Problems · by component

1998 Chevrolet S-10 engine and engine cooling problems

53 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Chevrolet S-10 cite engine and engine cooling, 8% of all 638 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
53
8% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“HI I ORIGINALLY PURCHASED A 1998 CHEVROLET S10 USED PRIVATE PARTY AND NOTICED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND MY BROTHER SCANNED THE COMPUTER AND FOUND IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED BY MY BROTHER IT HAD BEEN REBUILT LITERALLY 2 MONTHS BEFORE PURCHASED AND WAS SHOWN PROOF WHEN DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT SHIFTED INTO 3RD BY ITSELF AND WAS FORCED TO DRIVE 25 MILES DOING 50 TOOK IT TO GM AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS A PRESSURE PROBLEM AND WAS "RECOMMENDED" A TRANNY REBUILD AND THEN THEY CALLED THE CAR A PIECE OF @#$%^ AND WASN'T WORTH IT I PERSONALLY LOVE THE TRUCK AND THEN THEY SAID IT WOULD BE 2500 DOLLARS. I CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION WILL EVENTUALLY LOCK ME OUT OF IT, ALSO WHEN HOT IT SOUNDS LITERALLY LIKE A TRACTOR ON EXCEL AND STEADY SPEED IF ANY ONE HAS ANY ANSWERS PLEASE EMAIL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2009Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10277255
“BEGAN EXPERIENCING LOUD EXHAUST NOISE AND LOSS OF POWER IN 1998 S-10 PICKUP IN JULY OF '07. HAD CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. AGAIN BEGAN EXPERIENCING LOUD EXHAUST AND LOSS OF POWER IN APRIL 2008. PICKUP TOTALLY STALLED OUT IN MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION ONCE, NEARLY STALLED ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS. WAS ADVISED BY ACQUAINTANCE THAT THERE WAS A SPECIAL POLICY ISSUED BY GM (05021A) THAT COVERED THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. RESEARCHED THE SPECIAL POLICY AND FOUND OUT THAT I SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A MAILING IN MAY 2005 NOTIFYING ME OF A POTENTIAL FAILURE OF MY EXHAUST SYSTEM, I NEVER RECEIVED THE MAILING. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE, WAS ADVISED TO BRING IT TO A GM DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS. TOOK VEHICLE TO GM DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS A PIECE OF '!@#$% AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE BACK - THEY ESCALATED THE CLAIM AND THE DEALERSHIP ENDED UP REPLACING THE FLEX JOINT & HEADER PIPE. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AGAIN TO SEE ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AS PROVIDED FOR IN SPECIAL POLICY. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE HUNG UP ON ME, REQUESTED THAT I TRACK DOWN MORE INFORMATION ON THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 28, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10225959
“MY 1998 CHEVROLET S-10 HAS A FAILED CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND IT ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES. IT IS MY SUSPICION THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS COOKED BY A DEFECT IN THE WORKMANSHIP OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CAR. LESS THAN ONE YEAR BEFORE FAILURE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE SYSTEM, CAUSING THE O2 SENSOR TO REACT AND ENACT A FUEL/AIR MIXTURE THAT COOKED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CHEVROLET DEALER SAYS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN OVER 8 YEARS. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 7, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10190032
“DT: THE CALLER RECEIVED A RECALL CONCERNING CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE HE DROVE MORE THAN 12,0000 MILES. DEALER WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE. MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED THREE TIMES AND THEY ALSO SAID VEHICLE HAD TOO MANY MILES. VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AND HAD TO BE TOWED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 30, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10134710
“1998 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED.*MR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BECAME SO HOT THAT IT MELTED A HOLE IN THE BEDLINER OF THE TRUCK. AFTER THAT INCIDENT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL. *NM CONSUMER WOULD LIKE A FOLLOW UP REGARDING FAILURE. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10130214
“1998 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP ENGINE FAN EXPLODED THROUGH THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK.*MR THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT TORE A HOLE IN THE HOOD 11" LONG AND 1 1/2" WIDE. THE METAL ON THE HOOD WAS PEELED BACK FROM THE FORCE. THERE WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE UNDER THE HOOD. *BF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 16, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10121579

Showing 6 of 53 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.