1996 Chevrolet S10 complaints

ON MAY 23 2000 THE VEHICAL WAS BROUGHT IN FOR AN OVER HEATING PROBLEM. THE RADIATOR WAS DIAGNOSNED AS THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED. THEN ON OCT 17 THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR A HEATING PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE GASKET WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE WAS FLUSHED. THE WORK WAS DONE PER BULLETIN 99-06-012-012. I JUST DISCOVERED TODAY THAT THE ENGINE HAS A RATTLING SOUND. IT SOUNDS LIKE A BUCKET OF BOLTS.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK

RECALL 99 V 193 000/ABS: ABS SYSTEM ENGAGES INTERMITTENTLY AND CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, RECALL 98 V 150 001/WINDSHIELD WIPERS: WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THIS CAN RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS, THUS, REDUCING DRIVER'S VISIBILTY, AND INCREASING RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER IS DEFECTIVE, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE THAT THIS VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN DUE TO VIN. *AK

I'VE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AS THE VEHICLES THAT WERE RECALLED. HOWEVER, MY VIN# WAS SUCH THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY S-10 OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, YET AN ADDITIONAL RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. I GUESS IT WILL TAKE A CLASS ACTION SUIT BEFORE GM WILL FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A LIGHT AT APPROX 30 MPH THE FUEL INJECTION ASSIST RETURN CABLE BROKE AND THE ENGINE WENT TO FULL THROTTLE. I WAS ABLE TO MANUVER BETWEEN THE VEHICLES IN TRAFFIC AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS LUCKEY, SOME OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE AND HAVE GOTTEN A RESPONSE THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED MY COMPLAINT, BUT I NEEDED TO REPORT THIS CONDITION TO THE DOT BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ON THE UNCONTROLLED FULL THROTTLE MOVEMENT.*AK

IN 1996 MODEL S-10'S AND S-15'S CHEVEROLET TRIED A NEW SLAVE CYLINDER AND HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THEM SO THEY RETURNED TO THE OLD STYLE CYLINDER BUT LEFT CUSTOMERS RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THEM WHEN THEY GO OUT. GMC MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS. *AK

BACK-UP LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER WHILE REVERSING, THEN ONLY COME ON WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE REVERSING AND FINALLY WENT OUT COMPLETELY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE'S FRONT END BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO ONE HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

LEFT FRONT DRIVER DOOR HINGE WELDS FAILED. *SLC

VEHICLE MAKES A NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE CLUTCH IS OUT AT AN IDLE, DEALER STATED THE NOISE IS NORMAL. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVESHAFT BROKE IN HALF WHILE CARRYING PLYWOOD. DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

DRIVER'S AIRBAG LIGHT STAY ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH WON'T DEPLOY UPON IMPACT OR DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON A WET SURFACE VEHICLE LOSES CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF BRAKING. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP BY APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE KEEPS ON GOING.*AK

TODAY (11/21/00) WAS THE THIRD TIME I'VE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY 1996 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP. DURING CERTAIN, SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, THE ABS WILL "DECIDE" NOT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ROLL FORWARDS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THIS OCCURS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) SLOW SPEED; GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 MPH. 2) WET, SLICK PAVEMENT THAT ABRUPTLY CHANGES TO DRY PAVEMENT AND THEN BACK TO WET PAVEMENT. IN THESE SITUATIONS, THE ABS CAN BE HEARD AND FELT CYCLING BUT NO STOPPING POWER IS AVAILABLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THIS SITUATION IN A "REASONABLE" DISTANCE IS TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE AND "LOCK UP" THE REAR WHEELS. THE FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES, WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, TOOK PLACE APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS AGO WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE S10 WAS TAKEN TO A CHEVROLET DEALER (GROTH BROTHERS, LIVERMORE, CA 94550) WHO CHECKED THE ABS SYSTEM AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE THIRD OCCURRENCE HAPPENED ON 11/21/00 AND RESULTED IN ME REAR-ENDING A VEHICLE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. --I APPROACHED THE RED LIGHT AT WHICH A VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. I WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 10 MPH AND THE ROAD WAS WET BUT I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP (OR SO I THOUGHT); AT LEAST 50 FEET! AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES FOR A LEISURELY STOP (DIDN'T PUMP THEM, JUST AN EVEN, STEADY FIRM PRESSURE), I COULD FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM BEGIN TO CYCLE. AT THIS POINT, NO STOPPING POWER WAS AVAILABLE AT ALL AND I ROLLED IN

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH REAR ENDED A VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, HAS TRIED TO CONTACT GMC, NO RESULT. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 98V150001 DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME DEFECT. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT DEFECT WAS DUE TO WIPER MOTOR OVERHEATING, AND A NEW DESIGNED CIRCUIT BOARD WOULD NEED TO BE INSTALLED, DEALER PAID FOR PARTS, HOWEVER CONSUMER PAID FOR LABOR. *AK *SLC

