Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Chevrolet S-10 problems
Owners filed 686 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet S-10 with NHTSA between Nov 1995 and Jul 2018. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (203).
Complaints
686
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
110
Reported by owners
Fires
12
Reported by owners
Injuries
55
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic203
- Visibility96
- Air bags74
- Engine and engine cooling66
- Power train64
- Vehicle speed control38
- Electrical system35
- Equipment35
- Suspension19
- Exterior lighting18
- Fuel system, gasoline17
- Steering16
- Structure16
- Seat belts13
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
73
131
85
127
100
57
39
29
17
8
4
4
2
0
2
0
0
1
2
0
1
1
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 73 |
| 1997 | 131 |
| 1998 | 85 |
| 1999 | 127 |
| 2000 | 100 |
| 2001 | 57 |
| 2002 | 39 |
| 2003 | 29 |
| 2004 | 17 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes, hydraulic
203 reports37 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET S-10 PICKUP. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD THE BRAKES REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO CRYSTALLIZATION OF THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED FIVE TIMES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,574 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
Visibility
96 reports
“RECALL ON WIPER MOTOR ON 1996 CHEVROLET S-10 PICKUP WAS DONE IN THE EARLY 90'S. WHENEVER IT RAINS NOW, WIPERS DON'T TURN OFF RIGHT AWAY. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE I HAD RECALL DONE, AND WAS OK UNTIL JUST RECENTLY. *JB”
Air bags
74 reports67 crashes
“THE ACCIDENT WAS ALMOST HEAD ON MAINLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE IMPACT WAS HARD THE AIR BAGS WENT OFF IN THE OTHER CAR BUT NEITHER ONE OF OURS WENT OFF. FOR ABOUT A YEAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE TRUCK WOULD STALL AT RANDOM TIMES. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
66 reports1 crash3 fires
“I BOUGHT MY TRUCK NEW. I HAVE HAD THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACED ONCE, AND HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN PARKED FOR THE LAST YEAR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THIS SHOULD NOT OF HAPPENED. THIS TRUCK IS 11 YRS OLD BUT HAS LESS THEN 75000 MILES. *JB”
Power train
64 reports2 crashes2 fires
“FOR YEARS MY CHEVY S-10 1996 2WD TRUCK WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF ON THE ROAD OFTEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CHEVY LOOKED AT THE TRUCK MANY TIMES AND ALWAYS SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ONE TIME THEY TALKED ME INTO A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION AT 36100 MILES. THEY DIDN'T HONOR THE WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THEY SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE SHUTOFF PROBLEM AND HAPPENED BEFORE THE 36K WARRANTY LIMIT. THAT COST ME NEARLY 4000 DOLLARS. THEY TRUCK CONTINUED TO SHUT ITSELF OFF WHILE DRIVING FOR YEARS. IT WASN'T TILL A MECHANIC NOT AFFILIATED WITH GM TOLD ME TO STOP USING MORE THAN ONE KEY ON MY KEYCHAIN. THIS GM IGNITION RECALL GOES WAY BEYOND 2005 AND COBALTS. IT GOES BACK TO EARLY 90'S S-10 TRUCKS. NOW WE SHOULD KNOW WHY GM NEVER ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY TRUCK AND DROPPED THE S-10 IN THE MID 2000'S. *TR”
Vehicle speed control
38 reports4 crashes
“WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH DRIVER'S BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, HIT A GUARD RAIL, AND ROLLED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED BUT DRIVER REFUSED TO GO WITH THE ANBULANCE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.