IllustrationAC DELCO BATTERY CAME ORIGINAL WITH THE VEHICLE, LEAKED ACID ONTO BRAKE LINE WHICH CAUSE NO BRAKING ABILITY, ALMOST RESULTING IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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
What owners actually said
231 reportsDAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. I'VE HAD IT BACK TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS TWICE AND CALLED CHEVROLET IN DETROIT TWICE. THEY FIXED IT ONCE AND IT LASTED FROM 10/26/99 TO 11/04/99. WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK THEY SAID..."NO REPAIR AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME." DETROIT GAVE ME THE SAME BULL AND SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN A REPAIR WAS AV…
Read full complaint
DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. I'VE HAD IT BACK TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS TWICE AND CALLED CHEVROLET IN DETROIT TWICE. THEY FIXED IT ONCE AND IT LASTED FROM 10/26/99 TO 11/04/99. WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK THEY SAID..."NO REPAIR AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME." DETROIT GAVE ME THE SAME BULL AND SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN A REPAIR WAS AVAILABLE. THAT WAS ON 11/29/99 AND I CALLED AGAIN ON 03/02/99 AND WAS AGAIN TOLD TO WAIT FOR A CALL. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER ON 06/01/2000 AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. THEY SAID THEY COULD TURN THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON WITH THE HAND HELD COMPUTER AND THEY WORKED BUT THE TRUCK COMPUTER WAS PROGRAMMED TO TURN THEM OFF. I ASK TO SIMPLY REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER BUT THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO THAT AND THAT I SHOULD WAIT FOR A REPAIR NOTICE FROM DETROIT. I'LL BE 55 YRS OLD IN OCT. AND I'M AFRAID I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH YEARS LEFT IN MY LIFETIME TO GET THAT REPAIR CALL FROM GM. I PLAN ON LIVING TO BE PRETTY OLD TOO! I HAVE COPIES OF ALL THE DOCUMENTATION FROM THE DEALERS AND THE FILE # FROM DETROIT. #990 586 342 CAN YOU HELP ME PLEASE? I THINK THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE IMPORTANT AND SHOULD WORK. GM DOESN'T REALLY SEEM TO GIVE TWO HOOTS. THE TRUCK WILL BE OUT OF WARRENTY PRETTY SOON AND THEN I'LL REALLY NEVER BE ABLE TO GET IT FIXED. THANKS FOR LISTENING!ALLY. *AK
8/9/00 A/C FROZE-UP CAUSING SERPENTINE BELT TO CATCH ON FIRE UNDER HOOD. 8/20/00 SPEED CONTROL SET AT 63MPH, WITHIN 2 MILES SPEED WAS 85MPH DOWN CURVED HILL. UNABLE TO DISABLE SPEED CONTROL WITH BRAKE PEDAL. DID NOT WANT TO TURN OFF IGNITION AS STEERING WAS NEEDED. USED BRAKES TO SLOW VEHICLE UNTIL STRAIGHT UPHILL AREA WHIC…
Read full complaint
8/9/00 A/C FROZE-UP CAUSING SERPENTINE BELT TO CATCH ON FIRE UNDER HOOD. 8/20/00 SPEED CONTROL SET AT 63MPH, WITHIN 2 MILES SPEED WAS 85MPH DOWN CURVED HILL. UNABLE TO DISABLE SPEED CONTROL WITH BRAKE PEDAL. DID NOT WANT TO TURN OFF IGNITION AS STEERING WAS NEEDED. USED BRAKES TO SLOW VEHICLE UNTIL STRAIGHT UPHILL AREA WHICH HEATED UP ROTORS EXTENSIVELY. BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY FIRE OF SERPENTINE BELT @ A/C.
WAS IN TRAFFIC AND AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, CONSUMER LET CLUTCH OUT AND APPLIED SOME GAS, AND GAS PEDAL LINKAGE BROKE WHILE HE WAS TURNING. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPS, AND CONSUMER HAS TO SHIFT THE GEARS BY HAND WHEN IT SHOULD BE AUTOMATIC. WHEN IN TRAFFIC AUTOMOBILE DOES NOT PICKUP. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS CRANKED TO GEAR DRIVE OR REVERSE GAS PEDAL WILL STICK AND CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO STEP HARD ON THE BRAKES PEDAL TO RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL.*AK
DRIVESHAFT BROKE IN TWO WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 68 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DEFECTIVE BALANCING SHAFT MAKE A HORRIBLE NOISE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS GOING TO DROP. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THE "NOISE". PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON THE HIGHWAY A DOG RAN IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. TRYING TO AVOID HITTING THE DOG, VEHICLE JUMPED AND CROSSED THE ROAD, LANDING IN A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS STRADDLING INSIDE THE DITCH , AND WAS TRYING TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID TO PUT ON BRAKES, AND VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, WEN…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON THE HIGHWAY A DOG RAN IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. TRYING TO AVOID HITTING THE DOG, VEHICLE JUMPED AND CROSSED THE ROAD, LANDING IN A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS STRADDLING INSIDE THE DITCH , AND WAS TRYING TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID TO PUT ON BRAKES, AND VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, WENT INTO A DRIVEWAY, AND HIT A TREE. FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS EMBEDDED IN THE TREE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS FORTY STITCHES ON HIS FACE, AND A CRACKED RIB. *AK
SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP TO ZERO & THEN GO BACK TO 50. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL WOULD PULSATE, AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON/TRANSMISSION STUCK IN ONE GEAR WHEN SHIFTING. TOOK TO DEALER & HAD PROBLEMS REPAIRED. ALL PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT AND NOT READILY DUPLICATED. SINCE REPAIRS, THE PROBLEMS HAVE RETURNED.*AK
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