IllustrationPASSENGER SEAT FRONT RECLINER ASSEMBLY SHEARED OFF WITHOUT HARDLY ANY PRESSURE APPLIED... BUMPED SLIGHTLY WHILE VACUUMING TRUCK. LEVER WAS USED MAYBE 3 TIMES, IF THAT MUCH. *LA
1999 Chevrolet S10
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most S10 years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Chevrolet S10 are substantially higher than 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
90–25K
2225–50K
2850–75K
1475–100K
13100–150K
3150K+
89 reports with mileage · 142 unknown
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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
33 crash reports2 fire reports20 injury reports
Seats complaints
33 reportsRECLINER LEVER BROKE. *LA
REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. ALSO, DRIVER'S RECLINER LEVER BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE SEAT NOT TO ADJUST. *AK
FRONT SEAT RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ON A SIDE ROAD THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT SHAFT LEVER BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE. THE PASSENGER SIDE LEVER BROKE 11 MONTH PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *AK *NLM
SEAT RECLINER ADJUSTER HANDLES ATTACH TO A FERRELLED PIECE OF POT METAL THAT IS DRILLED AND SLOTTED TO ACCEPT A SCREW THAT HOLDS THE HANDLE. THIS PIECE OF WEAK METAL BREAKS EASILY AND THE HANDLE FALLS OFF RENDERING THE BACK OF THE SEAT NON ADJUSTABLE. SEVERAL DEALERS TELL ME THEY HAVE REPLACED HUNDREDS OF THESE AT A TOTAL COST…
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SEAT RECLINER ADJUSTER HANDLES ATTACH TO A FERRELLED PIECE OF POT METAL THAT IS DRILLED AND SLOTTED TO ACCEPT A SCREW THAT HOLDS THE HANDLE. THIS PIECE OF WEAK METAL BREAKS EASILY AND THE HANDLE FALLS OFF RENDERING THE BACK OF THE SEAT NON ADJUSTABLE. SEVERAL DEALERS TELL ME THEY HAVE REPLACED HUNDREDS OF THESE AT A TOTAL COST OF $125 (LABOR AND PARTS). GM TELLS CUSTOMERS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND CAN BE EXPECTED. *NLM
DEFECTIVE PARTS ---RIGHT AND LEFT SEAT BACK RECLINERS BROKE IN THE SAME IDENTICAL PLACES AFTER VERY LITTLE USE. THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE WITH NO MORE THAN 4-5 TIMES OF USE. THE LEFT SIDE BROKE AFTER NO MORE THAN 10 TIMES OF USE. IF THIS WAS A ITEM THAT GOT USED EVERY DAY I WOULD UNDERSTAND THEY MIGHT WEAR OUT. I HAD THE EXTENDE…
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DEFECTIVE PARTS ---RIGHT AND LEFT SEAT BACK RECLINERS BROKE IN THE SAME IDENTICAL PLACES AFTER VERY LITTLE USE. THE RIGHT SIDE BROKE WITH NO MORE THAN 4-5 TIMES OF USE. THE LEFT SIDE BROKE AFTER NO MORE THAN 10 TIMES OF USE. IF THIS WAS A ITEM THAT GOT USED EVERY DAY I WOULD UNDERSTAND THEY MIGHT WEAR OUT. I HAD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT IT EXPIRES AT 75000 MILES SO GM REFUSES TO WARRANTY IT. *NLM
LEVER TO RECLINE AND RAISE THE SEAT HAS BROKEN, NOT THE PLASTIC HANDLE, BUT THE METAL THAT CONNECTS THE LEVER TO THE SEAT. THE METAL IS VERY COARSE & BRITTLE AND DOESN'T SEEM SUITED TO IT'S INTENDED USE. FORTUNATELY, MY SEAT IS STUCK IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BREAK OCCURRED POST WARRANTY. BOTTOM LINE, THE LE…
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LEVER TO RECLINE AND RAISE THE SEAT HAS BROKEN, NOT THE PLASTIC HANDLE, BUT THE METAL THAT CONNECTS THE LEVER TO THE SEAT. THE METAL IS VERY COARSE & BRITTLE AND DOESN'T SEEM SUITED TO IT'S INTENDED USE. FORTUNATELY, MY SEAT IS STUCK IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BREAK OCCURRED POST WARRANTY. BOTTOM LINE, THE LEVERS ON THE SEATS OF CHEVROLET S-10'S ARE JUNK, NOT INTENDED TO LAST, AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY IF LOCKED IN AN UNSAFE POSITION WHEN THE BREAK OCCURS. *NLM
