Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Chevrolet S10 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dt: consumer turned to go up hill and vehicle didn't stall, but wanted to, as if it did not get enough fuel. This happened twice. Consumer says that when she applied brake, the vehicle revved and acted as if regaining power back then accelerated quickly. This happened about two weeks ago. Consumer shut vehicle off, and when started back it was fine. When attempting to get on freeway parkway west 279 in greentree, vehicle accelerated when consumer applied brake, hitting another vehicle in the rear. This happened a few days later.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Chevrolet S10. The contact stated that the high brake light on the vehicle keeps failing. The contact stated that the print circuit is up in the light under the shield on the back of the cab and it is burning out and causing the entire casing to be replaced. This is the third casing that the contact has had to replace. The dealer stated that the circuit burns out because of the location, but the part is not under recall. The failure mileage was 17000 and the current mileage was 22000.
Alternator failed without warning while driving on a local highway at 45 MPH. Vehicle remained operational without any lights, signals, gauges or speedometer until I came to a complete stop at a traffic signal where the engine misfired and died even while revving. Vehicle was left stranded at a 6 lane intersection without any hazard warning lights, indicators or other lights to warn oncoming vehicles that I was not moving resulting in May near incidents.
Tl contact owns a Chevrolet S10. The contact started the vehicle and smoke began to rise from under the hood. No flames were visible. The vehicle was driven to the repair shop. The headlights, tail lights, and blinkers failed to activate. When the brakes were depressed, the fuse blew without warning. The mechanic re-spliced the wiring. The contact has the repair invoice. The current and failure mileages were 150,554. Updated 07/06/07
At any speed truck stops running. Pull over and restarts then goes for a while and dose it again. Start truck and key stays on have to turn it back by hand. Replaced starter once already in three months.
The driver window power motor has been malfunctioning and the power steering has been not fixed in the sense of not having a functioning power steering pump
Bought a 2000 Chevy truck from a used car dealer in oct. 2005. It had approx. 92,000 miles on it. Over the last year I have had to replace the starter 3 times. With only approx. 35,000 miles being put on truck. In late May of 2008 we were told that flywheel had to be replaced also because it was the additional problem. Less than 2 months later starter is bad and now they are telling me that it might be a bad cam sensor. Dealership has told me that a service memo has gone out to mechanics. Who is responsible for the repairs and my loss time of work ? Thank you for your help. [redacted]
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Chevrolet s-10. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the illumination of the entire instrument panel and could not be restarted. The failure recurred four times over a period of five months. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number 14V047000(air bags, electrical system) however, the vehicle was not included in the recall campaign. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000. Updated 05/27/14 updated 8/8/17
2000 Chevy S10 2.2l auto 76K mi. Passlock issue. Will not start. Left stranded then starts after 10 min or so. I have to leave the motor running when filling up with gas otherwise car will not move for 10 minutes.emergency situation car will not move right away. What if it stalls in traffic or on railroad tracks? This happens randomly every 4-5 start cycles. My understanding this has been an ongoing GM issue. Ether disable it or fix it. I have replaced both the ignition switch and the key lock assembly at great expense and the problem still exists GM offers no assistance in this manner!!!
Tl contact owns a 2000 Chevrolet s-10. The contact attempted to start the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. Once the vehicle was restarted, it was found that the battery was dead. When the battery was charged, the vehicle failed to start the following day. The starter was replaced and the vehicle was able to be restarted. In cold weather, the vehicle would not start. The gas line filler was replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle has not yet been repaired properly. The failure and current mileages were less than 15,000. Updated 1/8/09 updated 01/14/09.
Electrical complaints in other S10 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2000 Chevrolet S10?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the electrical system of the 2000 Chevrolet S10, 6% of the model year's 471 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Chevrolet S10 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2000 Chevrolet S10, though it has 4 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 2000 Chevrolet S10 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 6 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system 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.