Problems · by component
1998 Chevrolet S-10 power train problems
39 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Chevrolet S-10 cite power train, 6% of all 638 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
39
6% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS PULLING INTO A MCDONALD'S DRIVE-THROUGH LANE AND THE SILICONE ISOLATION MOUNT WHERE THE TOP PART OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER MEETS THE BOTTOM PART COMING UP FROM THE TRANSMISSION BROKE LOOSE. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SHIFT WITH THE TOP LEVER NOW. IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHIFT USING THE SHORT BOTTOM PIECE COMING UP FROM THE TRANSMISSION, BUT IT IS NOT EASY TO DO SO. *TR”
“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”
“TRANSMISSION SHIFTING VERY HARD INTO SECOND GEAR. NOW TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND AT ALL AND THERE IS NO REVERSE. APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION IS VERY COMMON. *TR”
“WHEN YOU DRIVE THE TRUCK FOR APPROX 1 HOUR, THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO HIGH GEAR AND WILL NOT COME OUT UNTIL IT COOL DOWN. IT THROWS A CEL LAMP. WHEN YOU STOP WITH THE TRANSMISSION WARM, IT SHIFTS VERY HARD FROM 1ST TO SECOND. *JB”
“I OWN AN 1998 CHEVY S10 PICK-UP TRUCK. SOME TIME LAST YEAR I STARTED TO GET A P1870 TROUBLE CODE. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,300. AT THE TIME THE TRANSMISSION ONLY HAD 61,000 MILES ON IT. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAULTY TRANSMISSION. *JB”
“1998 CHEVY S10 4 CYL. 74,000 MILES TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HARD, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND HAS CODE 1870. SHOP SAYS TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. RAN ACROSS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THIS SAME COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET.”
Showing 6 of 39 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.