Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
THE CONSUMER HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE SPARK WIRES CORRODED, THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED AND THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN SHIFTED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *PH ALSO THE RADIATOR ERUPTED BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION COOLER AND THE COOLER OF THE RADIATOR. *SC *JB
VEHICLE STARTS TO VIBRATE AS SPEED INCREASES.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN ON DELAY WILL SOMETIMES WORK, BUT MOSTLY GO AT LOW SPEED REGARDLESS OF SELECTION. 20% OF THE TIME WIPERS WILL NOT TURN ON AT ALL. WHEN TURNED OFF WIPERS CONTINUE UNTIL THEY FEEL LIKE STOPPING AND THEN STOP HALF WAY DOWN THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN USING THE MIST, WIPERS CONTINUE TO RUN FROM 6 TO 20 SWEEPS, AND SOMETIMES DONT GO ALL THE WAY DOWN.*AK
DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. *AK
VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *PH *MR
DRIVER AND PASSENGER RECLINE LEVER BROKE OFF, EACH QUITE EASILY AND WITH LITTLE EFFORT. *LA
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T WORK OR STOP WORKING WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON AND WORK ON WHATEVER SPEED THEY CHOOSE REGARDLESS OF THE SETTING. *LA
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPER QUIT WORKING WHEN IN USE. THERE IS A WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR RECALL 03V159000 FOR THIS ISSUE. BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED IN RAINY OR SNOWY WEATHER, OBSTRUCTING DRIVER'S VIEW. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THERE WAS NO RECALL ON A 1998 MODEL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DURING RAINY WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. DEALERSHIP HAD BEEN NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLER BROKE WHILE DRIVING AND CONTAMINATED OTHER COMPONENTS WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS MADE DRIVING AND GEAR CHANGING DIFFICULT. DEALERSHIP WILL REPLACE ALL CONTAMINATED COMPONENTS. *AK THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT ILLUMINATED SO THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER HAD THE RADIATOR FLUSHED AT 550 MILES AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONSUMER STARTED THE ENGINE AND IT LUNGED FORWARD ALMOST KNOCKING HIM TO THE DRIVEWAY. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED THAT THE RADIATOR MAY BE DEFECTIVE. *PH THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD SHORTED OUT. *JB
WHILE DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *AK THERE'S A ITEM LOCATED JUST UNDER THE HOOD ON THE FIREWALL, THAT IF IT GETS WET I WOULD CAUSE THE WIPERS TO MALFUNCTION. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT STARTED TO RAIN, THE WIPERS FAILED. THE 1997 MODELS WERE RECALLED BUT THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1998 WHICH EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT. *PH *NLM
TRUCKS WITH A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE THAT CAUSES THE WIPERS TO STOP WORKING.GM HAS LIMITED THE RECALL OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART FOR VEHICLE UP TO 1997 EVEN THOUGH THE PART IS USED IN 1998 VEHICLES. 1998 CHEVY S-10 THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING . I CALLED CHEVY DEALER WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEFECTIVE PART HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR VEHICLES ONLY UPTO 1997. .DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE PART. GM NEEDS TO MODIFY THIS RECALL TO INCLUDE 1998.
