Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
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).
My driver seat adjustment does not lock properly it moves forward and backwards at anytime. This caused me to have an accident when the seat released without any warning and caused me to hit a vehicle I n front of me because of it. I feel GM is responsible for this defect that they should have had a recall on. It there any lawyers handling this defect.
I have a passenger seat which will not lock in any position except fully back and will only lock by being slammed into this position. If seat is not locked into this position it will slide forward or backwards freely depending on the motion of the vehicle . Many attempts were made to correct this problem by the dealership, but all efforts have been futile. Now they and Chevrolet refuse to correct the problem under the warranty because of the current mileage on the vehicle. As of now, there has only been one injury caused by this seat and that was to a 6 year old whose foot was caught by the seat when it was being slammed into the fully back position. Luckily her foot was just bruised by the seat . I just do not want to see anyone seriously hurt because of this malfunctioning seat. …
Through normal use of the seat recline mechanism, both passenger and driver seat recline handles have broken off at an internal friction bar. Neither seat reclines now and is stuck in the last position used. Chevy, or GM, have done nothing about the problem, I have looked into fixing the problem my self, however the entire seat would have to be replaced and is to cost in-efficient for my needs. I have retained the faulty handles, dreaming that possibly GM will own up to defective, poor design and remedy this issue.
I own a 1998 Chevrolet s-10 slr pickup truck and the seats do not always catch. I went to a GM dealer and paid $300.00 to have this problem fixed but some times the seats do not catch after you pull them forward to get into the area behind the seats, either passanger or driver. This is a speratic error but when the seats do not catch my passenger is slide forward or at times I the driver will find myself going forward because the seat track did not lock.
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.
Consumer's vehicle was rearended by another vehicle. During crash, front passenger seat did not remain locked into position and slid forward into dashboard. There was not a passenger in seat when it occurred. Please provide any additional information/attachments.
Windshield wipers intermittent not working causing a dangerous situation. Also front recliner lever on seat has broken twice, once on drivers side (replaced-out of warranty) now on passenger side.
When the problem with the cooling system first came up the SUV was I thought over heating a bit I called the dealership and they told me not to worry about it as that was nornal for them in hot weather.the SUV broke down in springfild mo , we manged to pull into a shop ,they said the damage was to great to repair without costing at least 2000.00, and even then there was no way to know what damge was done to the SUV.they did however give me a service bulletin which listed my problem. It seems GM has known of this problem for at leart 4 years. Yet when I called the dealerships with this very (I learned later) common problem noone wanted to admit they had even heard of it. …
The easy entry seat for extended cab on the passenger side does not latch correctly. When brakes are applied you have a better than 50/50 chance of the passenger in this seat being thrown forward into the dash. Tis first happen the first time a person sat in the seat (3rd day of ownership) the seat track was then replaced and now is being replaced a second time by the dealer becuase it has never worked correctly. This is a safety hazard and I see that it has been reported several times on this site. Has there been a design change and recall on this?
My power steering system has always made a noise when I make left or right hand turns. I have reported it to the dealership on two occasions, but they never found anythin wrong with it, and now it is not under warranty. They said that they couldn't duplicate it but it happens every time it is driven, so I don't see how they could've missed it. Also, the recliner lever on the driver side seat broke off at the metal after the warranty had already expired so I guess I'm out of luck with that.
Seat complaints in other S10 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 1998 Chevrolet S10?
NHTSA has 48 complaints about the seats of the 1998 Chevrolet S10, 8% of the model year's 613 complaints. The component named most often is front assembly › recliner (26 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Chevrolet S10 seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats 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 seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to seats 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.