79 of the 875 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet S10 are about the engine — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 74,500 miles.
79
Complaints
1
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
DT: ONE OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD SHORTED OUT, AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. EVERYTIME STARTING THE VEHICLE SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND ONE CAN SMELL BURNING PLASTIC. SATURDAY GOT THE OIL CHANGED AND DIDN'T NOTICE ANY PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #10125329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING, I NOTICE WHITE SMOKE IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. CHECKED ALL MY GAUGES, WHICH WERE ALL FINE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING LIKE NORMAL. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND WHEN I GOT THE VEHICLE STOPPED, BLACK SMOKE STARTED ENTERING THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND GOT OUT. I OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND THAT MY ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. AS OF THIS TIME, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT.
NHTSA complaint #10047383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL ON THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATING. DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK THE VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS BAD, THE RADIATOR LEAKED, THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AND THE WATER PUMP LEAKED. *PH *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10024971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. CONSUMER WILL PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10025010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
THE FAN ATTACHED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10018102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE WAS FIX TWICE FOR BLOWN HEAD GASKET. PH
NHTSA complaint #10006753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
RIGHT REAR HEAD GASKET (PASSENGER SIDE) LEAKING COOLANT ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. STARTED LEAKING AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES. *TT *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10001572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER STATES OF HAVING PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM. MR
NHTSA complaint #8021385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WILL LOSE ALL POWER WILL IN OPERATION. ENGINE WILL TURN OFF, LIGHTS OFF, EVERY THING WILL TURN OFF. HAD VEHICLE CHECKED, HAD COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETED. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. VEHICLE WILL STILL LOSE ALL POWER. FOR EXAMPLE, DRIVING DOWN PAVED CITY STREET. LOSE ALL POWER. START TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD. VEHICLE STARTS UP AGAIN ON OWN. BACK OUT OF PARKING STALL, VEHICLE LOSE ALL POWER. PUSH VEHICLE BACK IN PARKING STALL. VEHICLE STARTS UP. DRIVING DOWN ROAD, NIGHT TIME, VEHICLE LOSE ALL POWER, EVERYTHING GOES OUT. PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD. VEHICLE WILL NOT START, CALL TOW TRUCK. TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVES, VEHICLE STARTS. TAKE TO MECHANIC, NO PROBLEM FOUND ON SYSTEM. TAKE VEHICLE HOME PARK IT. TRY TO GO SOME PLACE ELSE THE NEXT DAY. VEHICLE WILL NOT START, TRY IN 20 MIM. VEHICLE STARTS. CHECKED BATTERY, GOOD. CHECKED GROUND WIRE, GOOD. COMPUTER CHECK GOOD. DON'T KNOW, CAN YOU HELP? THIS IS THE SECOND COMPUTER IN VEHICLE. THE ORIGNAL COMPUTER WOULD NOT LET THE ABS WORK. CHEVROLET CHANGED COMPUTER AT 60-65000 MILES. AT A LOSE, IN GILROY.
NHTSA complaint #764095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM HAPPENING. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.
NHTSA complaint #762875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHANGED AND OIL WAS CHANGED, AND FOR AWHILE THE LIGHT WENT OFF, UNTIL OCTOBER 1, 2001 THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON A MACHINE AN A CODE OF 1103 APPEARED THE DEALER WAS CALLED AND STATED THERE IS NO SUCH CODE, PPOSSIBLE ENGINE PROBLEMS, BUT AS OF NOW NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
NHTSA complaint #785698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
AT 61,000 MILES THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. AT THE TIME THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS ITEM. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS REPAIR WOULD BE OVER $900. WITH NO CHOICE AT HAND, I DID THE REPAIR MYSELF. I COMPLETED THE JOB IN ABOUT 14 HOURS, PLUS THE EXPENSES OF THE PARTS. I DIDN'T SAVE MY RECEIPTS BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE I WOULD NEED THEM. HOWEVER, I DID SAVE THE HEAD GASKET.SOME MONTHS LATER, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CHEVROLET STATING THIS WAS A FACTORY DEFECT AND WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK. I PROCEED TO CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER WHO ISSUED ME A CASE # OF 06762207. THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD RECEIVE NOTHING WITHOUT A RECEIPT. ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
NHTSA complaint #761130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
I PURCHASED TRUCK FROM SATURN DEALER A DIVISION OF GM. AS A TRUCK JUST OUTOF LEASE WITH20697MILES. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED.
