75 of the 875 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet S10 are about the transmission — 9% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 119,164 miles.
75
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO TRANSFER CASE FLUID BEING EXPELLED FROM VENT HOSE ONTO THE RIGHT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THIS IS THE THIRD FIRE IN 1995 AND 1996 S-SERIES GM TRUCKS I HAVE INVESTIGATED IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ORIGIN OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10078693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN TRAVELING OVER 1 MILE DISTANCE, CAUSING VERY ROUGH SHIFING OF GEARS (AT)-(EVEN CAUSES REAR WHEELS TO SCREECH WHEN TAKING OFF AND ALSO SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR). OIL PRESSURE GAUGE GOES UP WITH ACCELERATION, DOWN TO 0 WHEN DECELERATING-2 ATTEMPTS TO FIX, NEITHER SHOP COULD FIND CAUSE FOR FAILURE. TRANSMISSION FLUID IS RUSTY AS IS THE FLUID INDICATOR AREA, REQUIRES EXTENSIVE/COSTLY REPAIR. INTERIOR PANELS SQUEAK. VEHICLE IDLES ROUGHLY. RUSTY DRIVER FRONT DRIVER SIDE BLINKER. ABS BREAKS DO NOT QUICKLY STOP VEHICLE AND VIBRATE ROUGHLY & LOUDLY WHEN IN USE-I'VE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS!
NHTSA complaint #10051386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND, UNLESS YOU GO VERY SLOW.
NHTSA complaint #10050638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
OIL COOLER LINE: THE METAL TUBING IN THE LOWER OIL COOLED LINE REST ON TOP OF THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY. A HOLE WORE THROUGH THE TUBING DUE TO BEING IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE GEAR BOX CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE OIL WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF BRAKING ON DRIVER SIDE (DUE TO OIL SPRAY ON BRAKE ROTOR) AND NEAR SEIZURE OF ENGINE. I STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO PREVENT MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND POSSIBLE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AS OF THIS WRITING I AM STILL NOT AWARE IF ANY OCCURRED (ENGINE DAMAGE).
NHTSA complaint #10029179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 61,000 WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY @65 MILES PER HOUR, JUST QUIT ON THE HIGHWAY, GMC WOULDN'T STAND BEHIND IT, TRANSMISSION SHOP REBUILT IT AND FOUND A CRACK IN THE CASE DUE TO IT NOT COOLING PROPERLY, HAD TO PUT A LARGER COOLER UNIT IN THE TRUCK TO HANDLE THE TRANSMISSION FOR THIS TRUCK. TIMING BELT WENT WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY @65 MILES PER HOUR, EVERYTHING LOCKED UP ON THE TRUCK POWER STEERING, BRAKES AND JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. BOTH SITUATIONS VERY DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #763264 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE ACCELERATING TRANSMISSION WILL LOCK UP, AND WILL GRAB REAR WHEEL. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #8011613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE POWER TRAIN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE FAILED AT 58788 MILES. THE VEHICLE IS NOT USED FOR OFF ROAD, HEAVY HAULING, OR FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE THAN NORMAL CITY/HIGHWAY DRIVING. WE PAID $1987.74 FOR A NEW AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND WANT TO KNOW IF OTHER CHEVROLET S10 BLAZER OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AT LOW MILEAGE. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY FACTORY/DEALER RECALLS WERE OUT THERE THAT AS AN OWNER WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT OTHER S10 BLAZER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURE BUT HAVE NO SPECIFICS ON MILEAGE OR CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING FAILURE. PLEASE REPLY AT EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP/INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE.
NHTSA complaint #746665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
CONSUMER WAS PUTTING VEHICLE IN DRIVE TO LEAVE A PARKING SPACE, AND SCREW TO SHIFT LEVER POPPED OUT. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CONSUMER WILL ADD MORE INFORMATION TO FORM.
NHTSA complaint #890664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO DRIVE BELT SLIPPAGE, TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE ONTO THE CONNECTION TO RADIATOR RESULTED IN REPLACEMENT OF THE RADIATOR. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #785397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE MAKES A NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE CLUTCH IS OUT AT AN IDLE, DEALER STATED THE NOISE IS NORMAL. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #785159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
IN 1996 MODEL S-10'S AND S-15'S CHEVEROLET TRIED A NEW SLAVE CYLINDER AND HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THEM SO THEY RETURNED TO THE OLD STYLE CYLINDER BUT LEFT CUSTOMERS RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THEM WHEN THEY GO OUT. GMC MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS.
NHTSA complaint #739140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVESHAFT BROKE IN HALF WHILE CARRYING PLYWOOD. DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #876271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #734625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #734529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #728642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TRANSMISSION JUST LOCKED UP . ALSO, REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. NO TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING.
