Equipment complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accessories, trailer hitches and other equipment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Following are problems I have had with this vehicle since owning it. All of which I feel has caused me great inconvenience, and recently too much money. I have sent letters to GMC just today to see if they are going to do anything about the inconvenience and cost. October 21, 2002 at 4035 miles the idler arm was replaced, (under warranty) at doan Chevy. Somewhere around January 2003, a sensor for the heater shield was replaced under warranty at doan Chevy. March 4, 2004 at 26,345 miles the idler arm was again replaced under warranty at doan Chevy. March 29, 2004 the drivers?? Door needed to be aligned it never closed properly, as did the passenger visor needed to be aligned because it never would snap shut, replaced under warranty at doan Chevy. …
I am the second owner of my s-10 zr2, the 3rd door has been unusable with substantial costs put into it. This happened twice under warranty and was fixed. It would be nice if Chevrolet would do something to help the owners of these vehicles because it becomes very dangerous to have someone ride in the third seat.
2004 tail gate ass failed replaced after market parts 2004 back up lights in/op;004 interrior light will not turn off/ over ride botton used to save battery2005 left front hub ass replaced. 004 right front hub ass replaced;005 front end replaced/pittman/tie rods;2004 oil filter leak / tightened 2004 rear emergency brakes in/op 5 left emergency brake drum replaced;005 right emergency brake drum replaced 2005 gas sending unit replaced eradic behavior 2004 left brake shoe replaced ;004 right brake shoe replaced;005 left brake shoe replaced front;005 right brake shoe replaced front 2005 left brake shoe replaced rear;005 right brake shoe replaced rear;005 u joints replaced;04 battery replaced 2005 transmission showing signs of wear;005 rear end {3.42} locker clangs between 1st and revved. …
Within 12 months GM genuine balljoints (lower) on our 2001 Chevrolet S10 pickup truck failed within 12 months, possibly sooner if it were'nt for the state required motor vehicle inspections pointing it out again. Imagine that they probably failed way before the inspection. It looks like we're not the only one who has expierenced this part failure with the Chevrolet, S10.
Had 3rd door handle replaced twice and it's since broken again. Will not pay to have it replaced again. All knobs for both driver and passenger seats have broken b/c they are made of cheap plastic. Dealer joked saying everyone who has bought this vehicle has had 3rd door handle replaced. Had driver door hinges replaced and they need replaced again, but will not put anymore money into it. Break system is awful. Finally had to remove fuse for the ABS system b/c the brakes would depress all the way to the floorboards and not grab. Have had fuel pump replaced twice. Very costly repairs and as a result will never buy another GM product again.
Letter from to the administrator re product safety recall 00V258001 affecting 2000 Chevrolet vehicles with the incorrect payload capacity listed on the vehicle certification label on the driver's side door. The consumer stated the label read 3,872 lbs, when it should have read 1,434 lbs. GM informed the consumer, they were not going to re-open the recall. Updated 03/02/12 the consumer also stated the heat stopped working in the vehicle. Updated 03/09/12 updated 04/20/12
The stock radio/cassette stopped producing sound out of my right speakers. The repair was covered under warranty. Currently the cassette player wants to play all of my cassettes backwards. It can eventually be coaxed to play them correctly, but it would be nice to have devices work as they are supposed to. Truck is out of warranty & I will not pay to have the same crappy piece of equipment installed again. Will go aftermarket.
After entering the vehicle and trying to start the security system did not let consumer start the vehicle for approximately ten minutes. The security light came on, and the vehicle has to sit and recalibrate in order to start.
Related recalls (2)
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Remedy: Owners will be provided with correct labels and installation instructions. Owner notification began on June 4, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles were built with incorrect payload information on the vehicle certification label. The payload shown on the label is greater than the maximum validated payload.
Remedy: Owners will be sent a new label for installation on the driver's door of the vehicle.
NHTSA investigations
Separation of spare tire from vehicle
Alleged that wire cable/winch assembly which holds the spare tire/wheel assembly uder the rear of the vehicle May fail, allowing the tire to fall from the vehicle while in motion
Spare tire separation from vehicle
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet S10 years have equipment problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (22), 1995 (21), 1998 (10), 2000 (8) and 2001 (6) model years. Equipment complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet S10 equipment problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 04V-132 (labels, Mar 18, 2004); 00V258001 (labels, Sep 8, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet S10 equipment problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the mechanical › carrier/rack (51 mentions), followed by the electrical › radio/tape deck/cd etc. (8).
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.