IllustrationFAN BLADE SEPARATED FROM HOUSING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO UPPER/LOWER SHROUD AND CUTTING INTO RADIATOR.
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 reportsAPPLIED BRAKES TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS; VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND WENT 90 DEGREES UNDER MOVING TRAILER, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURY. *AK
FUEL TANK HAS NOW RUSTED AND IS LEAKING. * AK
STARTER FAILED/REPLACED 4 TIMES, ALSO THROTTLE STUCK/ENGINE VALVES OVERHEATED. *AK
MALFUNCTIONING OF CIGARETTE LIGHTER. TRIED TO USE CAR PHONE BLEW OUT WIRING. APPEARS TO BE DEFAULT IN WIRING. *AK
DUE TO THE ENGINE COOLING FAN BLADE BREAKAGE THE WATER PUMP WAS DAMAGED RECALL #93V00800. *AK
PURCHASE THE TRUCK NEW CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE COMPUTER WHEN OUT THERE WAS NO WARNING . TT
CONSUMER PARK TRUCK WHEN IN STORE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE . TT
THE FAN BELT DISENGAGED AND WENT THROUGHT THE RADIATOR CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. TT
THE FUEL TANK NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
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