Your vehicle report
1997 Chevrolet S10
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 469
- Received Dec 1996 to Jan 2019
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail87 complaints · 19% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes43 complaints · 9.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up25 complaints · 5.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #03V159000On certain minivans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with certain model-engine combinations, the windshield wiper motor may fail due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. The windshield wipers could work intermittently or not at all.
- Recall #00V159000Vehicle description: electric pickup trucks. A condition in which the fuel-fired heater fill pipe ground strap contacts the rear passenger side brake pipe.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 63 crashes, 8 fires, 38 people injured, 3 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 36 |
| 1998 | 53 |
| 1999 | 66 |
| 2000 | 84 |
| 2001 | 44 |
| 2002 | 42 |
| 2003 | 31 |
| 2004 | 42 |
| 2005 | 19 |
| 2006 | 13 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 469 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 87 | 19% | – | NHTSA recall #03V159000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 43 | 9.2% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 25 | 5.3% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 22 | 4.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 21 | 4.5% | – | NHTSA recall #00V159000, #97V146001 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 13 | 2.8% | – | NHTSA recall #97V096001 |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 12 | 2.6% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 9 | 1.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 9 | 1.9% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 9 | 1.9% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 8 | 1.7% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 1.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 7 | 1.5% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 6 | 1.3% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 1.3% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 6 | 1.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 5 | 1.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #03V159000April 28, 20031,755,876 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield wiper/washer
On certain minivans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with certain model-engine combinations, the windshield wiper motor may fail due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. The windshield wipers could work intermittently or not at all.
If this were to occur during bad weather, driver visibility would be reduced, which could result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover. Owner notification began on june 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
NHTSA recall #00V159000June 16, 2000306 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: electric pickup trucks. A condition in which the fuel-fired heater fill pipe ground strap contacts the rear passenger side brake pipe.
This could wear off the corrosion protection on the brake pipe, leading to premature corrosion and eventual loss of brake pipe integrity. When brake pipe integrity is lost, brake fluid leakage Can occur.
Remedy
Dealers will relocate the ground strap attachment, inspect the brake pipe for wear, and replace the brake pipe if necessary.
NHTSA recall #00V069200March 3, 2000576 vehicles affected
electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery
Vehicle description: generation 1 electric light duty pickup trucks. These vehicles were built with a charge port assembly that could fail during a charging event.
Heat could build up within the charge port and a fire could result.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the charge port assembly with a redesigned charge port assembly.
NHTSA recall #98V177000August 4, 1998354 vehicles affected
visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with electric drive. Rapid fogging of the interior glass Can occur within two minutes after the heat is turned on if (1) the outside temperature is between 35 and 76 degrees fahrenheit and (2) water has collected on the heat exchanger during previous operation of the air conditioning.
If rapid fogging were to occur during driving, it could obstruct the driver's vision increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Owners are being provided with a caution label and supplemental insert for their owner's manual advising them to follow a "stop and wait" procedure to help avoid window fogging while driving.
NHTSA recall #97V146001September 11, 1997146,167 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: light duty passenger pickup trucks equipped with 4.3L engines. The front brake line Can contact the left-hand side of the engine oil pan causing the brake line to wear to the point of brake fluid loss during brake application.
Brake fluid loss Can reduce braking effectiveness and increase stopping distances resulting in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the clearance between the oil pan and the brake line. If the clearance is 6MM or less, dealers will install an additional brake line clip and if there was contact between the oil pan and brake line, the front brake line will be replaced.
NHTSA recall #97V096001June 12, 1997586,058 vehicles affected
seat belts
Vehicle description: extended cab pickup trucks equipped with 60/40 front bench seats and extended cab pickup trucks and 2-DOOR utility vehicles equipped with manual locking recliner bucket seats. The outboard safety belt webbing on the driver's and/or passenger's seat Can separate during a frontal impact.
If a separation occurred and there were secondary crash events or vehicle rollover, there would be no belt restraint of the occupant and increased injuries could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will install a protective cover over the recliner mechanism.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Chevrolet S10.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN