1989 Chevrolet S10

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1989 Chevrolet S10 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 42.5.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

48Owner complaints

Model-year median: 42.5

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

5Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1989 Chevrolet S10

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 48 owner complaints · 2 recall campaigns · 5 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Seat Belts: 10 reports
Electrical System: 6 reports
Tires: 6 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline: 4 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all S10 years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts

10 Electrical System

6 Tires

6 Engine And Engine Cooling

4 Fuel System, Gasoline

All reported categories

Structure

4 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2 Vehicle Speed Control

2 Equipment

1 Exterior Lighting

1 Latches/locks/linkages

1 Suspension

1 Visibility

1 Wheels

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: 4 of 48 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.

Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Tires. Review the 6 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 reports2 injury reports

Equipment complaints

1 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 1999

Equipment

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY,TOWING A TRAILER WITH 2 WATERCRAFT,THE SPARE TIRE HOLD CABLE BROKE;SENDING THE TIRE UNDER THE SEA-DOO TRAILER TEARING OFF THE RIGHT CORNER OF THE TRAILER. I HAVE NO IDEA IF ANYONE ELSE HIT THE TIRE,IT WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.I PURCHASED A NEW HOLDDOWN UNIT,SPARE TIRE BUT HAVENT REPAIRED THE TRAILER OR CONTACT…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #703859

Recall campaigns

96V195000 · 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.

93V008000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan

Jan 14, 1993

THE ENGINE COOLING FAN BLADES BREAK AS A RESULT OF FATIGUE AND/OR VEHICLE INDUCED STRESS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BLADE BREAKAGE OCCURS WHILE THE HOOD IS OPEN, APERSON WORKING UNDER THE HOOD OR IN THE VICINITY OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE STRUCKAND INJURED BY THE BLADE SEGMENT.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEWLY DESIGNED FAN ASSEMBLY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

EA94029 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Jul 29, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

AN ALLEGED MALFUNCTION IN THE ATLERNATOR RESULTING IN ENGINE COMPARTMET FIRES.

EA92015 · High Idle Flare

Opened May 22, 1992 · Closed May 28, 1993

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE92001 · High Idle Flare

Opened Jan 7, 1992 · Closed May 22, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE91057 · Headlight Switch Failure

Opened Mar 6, 1991 · Closed Jul 12, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

There is no summary currently available

DP90006 · Lift Gate Falls Off

Opened Apr 13, 1990 · Closed Jul 24, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other

LIFT GATE FALLS OFF

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.