing. The contact informed the dealer that his mechanic already diagnosed the issue and will not pay for a diagnosis. The failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 03/09/09. Updated 3/5/09 updated 03/12/09.
I own a 1998 Chevrolet s-10. The cables that hold up the tailgate broke on me while I was loading cargo into the bed. The broken straps has since caused my tailgate to fall off while going down a rough road. The tailgate is now scratched and dented from the initial breaking and from falling off. I have not made any attempt to fix this problem as of yet.
Water leak in cowl area allowed rain water to collect undetected under carpet moisture barrier causing accessory handicapped accelerator pedal assembly to corrode. Corrosion of the pedal arm pivot shaft eventually caused pedal to freeze in a part throttle position in traffic. Evasive maneuver required to avoid collision while approaching intersection.
Vehicle having series of problems after an accident with a deer. The hood latch hasn't worked properly since the accident, both chair latches had broken after two times of use, the right front of the vehicle made noise, there was noise in the steering, the central console snapped in half, and the rear wipers had gone out.
NHTSA investigations
Tailgate support cable(s) break
Odi is upgrading rq04-012 and opening an ea to investigate the tailgate support cables installed in 1998 - 2004 model year sonoma and s10 model vehicles.general motors is conducting recall campaign 04v-129 to replace the tailgate support cables originally installed in certain model year 2000-2004 sierras and silverados and certain model year 2002-2004 avalanches and escalade exts (c/k models).general motors has…
Body complaints in other S10 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1998 Chevrolet S10?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the body & structure of the 1998 Chevrolet S10, 6% of the model year's 613 complaints. The component named most often is body › tailgate › hinge and attachments (16 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Chevrolet S10 body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1998 Chevrolet S10, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Chevrolet S10 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.