Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Chevrolet S-10 problems

Owners filed 469 complaints about the 1997 Chevrolet S-10 with NHTSA between Dec 1996 and Jan 2019. The most-cited component is visibility (112).

Complaints
469
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
62
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
37
People reported injured
Deaths
3
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility112
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic91
  3. Power train48
  4. Air bags47
  5. Engine and engine cooling37
  6. Fuel system, gasoline25
  7. Vehicle speed control21
  8. Fuel system, other20
  9. Structure19
  10. Electrical system19
  11. Suspension13
  12. Seats9
  13. Equipment9
  14. Seat belts9

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
19962
199736
199853
199966
200084
200144
200242
200331
200442
200519
200613
20075
20088
20097
20105
20111
20122
20132
20144
20152
20160
20170
20180
20191

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

Visibility

112 reports3 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EVENTUALLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TO FUNCTION AFTER CONTINUOUSLY TURNING THE CONTROL MECHANISM FORCEFULLY. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 1, 2011VisibilityODI 10422928

Service brakes, hydraulic

91 reports12 crashes
“I HAVE READ OF A SAFTEY RECALL ON THIS VEHICAL WITH THE EXACT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, I SHOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF DISTANCE TO STOP, IT'S ONLY A SMALL PICK UP, I KNOW FOR CERTIAN I HAVE A FULLY LOADED WORK TRUCK A FORD 3/4 TON ECONOLINE VAN AND I KNOW I COULD HAVE STOPPED THAT VEHICLE IN TIME. I WAS STANDING ON THE BRAKES, THEY JUST WOULDNT DO ANYTHING , IN AN EMERGENCY THEY JUST DON'T CUT THE MUSTARD. I HAD EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE, AND MY NEEK HAS BEEN NOT FEELING GOOD EVER SINCE. MY FATHER IN LAW GAVE THIS TRUCK TO MY WIFE HEN HE WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE, AND IT WAS TOLD TO ME HE HAD THE TRUCK INTO THE SHOP REPEATEDLY FOR THE SAME THING SINCE IT WAS NEW. SEEMS TO ME GM SHOULD MAKE IT RIGHT AND THE BODY COLLISION, BEINGS THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT AND HAVENT DONE SQUAT, AND PAY FOR MY PAIN AND MEDICAL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2013Service brakes, hydraulic, StructureCrash reportedODI 10499787

Power train

48 reports2 crashes
“AROUND THE END OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD, MY TRUCK STARTED SHIFTING INTO "SECOND" GEAR HARD AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TOWARD THE END OF A 200 MILE TRIP, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NO LONGER HAS A "SECOND" GEAR. THE TRUCK HAD 48,023 MILES ON IT. I CANNOT DETERMINE FOR SURE IF THE OVERDRIVE FUNCTION IS WORKING, EITHER. WHILE FAILURE DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR PERSONAL INJURY, THE POTENTIAL WAS SIGNIFICANT. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN USED FOR PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION, NOT COMMERCIAL PURPOSES OR HAULING HEAVY LOADS. REPAIRS WILL BE COSTLY. MY RESEARCH INDICATES REPEAT FAILURES FOR THIS TRANSMISSION. I AM THE SECOND OWNER. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK FROM MY MOTHER AFTER MY FATHER PASSED AWAY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 31, 2005Power trainODI 10116174

Air bags

47 reports37 crashes
“VEHICAL PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME I HIT HIM RUNNING 55 MPH MY SAFETY BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY RESULTING IN SEVERE SEATBELT AND STERRING WHEEL DAMAGE TO MY BODY AND TERIBLE NECK PAIN AND BACK PAIN RESULTING FROM LACK OF AIR BAGNEGLECT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10568331

Engine and engine cooling

37 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. WHILE DRIVING HOME HE NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOOD. HE CONTINUED DRIVING, AND THEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE FIRE FIGHTERS COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 200,000. UPDATED 12/07/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED GM PLACED AN OVERSIZED 6 CYLINDER MOTOR IN THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/09/09”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2009Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10289251

Fuel system, gasoline

25 reports2 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP TRUCK. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE EXISTING RECALL AND THAT THEY WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHEN IT WAS RAINING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED. THE CONTACT IS ALSO CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED AT 27,000 MILES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70,400.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2009Fuel system, gasoline, VisibilityODI 10282086
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.