SEAT RECLINER HANDLE BROKE OFF WHILE ADJUSTING SEAT WHILE DRIVING. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO A CHEVROLET DEALER, WHO SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL OR KNOWN PROBLEM. SEAT IS NOW AT A FUNNY POSITION, I WILL HAVE TO REPAIR AT MY OWN EXPENSE. HANDLE ASSY. IS A VERY CHEAP AND INADAQUATE FOR ITS PURPOSE.*AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY LEVER TO THE SEAT BROKE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEAT RECLINERS BROKE. *YH
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
3EA05008 · Tailgate Support Cables
Opened Apr 14, 2005 · Closed May 19, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:tailgate:latch
GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING A SPECIAL POLICY PROGRAM FOR 903,464 OWNERS OF 2000 - 2003 MODEL S/T VEHICLES THROUGH WHICH OWNERS MAY, AT THEIR OPTION, EITHER (1) PERIODICALLY INSPECT THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN THEIR VEHICLE AND HAVE THE CABLES REPLACED IF THE CABLE COATING EXHIBITS ANY INDICATIONS OF DAMAGE OR DETERIORATION OR (2) REQUEST THAT THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. GM WILL HONOR ALL REQUESTS BY OWNERS WHO OPT FOR REPLACEMENT WITHOUT QUESTION REGARDLESS OF THE CONDITION OR APPEARANCE OF THE CABLES. GM HAS AGREED TO MAIL REMINDER NOTIFICATIONS TO OWNERS EVERY TWO YEARS UNTIL THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED OR UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS 12 YEARS OLD.ODI'S INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY OF THE REPORTED COMPLAINTS (87%) AND INJURIES (94%) HAVE OCCURRED IN MY 2000 - 2003 S/T VEHICLES.
RQ04012 · Tailgate Support Cable(s) Break
Opened Nov 22, 2004 · Closed Apr 14, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut
ODI IS UPGRADING RQ04-012 AND OPENING AN EA TO INVESTIGATE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN 1998 - 2004 MODEL YEAR SONOMA AND S10 MODEL VEHICLES.GENERAL MOTORS IS CONDUCTING RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V-129 TO REPLACE THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2000-2004 SIERRAS AND SILVERADOS AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2004 AVALANCHES AND ESCALADE EXTS (C/K MODELS).GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODITHAT THE TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES INSTALLED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE FABRICATED USING IDENTICAL OR SIMILAR SHEATHING MATERIAL AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.HOWEVER,GENERAL MOTORS HAS ADVISED ODI THAT SONOMA AND S-10 VEHICLES DIFFER FROM C/K MODELS IN SEVERAL WAYS: THE VEHICLE HEIGHT IS LOWER; THE TAILGATE DISPLACEMENT (DROP) WHEN NOT SUPPORTED BY THE CABLES IS SMALLER AND THE TAILGATE COMES TO REST AT A LESS SEVERE TIP ANGLE WHEN NOT SUPPORTED BY THE CABLES; THE TAILGATE MASS IS SMALLER; AND THE SIZE, PAYLOAD, AND USAGE CHARACTERISTCIS ARE LESS DEMANDING THAN C/K MODEL VEHICLES.GM ALSO STATED THAT SONOMA AND S-10 WARRANTY CLAIM INFORMATION INDICATES A LOWER CLAIM COUNT AND A LOWER CLAIM RATE THAN RECALLED C/K MODELS.NOTWITHSTANDING THE ABOVE INFORMATION, ODI HAS RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL 73 NON-INJURY COMPLAINTS AND 10 INJURY COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DURING RQ04-012 (SINCE NOVEMBER 2004 TO DATE), WHICH JUSTIFIES OPENING AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE.
PE99009 · POST-COLLISION Fuel System Integrity
Opened Feb 1, 1999 · Closed Jun 11, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
ALLEGED THAT THE FUEL TANK MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PUNCTURE IN CERTAIN CRASH MODES