Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chevrolet S10 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Consumer pulled into a parking lot when smoke began emitting from under the hood. Vehicle then caught on fire under the hood. Transmission fluid was just flushed approximately 1 hour before incident occurred.
After a previous day of uneventful use,I noticed on the morning of 10/1/02,that after starting, the truck would only shift into neutral and reverse.when an attempt was made to shift into drive,the vehicle froze.the truck was then towed to a transmission shop,and the problem was diagnosed.the 4l60e transmission had to be rebuilt as well as a torque converter,which was literaly torn apart.the tranmission specialist asked me how many miles were on my truck,and when I told him, (only 56,000) he explained that this problem should not have occured in a vehicle with such relatively low mileage.in fact after examining the defective parts more closely,he concluded that the failure occured as a result of the faulty way in which these parts were machined.the total cost for all of this was around $1,284.00.attempts were made to contact GM,but they were unwilling to accept responsability.I …
1. While driving the truck at aproximately 65 MPH with the cruise control and air conditioner on, but no radio the truck just died while I was in the outer lane of the highway. No noise, it just lost power and died. I manged to get the truck into the other lane and off the highway as it slowed down luckely with out injury to myself, my passanger or anyone else on the highway. 2. On a truck with no more then 48,362 miles I experienced transmission failure. According to the mechanic the transmission pump exploded with no apparent cause. All parts on the truck appear to be in new condition even though the vehical is 5 years old. Several of the original stickers from the factory are still visable with no sign of ware. I have all maintaince records on the truck available to show it has been properly maintained. …
The reason there is so many accidents & deaths with cell phone use is the phone & auto makers don't really care. All that needs to be done is have the cell phone receive a signal from the vehicle speed sensor to interrupt or stop the incoming/outgoing cell phone signal as soon as the wheels on the car move. When the car is parked again the cell phone signal re-activates. Come on people with the electronic wizards we have today this would be a slam dunk.the phone &car makers May have to spend another dollar or 2,on safety but I think it is worth it .the "texting and talking violations would decrease also. I will be surprised if this is even read or forwarded the people that really care. All they care about today is $$$ . Please prove me wrong".
A check engine soon service light on the dash board came on. I had it checked and found out the code was 1870, a transmission code. I called several transmission shops and they all stated that the problem is generally the aluminum valve body has worn and needs to have a steel sleeve repair kit installed. It cost me $265. I believe this is a design flaw and should be looked into. Just call any of the transmission shops and see how many of the valve bodies have been replaced on the 1999 Chevy s-10. Mine is an automatic with a 4 cylinder engine.
For the second time my 1999 Chevy s-10 pickup has been taken to the transmission shop because I have lost second gear and reverse. This is a costly repair, the first time it cost me $1,600.00 to replace a $44.00 part because the whole transmission had to be overhauled. The transmission in the Chevy is made with inferior parts and should be recalled to have all the gears replaced. I have also had to replace both front wheel hubs and a motor. The s1-s of this era need to be investigated and the consumer should be protected!!
I have a 99 s-1o extreme I have had it for about 3 years now. It only has 43000 miles on it and already the transmission is starting to fail. I have started getting a humming noise out of it. I have replaced the filter and fluid, but it still remains. I was at some message boards tonight on the internet and there are hundreds of complaints about the 4l60 transmission that GM uses in a great deal of their vehicles and they aren't doing anything for these people who are paying thousands of dollars to have them fixed.
Automatic transmission failed. The truck has only 45000 miles on it and its transmission is already burned out. It will cost min. $1500 to correct. We had only purchased it 6 weeks before it failed. The warranty was already over. Gears started to slip, then car stopped dead on main road.
Consumer experienced destruction of the clutch and dangerous loss of drive power due to accumulation of grass or other debris sucked into clutch during ordinary and customary use. The consumer has he grass packed old clutch in his possession
Consumer was traveling about 60mph on highway and driveshaft broke, pushing vehicle upward, almost into an accident. Dealership was aware of problem. But consumer had vehicle at dealer's for nine months, dealership refuse to fixed it.
Transmission complaints in other S10 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 1999 Chevrolet S10?
NHTSA has 28 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 1999 Chevrolet S10, 12% of the model year's 231 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chevrolet S10 transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 1999 Chevrolet S10. 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 1999 Chevrolet S10 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.