IllustrationGOT STUCK IN SNOW IN DRIVEWAY. GOING FROM FORWARD TO REVERSE CAUSED EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF FRONT A FRAMES. UPON PULLING INTO GARAGE SAW BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ONTO FLOOR DUE TO A BROKEN BRAKE HOSE. *AK
1988 Chevrolet S10
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet S10 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 42.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all S10 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 37 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports4 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
37 reportsCRUISE CONTROL WHEN INITIALLY SET WILL ACCELERATE RAPIDLY UNTIL DISENGAGED BY BRAKE OR OFF SWITCH ON CRUISE CONTROL, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *AK
SEAT BELTS GET CAUGHT IN THE BACK SEA TLATCH, ANSD IT IS TEARING THEM TO SHREDS ON SPOT.
POWER STEERING BRACKET BROKE IN TWO DIFFERENT PIECES; ALSO SERPENTINE BELT AND A/C COMPRESSOR FAILED. *AK
WHEELS: DRIVING HOME FROM APPROXIMATELY 25MPH AND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL FELL OFF WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THIS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN THREE WEEKS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT AXLE AND SPINDLE HAD WORN OUT, CAUSING CONNECTOR CLIP TO FAIL. *AK
APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER OF THE PAINT HAS PEELED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE.
PAINT FAILURE.
THE RETRACTOR OF THE SHOULDER BELT ON BOTH FRONT SEATS DOES NOT LOCK. *AK
WAS DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP LIGHT THE BRAKES SLOWED DOWN BUT DIDN'T STOP VEHICLE, TOOK TO DEALER, HE CAN'T FIND PROBLEM . *AK
GAS TANK RUSTED DUE TO PLASTIC SHIELD INSTALLED AROUND TANK CAUSING WATER TO BUILD UP.
Official recalls
196V195000 · Steering:gear Box:shaft Sector
Oct 8, 1996
THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT LOOSENS AT THE STEERING SHAFT TO STEERING GEAR COUPLING. WITH THIS LOOSENESS, THE YOKE PINCH BOLT CAN WEAR ON THE SPLINES OF THE SHAFT UNTIL THERE IS NO LONGER AN INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPLINES AND THE BOLT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE BODY TO CHASSIS MOVEMENT ALLOWING THE STEERING SHAFT TO SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL RETORQUE THE UPPER AND LOWER BOLTS TO CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE90039 · Spare Tire Carrier Failure
Opened Feb 5, 1990 · Closed Jun 29, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available