NHTSA complaint #868434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
SLAVE CYLINDER LEAKING AT FRONT SEAL. YH
NHTSA complaint #553096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID. AT TIME OF INCIDENT, ALL TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT AND TRANSMISSION SEIZED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WAS REPLACED BY OPEL DEAL(NEAREST GM AFFILIATE, WE CURRENTLY RESIDE IN GERMANY, USAF). WITH IN 2 MONTHS THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. STILL NOT FIXED. HAVING PROBLEMS CONTACTING SOMEONE HERE TO REPAIR IT. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND INJURED SOMEONE.
NHTSA complaint #724614 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE DAY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.WE WERE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 70 MPH WHEN THE TRUCK MADE A FUNNY SOUND AND THEN IT JUST LOCKED UP . THE TRUCK ALMOST SWERVED OFF THE ROAD BEFORE I GOT CONTROL OF IT. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY WE WERE NEVER MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM SO WE COULD OF HAD THIS FIXED. THIS PROBLEM WOULD OF BEEN REMIED A LONG TIME AGO AND WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS POSITION. WE SHOULD OF BEEN TOLD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SO WE COULD OF HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS FIXED. THIS COULD OF CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR POSSIBLE DEATH. I FIND THIS TOTALLY DISBELIEVABLE AND NOW WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET THIS MATTER CLEARED UP. WE SEEM TO BE GETTING DOORS CLOSED IN OUR FACES.
NHTSA complaint #723698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY DUE TO FAULTY TRANSMISSION.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #862813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAS GONE OUT ON ME TWICE. NOW.I WAS WONDERING IF THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH S-10 PICKUPS?
NHTSA complaint #722344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I HAD IT FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, AND NOW IT IS LEAKING FLUID AGAIN. I AM IN THE MILITARY IN GERMANY, AND THE GERAMAN OPEL DEALARSHIP SAID THE TRANSMISSION HAD A ONE YEAR WARRANTY, SO NOW I HAVE PAY FOR IT MYSELF. THE TRUCK HAS VERY LOW MILES FOR 4 YEARS, AND IT'S ALREADY HAD TWO TRANSMISSIONS GO ON IT. I'M NOT VERY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THIS HAS ALL TURNED OUT, BECAUSE I REALLY DO LIKE THE TRUCK, BUT NOW I WILL NEVER BUY A CHEVROLET AGAIN, AND I HAVE WARNED ALL MY FRIENDS NOT TO AS WELL.
NHTSA complaint #722485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO IMPROPERLY INSTALLED PILOT BUSHING. YH
NHTSA complaint #550616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
THE CLUTCH FAILED. YH
NHTSA complaint #550616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH BECAME LOOSE, REPLACED CLUTCH. YH
NHTSA complaint #550616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
TRANSMISSION NEEDED NEW BEARINGS SINCE PILOT BUSHING WAS STRIPPED DUE TO POOR INSTALLATION, RESULTING IN FAILURE AT A LATER DATE. YH
NHTSA complaint #550616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION, GM/CHEVY HAS 9 ON WAIT LIST NOW. NONE AVAILABLE IN US.
NHTSA complaint #719147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IN AUGUST OF 1996 I PURCHASED A 1996 S-10 PICKUP FROM RELIABLE CHEVROLET IN ALBUQUERQUE. IT WAS SOLD AS A VEHICLE WITH 26 MILES ON IT INSTEAD OF THE ACTUAL 7064 MILES IT REALLY HAD. I HAD NEVER BOUGHT A NEW CAR AND THEY SAW ME COMING. THE LEGAL PART OF THAT CONTRACT IS BEING REVIEWED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF NEW MEXICO AND SENATOR DOMENICI. I NOTIFIED CHEVROLET IN MICHIGAN IMMEDIATELY, TELLING THEM ABOUT THE FRAUDULENT CONTRACT AND THE SLIPPAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION. I RARELY DROVE OTHER THAN TO MY TWO JOBS. ON THE FIRST EXTENDED TRIP OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY REFUSED TO SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR WHILE I WAS PASSING. IT BLEW A LARGE AMOUNT OF TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT THE VENT TUBE ON THE REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SPENT OVER $300.00 AND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND MISSED WORK TRYING TO GET RELIABLE FIX THE PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT RECENTLY THAT CHEVROLET INSTALLED A DEFECTIVE PUMP IN THE TRANSMISSON THAT CANNOT HANDLE THE PRESSURE, FORCING IT OUT THE VENT TUBE AND OVERHEATING THE SYSTEM WHILE CAUSING SHIFT FAILURE. DO YOU CONSIDER LOSING POWER SUDDENLY WHEN ON A HIGHWAY WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 75 DANGEROUS? I HAVE NEARLY LOST MY LIFE THREE TIMES NOW BECAUSE OF MY INABILITY TO GO FASTER THAN 44 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LOCKS LIKE THIS. ONLY MY SKILL AS A DRIVER HAS PREVENTED YOU FROM SEEING ME IN THE FATALITY SECTION. CHEVROLET SENT ME 5 LETTERS CONCERNING THEIR FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT NO NOTICE ABOUT A REALLY DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE CONDITION THEY WILLINGLY KEEP QUIET ABOUT. I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE MORE THAN 25 MILES IN ANY DIRECTION BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION STOPS SHIFTING PROPERLY AND STARTS SPEWING FLUID OUT THE VENT TUBE. