1998 Chevrolet S10 problems
NHTSA has received 742 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet S10, and 29% of them involve wipers, windshield & visibility. After that come brakes (12%) and electrical system (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 742 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Wipers, windshield & visibility 29% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 76 and 9
- Injuries and deaths
- 47 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 70,000 miles 243 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 10 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 25 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 59 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 48 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 54 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 20 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 11 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 7 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 5 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 3 |
What the data shows
Among the 243 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 70,000 miles. For wipers, windshield & visibility specifically, the median reported mileage is about 60,000 miles (119 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 76 complaints mention a crash; 9 complaints mention a fire; 47 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1998 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 15 model years of the Chevrolet S10 with enough data (436 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 6 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
This vehicle was in the shop about 8 times for electrical problems, with 5 times being documented. Problems started about 4 months after I took delivery of it. Nearly all the light switches were changed along with the electronic eye for the lights.
Engine exhibited complete failure. Connecting rod thrown through engine block. Engine experienced erratic oil pressure readings from 20psi to 60psi prior to failure.
Front crash , neither airbag deployed at 48 MPH, $ 8900 damage. 2 weeks prior to accident airbag sensors were replaced.
Windshield wipers operate only sporadically. Wipers sometimes stop working during periods of rain, creating loss of visibility and potential for vehicle crash.at times wipers fail to start when turned "on." dealer mechanic says this condition is widwspread, but manufacturer has so far failed to include this model in a recall. Earlier models having the same symptoms. Manufacturer should expand recall to include later models with identical problems as those models under existing recall.
Windshield wiper failure: I was driving 70 MPH west on I-10 when it started raining. I turned the wipers on, and the wipers worked for approximately one mile before the windshield wipers suddenly stopped working. I pulled to the side of the road and waited for the rain to stop. I've talk to other owners of s-10, suburban, and silverado's which have had the same problem. I've checked a couple of web sites concerning auto complaints, and there are thousands of complaints concerning the same problem.