MECHANICS EVALUATION IS THAT POSSIBLE FAILURE COULD BE FROM DEX-COOL COOLANT ERODING GASKETS. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN RAINING. WHEN ITS DRY THEY WORK FINE. RECALL 98V150001 DEALS WITH SAME ISSUE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HE SAID THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

WON'T WORK! NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

WE OPERATE A FLEET OF THESE S-10 AND SONOMA VEHICLES. THE REAR MOUNTING STUDS FOR THE BENCH SEAT ARE BREAKING OUT THE SHEET METAL(DUE TO METAL FATIGUE?) THE LEFT SIDE MOUNT IS RIGHT ABOVE THE LEFT FRAME RAIL. THE BRAKE AND FUEL LINES ARE ON TOP OF THIS FRAME. WE FIRST NOTICED THIS CONDITION 10/30/2000, AND HAVE FOUND THE SAME CONDITION ON AT LEAST 12 MORE VEHICLE, 1996 AND 1997. I THINK THE NEWER ONES WILL ALSO FATIGUE IN TIME. I HAVE DIGITAL PHOTO'S AVAIL IF REQUESTED.

WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES VEHICLE GOES INTO AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE ON WET ROADS. HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE ON VEHICLE, BUT SAME PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK THE PROBLEM OCCURS ON LOOSE GRAVEL ROAD TOO. *YH

NO SUMMARY

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

THE BOLT ON THE DRIVERS SEATBACK SHEARED CAUSING THE BACK OF THE SEAT TO FALL TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION./COOLANT BECAME RUSTY CAUSING THE RADIATOR TO BECOME CLOGED WHICH CAUSED THE WATER PUMP TO FAIL.

WHEN ENTERING MY DRIVEWAY AT A VERY SLOW SPEED THE CABLE SUPPORTING THE SPARE TIRE BROKE AND THE TIRE DROPPED AND WEDGED ITSELF BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK, THE REAR BUMPER AND THE ROAD CAUSING THE REAR TIES OF MY TRUCK TO BE LIFTED FROM THE ROAD. THE CABLE WAS SHEARED IN SUCH FASHON AS TO INDICATE VIBRATION CAUSED IT TO BREAK. HAS THIS HAPPENED AT ANY NORMAL DRIVING SPEED THE TIRE AND WHEEL WOULD HAVE BECOME POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROJECTILES AND THE I AM SURE THE TRUCK WOULD HAVE TURNED OVER. I WANT A BETTER MOUSETRAP UNDER MY TRUCK AND WILL NOT PUT THIS BACK WITHOUT A LOCK AND CHAIN AS A SECOND LINE OF SECURITY.

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE NEARLY CAME OFF DUE TO A BROKEN BALL JOINT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE WOULD START TO APPLY BRAKES FOR A NORMAL STOP. ABS PUMP WOULD KICK IN & WOULD NOT HAVE ANY BRAKES. WHENEVER BRAKE PEDAL WAD RELEASED, ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THEN, TAPPED BRAKES AND VEHICLE WOULD STOP. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. HAVE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER AS OF YET.

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD PERIODICALLY TURN OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. WHILE HEADLIGHTS WERE OFF, RUNNING LIGHTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE WERE STILL ON. DEALER REPLACED LIGHT SWITCH, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. DEFECT ALLOWS POOR OR NO VISIBILITY.*AK

WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WHEN VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT. WOULD HAVE NO WARNING A PROBLEM WOULD HAPPEN. CHANGED FUEL BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. HAVE NOT BEEN TO DEALER.*AK

FIRESTONE TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOW OUT CAUSING VEHICLE TO SKID AND ROLLOVER,CONSUMER WAS KILLED DURING ACCIDENT. *SLC

THIS BATTERY HAS FAILED TWICE IN 2 YRS. THE BATTERY TERMINALS PULL OUT LEAKING ACID ON CABLES AND SURROUNDING COMPONENTS AND HAS ALSO CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO FAIL. I SAW A NEWS BRIEF IN AN AUTO PUBLICATION THAT YOU HAD BEGAN LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM ON SUBURBANS AND TAHOES. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER GM CARS. I PERSONALLY SEEN THIS HAPPEN ON MANY GM CARS WITH AC-DELCO BATTERIES, I WAS AN EMPLOYEE IN A GM DEALER FOR 21 YEARS. I HAVE CONTACTED GM BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ASSISTANCE AND THIS HAD HAPPENED OVER 2 MONTHS AGO