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW. DEALER SORRY THERE IS NOT RECALL ON THE 1998 BUT THERE IS ON THE 1997. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
VEHICLE HAVING SERIES OF PROBLEMS AFTER AN ACCIDENT WITH A DEER. *MR THE HOOD LATCH HASN'T WORKED PROPERLY SINCE THE ACCIDENT, BOTH CHAIR LATCHES HAD BROKEN AFTER TWO TIMES OF USE, THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE MADE NOISE, THERE WAS NOISE IN THE STEERING, THE CENTRAL CONSOLE SNAPPED IN HALF, AND THE REAR WIPERS HAD GONE OUT. *SCC *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 03 03V159000; BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. DEALER HAD NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY DURING USAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK GM ISSUED A RECALL FOR WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON EARLIER MODEL YEARS. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED FOR LATER MODELS. *PH *NLM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT OUT WITH WARNING. SOMETIMES WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T COME ON. MECHANIC SAYS "THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAME WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR", BUT IT IS ON 1997, S10 MODELS. CONSUMER BELIEVES HIS CAR IS HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.*AK
CHEVROLET S10, 1998, PLASTIC LEATHER ON DRIVER DOOR THAT HOLD DOOR LOCK ROD SECURE BREAKS. DOORS LOCK AND CAN ONLY BE OPENED WITH THE KEY. INNER LAST IS NON-FUNCTIONING TRAPPING THE DRIVER IN UNTIL THE DOOR IS UNLOCKED FROM THE OUT SIDE. *LA
HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURES WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS. WIPERS WILL WORK IF AND WHEN THEY WANT TO, AND AT WHATEVER SPEED THEY CHOOSE. IN PAST FAILURES, THE WIPERS WOULD STILL WORK ON HIGH, OR MIST. IN THE MOST RECENT EPISODE THEY TOTALLY FAILED. WHEN THEY FINALLY STARTED TO WORK AGAIN, THEY WOULD NOT SHUT OFF!! *LA
INTERMITTENT COMPLETE FAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING RAIN. *LA
DRIVER AND PASSENGER RECLINER LEVER EASILY BRAKES. AFTER REPLACING IT TWICE THE SECOND TIME IT BROKE I WAS DRIVING IN A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE PASSION AND UNSAFE. I HAD TO GET A PAIR OF VICE GRIPS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMAND PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE FOR THE CHEVROLET PARTS ATTENDANT. YET THERE IS NO IMPROVEMENT ON THE PARTS THERE SELLING OR RECALL ON THE SEATS. *LA
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK
WIPERS WORK ONLY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND DOESN'T WORK WHEN ITS NEEDED. CONSUMER UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE IS RECALL FOR OTHER CHEVROLET VEHICLES BUT NOT ON THE 1998 S-10. I BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN. *LA
WIPERS MOTOR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WIPERS QUIT WORKING SUDDENLY & SOMETIMES WILL NOT START AT ALL. WIPERS WILL SPEED UP ON THEIR OWN ACCORD AND DON'T SHUT OFF PROMPTLY.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SPORADICALLY. THEY WILL WORK WITH NO PROBLEMS FOR WEEKS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WILL STOP AND NOT WORK.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING. SOMETIMES THEY WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. WE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN SPRAYING THE WINDOWS WHILE DRIVING AND THE WIPERS REFUSED TO COME ON. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, AND WE FINALLY HAD TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED. THE CHEVROLET DEALER TOLD US THAT THEY HAVE HAD MORE THAN THE USUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH 1998 S10S WITH PROBLEMS BUT THEY CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS THE COMPANY ORDERS A RECALL. WE BELIEVE THE RECALL THROUGH 1997 SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE 1998 MODEL. OUR TRUCK ONLY HAS 34000 MILES ON IT. IT COST US 139.11 TO HAVE THIS FIXED. WE COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD, BUT LUCKILY IT WAS AN ISOLATED AREA AND WE WERE ABLE TO STOP IN THE ROAD AND CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. *PH
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. *AK THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM, THERE WERE RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *SCC *JB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THE DEALER HAS STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD HAS MALFUNCTIONED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *PH
1998 CHEVY S-10 PICKUP. WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, OR SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. IF THEY DO FUNCTION, THE INTERMITTENT FEATURE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE WIPERS OFTEN STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE CALLED A DEALER REGARDING REPAIR, WAS TOLD THAT ONLY 1996 AND 1997 S-10S WERE INCLUDED. I CALLED CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS A CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND I COULD DO IT MYSELF FOR ABOUT 100 DOLLARS. GM SHOULD BE FIXING THESE ON THE 1998S BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.