NHTSA complaint #760232 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASH, AND BRAKE BOOSTER MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO, WATER PUMP WENT OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8005892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON DASH, AND BRAKE BOOSTER MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO, WATER PUMP WENT OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8005892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65-70 MPH COOLING SYSTEM: FAN BOLTS HAVE BROKEN OFF, CAUSING FAN BLADE CAME OFF . DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED . FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8003076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
IN THE PAST YEAR, WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY STARTED, THEN THEY DON'T ALWAYS WORK. THE TRUCK ENGINE WILL JUST STOP WHILE YOUR DRIVING LEAVING YOU FIGHTING TO BRAKE & STEER.
NHTSA complaint #755820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHANGED AND OIL WAS CHANGED, AND FOR AWHILE THE LIGHT WENT OFF, UNTIL OCTOBER 1, 2001 THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON A MACHINE AN A CODE OF 1103 APPEARED THE DEALER WAS CALLED AND STATED THERE IS NO SUCH CODE, PPOSSIBLE ENGINE PROBLEMS, BUT AS OF NOW NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
NHTSA complaint #785698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING IN DAMP WEATHER TRUCK WILL JUST STOP RUNNING, ENGINE WILL NOT RUN IT WILL TURN OVER BUT WILL NOT START, IF VEHICLE IS LEFT FOR A FEW HOURS IT MAY START, AFTER RESTART MOTOR WILL RACE, SPEEDOMETER WILL GO FROM 0 TO 80 MPH HEATER MOTOR WILL RACE UP AND DOWN , VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO HAVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECKED OUT, BUT DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POSSIBILY ENGINE RELATED.
NHTSA complaint #561018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACED. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #785397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE QUIT ON ME GOING 65MPH, COULDN'T GET MOTOR STARTED FOR 45 MINUTES, BROUGHT INTO SHOP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG SO I ENDED UP GETTING RID OF IT.
NHTSA complaint #743966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #742988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
ON MAY 23 2000 THE VEHICAL WAS BROUGHT IN FOR AN OVER HEATING PROBLEM. THE RADIATOR WAS DIAGNOSNED AS THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED. THEN ON OCT 17 THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR A HEATING PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE GASKET WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE WAS FLUSHED. THE WORK WAS DONE PER BULLETIN 99-06-012-012. I JUST DISCOVERED TODAY THAT THE ENGINE HAS A RATTLING SOUND. IT SOUNDS LIKE A BUCKET OF BOLTS.
NHTSA complaint #740053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ON MAY 23 2000 THE VEHICAL WAS BROUGHT IN FOR AN OVER HEATING PROBLEM. THE RADIATOR WAS DIAGNOSNED AS THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED. THEN ON OCT 17 THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR A HEATING PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE GASKET WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE WAS FLUSHED. THE WORK WAS DONE PER BULLETIN 99-06-012-012. I JUST DISCOVERED TODAY THAT THE ENGINE HAS A RATTLING SOUND. IT SOUNDS LIKE A BUCKET OF BOLTS.
NHTSA complaint #740053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
MECHANICS EVALUATION IS THAT POSSIBLE FAILURE COULD BE FROM DEX-COOL COOLANT ERODING GASKETS.
NHTSA complaint #736178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE BOLT ON THE DRIVERS SEATBACK SHEARED CAUSING THE BACK OF THE SEAT TO FALL TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION./COOLANT BECAME RUSTY CAUSING THE RADIATOR TO BECOME CLOGED WHICH CAUSED THE WATER PUMP TO FAIL.
NHTSA complaint #733958 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
BELT TENSIONER FAILED. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #554345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
HAD TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE FOR SMOG. INFORMED BY MECHANIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED & NEEDED REPAIRING. MANIFOLD PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED 2 YEARS AGO FOR SAME CRACK.
NHTSA complaint #869123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.
NHTSA complaint #866510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO DEFECTIVE BEARINGS ON THE PULLY. YH
NHTSA complaint #550616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.