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT, IT ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE 3 TIMES NOW. AT LEAST 7 DRIVERS HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID ME AS THE TRUCK LOST POWER SUDDENLY. FOR EVERY RAISED MIDDLE FINGER I GOT, I HATE CHEVROLET AND THEIR VULGAR DECEIT EVEN MORE. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES NOW AND THE PROBLEM ONLY GETS WORSE. NO SAFET
NHTSA complaint #718475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THEY SAY MY TRANSMISSION IS NOT ONE THAT SEIZES BUT IT IS LOCKING UP AND BUCKING FOR SOME REASON. I HAVE TO DISENGAGE, THEN SPEED UP TO GET IT TO STOP BUCKING. ANY IDEAS? THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE I BOUGHT IT USED W/LIMITED WARRANTY. I CAN'T AFFORD $65. EVERYTIME I NEED AN ESTIMATE (DOWN TIME) AND THIS MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE RECALL. HOW CAN THEY TELL WHICH ONES (NOT JUST VIN) REGARDING SPECIAL TORQUE TOOL.. ALSO, WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY FROM MANUFACTURER ON THE REAR OXYGEN SENSORS? I HAD A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING. THEY SAY IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE WATER-COOLING SYSTEM. IT SUCKED ALL MY COOLANT THRU ENGINE, BLEW OUT BACK. MY SENSOR IN REAR WAS CLOGGED...DIRECT RESULT...THEY SAY IT COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN PAST CAT. CONVERTOR, ALTHOUGH BLUE WAS BLOWING OUT MY TAILPIPE... THEY WON'T FIX. I AM JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW I CAN KEEP FROM THEM BLOWING SMOKE UP MY SKIRT. THANKS, I'M SINGLE, FEMALE AND THEY SAW ME COMING.
NHTSA complaint #718308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THERE IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE SES INDICATOR ON MY DASH AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTING THAT CAUSES THE LIGHT TO COME ON DURING INTERSTATE DRIVING. WHEN EXITING THE INTERSTATE ONTO LOCAL ROADS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS EXTEMELY HARD JOLTING THE CAR. AFTER DRIVING THIS WAY FOR A WHILE THE HARD SHIFT STOPS BUT THE LIGHT REMAINS ON. I CAN GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY GROUND FOR A SHORT TIME AND RECONNECTING. THIS RESETS THE CAR COMPUTER. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TWICE TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DRAW A CODE FROM THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. I WAS CHARGED FOR BOTH ATTEMPTS. I WAS TOLD TO JUST DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND THEN BRING IT BACK IN. THIS IS LUDICROUS. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE CHEVROLET HEADQUARTERS. I ALSO TOOK MY CAR TO A VERY REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE A CODE 1870 WAS PULLED. THERE WERE FIVE OTHER CHEVY TRUCKS THERE WITH THE SAME CODE PROBLEM. MY TRANSMISSION MAN DOES SOME TRANSMISSION WORK FOR THE CHEVY DEALER ACROSS THE STREET AND WHEN HE MENTIONED THE CODE TO THEIR SERVICE DEALER, HE WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM AS THEY COULDN'T DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A COMMON PROBLEM, A PRODUCTION DEFECT, THAT THEY WISH WOULD GO AWAY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN SO FAR THAT YOU CANNOT KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN OR IF THE TRANSMISSION WILL WORK WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN. A REAL POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT EXISTS, YET MUMS THE WORD FROM CHEVROLET. THEY WOULD RATHER REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND LET THE CONSUMER PAY FOR IT. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT THE PROBLEM BUT THE SENSOR IS, SINCE IT CONTROLS THE SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION. MY PROBLEM CONTINUES EVERY TIME I DRIVE FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES A HIGH SPEEDS. SO FAR I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM CHEVROLET. I GUESS THEY WOULD RATHER PAY LATER.
NHTSA complaint #714529 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.