Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
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).
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.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Chevrolet S10 extended cab. The third door handle on the driver side broke as the contact attempted to open the door. The handle broke at least five times and had to be replaced the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 86,000. Updated 03/16/11
The drivers side seat does not lock into place, when you stop suddenly, the seat slams forward.(could cause an accident) also both seat adjuster handles have broken off.(cheap plastic) can no longer adjust seats they are stuck in position.also, third door latch (also plastic ) broke off can no longer open third door.
2 complaints on this vechile 1> needs wiper module recalled, like previous model years (had to pay for this service) 2> both of my tailgate straps are broken..have seen several of these vechiles with same problems. Had to replace wiper module and tailgate straps
Chevrolet S10, 1998, plastic leather on driver door that hold door lock rod secure breaks. Doors lock and can only be opened with the key. Inner last is non-functioning trapping the driver in until the door is unlocked from the out side.
3rd door on 1998 Chevrolet S10 latch became increasingly difficult to open. Latch finally snapped off. 3rd door no longer opened, potentially making it very difficult for 3rd seat passenger to exit the vehicle in an accident.
I sat on the open tailgate and both tailgate support straps broke. They were both very corroded about 10 inches from the end connected to the bed. The straps appear to be very corroded at the point of breakage.
1998 Chevy s-10 pickup truck. Both tailgate cables broke while standing on tailgate resulting in a fall to the ground. Both cables are corroded at the mid point where they fold when closing the tailgate.
1998 s-10 ext cab with 3rd door. Safety problem - driver's only latches about half the time. I was told that it is a design problem because of the third door on the extended cab. I was told that I had to slam the door to make it close. I owned an s-10 regular cab for 10 years before this s-10 and never had to slam that door to secure it. I have seen other s-10 extended cabs on the interstate with the driver's door ajar so this must be a wide spread problem. I have also seen other reports of it on your site here. I think it is very unsafe to have the driver's door not securely latched in case of an accident. There must be a fix for this.
Left front door does not close properly. Dealer replaced latch assemblyand door does not latch properly. In addition, passenger's door is hitting the third door and causing metal to hit metal.
NHTSA investigations
Tailgate support cables
General motors is conducting a special policy program for 903,464 owners of 2000 - 2003 model s/t vehicles through which owners May, at their option, either (1) periodically inspect the tailgate support cables installed in their vehicle and have the cables replaced if the cable coating exhibits any indications of damage or deterioration or (2) request that the tailgate support cables be replaced free of charge.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other S10 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 1998 Chevrolet S10?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the locks & latches of the 1998 Chevrolet S10, 4% of the model year's 613 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Chevrolet S10 door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches 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 door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 3 injuries to locks & latches 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.