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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic203
  2. Visibility96
  3. Air bags74
  4. Engine and engine cooling66
  5. Power train64
  6. Vehicle speed control38
  7. Electrical system35
  8. Equipment35
  9. Suspension19
  10. Exterior lighting18
  11. Fuel system, gasoline17
  12. Steering16
  13. Structure16
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19951
199673
1997131
199885
1999127
2000100
200157
200239
200329
200417
20058
20064
20074
20082
20090
20102
20110
20120
20131
20142
20150
20161
20171
20182

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.

03 —Owner reports

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10319139

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2007VisibilityODI 10203033

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2014Steering, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10632572

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 10, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10182225

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2014Steering, Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10573297

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 12, 2004Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10073543
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.