DRIVERS WIPER CONTROL IS INTERMITTENT OR APPEARS TO HAVE A WEAK OR POOR DESIGN. WIPERS CAN BE SELECTED TO INTERMMITENT, WILL WORK FOR A WHILE PROPERLY THEN MAY SWITCH TO LOW WITH NO DRIVER INVOLVEMENT. SOMETIMES WHEN SWITCHED TO OFF, WIPERS MAY CONTINUE OPERATING FOR 1-2 MINUTES. SOMETIMES WHEN SELECTING "MIST" ON WIPER CONTROL, WIPERS MAY OPERATE ANYWHERE FROM 5-10 "SWEEPS" (SHOULD ONLY BE ONE).*AK
WIPERS ARE INTERMITTENT. WILL TURN ON AND SOMETIMES NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. OTHER TIMES THE ONLY FUNCTION I CAN GET TO WORK IS "MIST". SOMETIMES WHAN THE SWITCH IS ON INTERMITTENT THE WIPERS WILL SWITCH BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN LOW AND INTERMITTENT.*AK
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.*AK
HANDLE THAT ADJUSTED THE SEATBACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE. CONSEQUENTLY, WHOLE SEAT SLIDES BACK AND FORTH WHEN GOING UP AND DOWN HILLS. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL LEAK WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE OIL COOLER LINES RUBBED TOGETHER AND MADE A HOLE WHICH CAUSED THE LEAK. *NLM *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH DURING A RAIN STORM. *AK AFTER THE FAILURE THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WITH THIS DEFECT. *PH *JB
INTERMITTENTLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT RESPOND WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, THEN THE WIPERS SUDDENLY BEGAN TO WORK. *SCC *JB
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO PULL OVER. DRIVER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WINDSHEILD WIPER WILL RUN AND THEN STOP WHEN IT IS RAINING AND WILL EVEN CONTINUE TO RUN WHEN I TURN THEM OFF AFTER THE RAIN HAS STOPED. I TRACED THE PROBLEM WIPER MOTOR. WHEN THE WIPERS STOP I PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WIGGLE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON THE WIPER MOTOR AND ITS MAGIC THEY WORK FOR 5 MINS AND THEN YOU REPEAT THE PROCESS. WITH SPEED LIMITS OF 70 MPH I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS ON HIGHWAYS, PULL OVER AND WAIT TILL THE RAIN ENDS ( HOTEL MAY BE REQUIRED). WE NEED HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM, GM DOES NOT CARE, THEY WANT ME TO BUY A NEW MOTOR FROM THEM, THIS ONE IS DEFECTIVE AND THE SAY THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM. I DO NOT NEED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART FROM THEM.*AK
1998 CHEVROLET S-10 ETENDED CAB PICKUP HORN INTERMITENTLY WILL GO OFF AND THE LAST TIME IN APRIL. 2003 STAYED ON UNTIL I PULLED THE FUSE UNDER THE HOOD. I NOW HAVE NO HORN FOR USE.*AK
MY 1998 CHEVROLET S-10 A HAD BAD WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL BOARD PROBLEM THAT WAS RECALLED IN OTHER S-10'S UPTO 1997. SHOULD CONSIDER EXPANDING RECALL.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT WARNING INTERMITTENTLY WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK *TS
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY OR SEIZED FUNCTIONING WHEN ENGAGED. *NLM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM. THERE WAS ZERO VISIBILITY. *SCC *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATE ONLY SPORADICALLY. WIPERS SOMETIMES STOP WORKING DURING PERIODS OF RAIN, CREATING LOSS OF VISIBILITY AND POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE CRASH.AT TIMES WIPERS FAIL TO START WHEN TURNED "ON." DEALER MECHANIC SAYS THIS CONDITION IS WIDWSPREAD, BUT MANUFACTURER HAS SO FAR FAILED TO INCLUDE THIS MODEL IN A RECALL. EARLIER MODELS HAVING THE SAME SYMPTOMS. MANUFACTURER SHOULD EXPAND RECALL TO INCLUDE LATER MODELS WITH IDENTICAL PROBLEMS AS THOSE MODELS UNDER EXISTING RECALL.*AK
CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL CONCERNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. RECALL NUMBER UNKNOWN.*AK
THE S10'S WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AT BEST. THE WIPERS WILL START SOMETIMES AND WORK OK. OTHER TIMES, THEY WILL NOT START, OR WILL STOP ON THEIR OWN....USUALLY DURING THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO COMPLAINTS MADE ON 1996 1997 S-10S WHERE THERE IS A RECALL ON THE WIPER SYSTEM. *AK
DRIVING A 1998 CHEVROLET S-10 PICK UP TRUCK. WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO COME ON DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80 IN PENNSYLVANIA. WIPER MODULE WAS REPLACED. I BELIEVE THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL FOR FULL SIZE CHEVROLET TRUCKS. THE S-10 PICK UP WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL.
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE WIPER MODULE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK *PH *NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. NOTIFIED DEALER THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $202.55 FOR REPAIRS. *AK *CB
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Chevrolet S10 → · Every S10 year → · How the figures are calculated →