THE SPARE TIRE CABLE SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE TIRE TO FALL FROM THE VEHICLE. *MJS

CHECKED WITH MY DEALER AFTER MY WIPERS BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND I READ ABOUT THE RECALL BUT WAS TOLD MY VIN # WAS NOT ONE OF THE AFFECTED UNITS. PURCHASED A NEW MODULE FROM THE DEALER ON 9/10/00 AND REPLACED THE MODULE MYSELF AND WIPERS HAVE WORKED FINE SINCE. NOTICEABLE WEAR ON THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS ON THE OLD MODULE. *AK

GAS GAUGE WILL NOT READ ACCURATELY. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT IT WAS ABOUT A QUARTER OFF, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS, AND LEFT STRANDED. A MECHANIC STATES THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE INTERIOR OF GAS TANK. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING WET ROAD CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE TAKES LONGER TO STOP THAN WHEN IT IS DRY. THE BRAKE SYSTEM MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. IT HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT AT THE DEALER AND THEY CANNOT SEEM TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE TIRES ARE ON A DIFFERENT VEHICLE BUT 1 TIRE THE TREAD CAME OFF DURING HIGHWAY OPERATION. DURING INSPECTION WE FOUND 2 OTHER TIRES WITH LOOSE TREAD AND READY TO PEEL OFF. WE HAD THEM REPLACED. THE TIRES HAD SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON THEM WITH A GREAT AMOUNT OF TREAD LEFT

CABLE THAT SUPPORTS TAILGATE SNAPPED & FELL DOWN. CONSUMER & CHILD WERE SIITING IN THE REAR WHEN IT HAPPENED, BUT NO ONE WAS HURT. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT MANUFACTURER. *AK

FRONT WHEEL BEARING LEAKED FLUID CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR OF THE BRAKE PADS. *MJS

UPPER MOUNTING BOLTS FOR STEERING GEAR BOX COMPLETELY BACKED OUT, AND TWO LOWER MONTING BOLTS HAD LOOSENED UP. CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM STEERING AT ABOUT 25 MPH. *AK THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES EXCESSIVE PLAY BECAUSE THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS NOT ANCHORED TO THE LEFT FRAME RAIL. AFTER THE BOLTS WERE REINSTALLED, THE STEERING BECAME FINE. *YH

HAD TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE FOR SMOG. INFORMED BY MECHANIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED & NEEDED REPAIRING. MANIFOLD PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED 2 YEARS AGO FOR SAME CRACK. *AK

SLOWED BY NORMAL BRAKING TO 15 MPH, ADDITIONAL BRAKING REQUIRED MORE FOOT PRESSURE WHICH RESULTED IN ALMOST TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. OCCURS 2 TO 3 TIMES A YEAR. SOFTWARE FIX INSTALLED PER RECALL.

CRACKS HAVE DEVELOP AROUND THE SEAT ANCHORS AROUND DRIVER SIDE; VEHICLE IN DEALER SHOP FOR INSPECTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:

LEFT FRONT AXLE SEAL LEAKING, CALLED CHEV.CUST.ASST. ON 8/24/00 TOLD THEM THERE IS ONLY 35000MILES ON VECHICLE (WARRANTY EXPIRED) TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT ASSIT ME AT THIS TIME AND GAVE ME A FILE # C01366417 I FEEL CHEVROLET SHOULD FIX PROBLEM AT THERE EXPENCE SINCE IT ONLY HAS 35000MILES ON IT.

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TRANSMISSION JUST LOCKED UP . ALSO, REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. NO TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. *AK

NO SUMMARY

AIR FROM AIR CONDITIONER NOT COOL. NOTICED AIR CONDITIONER NOT COOLING AS WELL IN FALL OF 1999. SINCE WINTER WAS NEAR I DID NOT USE IT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING SPRING. FIRST TIME IN THE SHOP NO LEAK FOUND BUT NO COOLANT IN THE SYSTEM. COOLANT REPLACED AND WORKED FOR ABOUT 4 WEEKS. THEN SAME PROBLEM. IN SHOP AGAIN AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED NEW COMPRESSOR. SAID IT WAS LEAKING AROUND CASE OF COMPRESSOR. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ($1000). I ASKED GM TO HELP ME OUT WITH IT BECAUSE I FELT AN AIRCONDITIONER SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 4 YEARS. THEY DECLINED BECAUSE IT HAD 71,000 MILES ON IT.

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE IT WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. BRAKES DID SLOWDOWN VEHICLE, BUT IT TOOK TIME WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THROTTLE BODY UNIT. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK PREVIOUSLY ABS WAS ON RECALL. *YH

TWICE WHILE DRIVING MY SPARE TIRE HAS FALLEN OFF (DUE TO CABLE BREAKING).*AK

IF IT IS RAINING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK. IF CONSUMER TURNED ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THEY WILL NOT WORK. CONSUMER WENT TO DEALERSHIP ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *AK