IllustrationTHE SPARE TIRE CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, AND VEHICLE STRUCK SEVERAL TREES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED.*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 reportsTHE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TWICE WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
AFTER ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND TRYING TO START THE SECURITY SYSTEM DID NOT LET CONSUMER START THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES. THE SECURITY LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE VEHICLE HAS TO SIT AND RECALIBRATE IN ORDER TO START. *AK *TC
WHILE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON/OFF GREY SMOKE CAME OF OUT OF THE VENTS. DEALERSHIPWAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE. THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 33 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. *AK *NM
BOTH WIRE CABLES TO THE REAR TAILGATE OF MY 1999 S-10 PICKUP FAILED AT THE SAME TIME AND THE TAILGATE DROPPED TOTHE REAR BUMPER AND I FELL OFF THE TRUCK.*AK CABLES WERE RUSTED OUT AT THE SAME PLACES WERE THE PLASTIC COATING HAD CRACKED.
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HE PUT ON AIR CONDITIONER IT BLEW OUT A SMELLY FUMES, LIKE CLEANING FLUID. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THESE FUMES WERE COMING FROM A BURNT OUT HEATING COIL. CONSUMER WENT TO A DOCTOR AFTER SMELLING THESE FUMES, AND WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD DEVELOPED A VIRAL BL…
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CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HE PUT ON AIR CONDITIONER IT BLEW OUT A SMELLY FUMES, LIKE CLEANING FLUID. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THESE FUMES WERE COMING FROM A BURNT OUT HEATING COIL. CONSUMER WENT TO A DOCTOR AFTER SMELLING THESE FUMES, AND WAS TOLD THAT HE HAD DEVELOPED A VIRAL BLOOD CONDITION AFTER COMING IN CONTACT WITH SOME TYPE OF TOXIC FUMES. *AK
ENGINE RATTLES DUE TO BALANCE SHAFT BETWEEN 1800 AND 2000 RPMS, REPLACE WITH TIMING TENSIONER KIT. GM HAS A FIX FOR THIS WITH A TSB NUMBER AND ALL, BUT WILL ONLY FIX VEHICLES WITH ORIGINAL 3 YEAR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THEY LITERALLY INVENTED A PART TO INSTALL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY DUE TO OVERWHELMING C…
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ENGINE RATTLES DUE TO BALANCE SHAFT BETWEEN 1800 AND 2000 RPMS, REPLACE WITH TIMING TENSIONER KIT. GM HAS A FIX FOR THIS WITH A TSB NUMBER AND ALL, BUT WILL ONLY FIX VEHICLES WITH ORIGINAL 3 YEAR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THEY LITERALLY INVENTED A PART TO INSTALL THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED FROM THE FACTORY DUE TO OVERWHELMING COMPLAINTS. I WAS UNDER MY GM 5 YEAR 75,000 MILE WARRANTY AND THEY EVEN HAD MY ENGINE APART REBUILDING UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD NOT INSTALL THE NEW TIMING CHAINTENSIONER TO ELIMINATE RATTLE. THE RATTLE INDICATES METEAL ON METAL CONTACT, AND EVENTUAL WEAR. I HAD A WARRANTY, AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT. VERY FRUSTRATING. WE ENDED UP BUYING A TOYOTA TACOMA FOR MY WIFE, THUS ENDING ANY FUTURE PURCHASES WITH GM. I STILL HAVE TRUCK, AND MAY PURSUE THIS IN COURT. IT BASICALY AFFECTS EVERY 4.3L EQIPPED GM VEHICLE, SO THEY ONLY PICK AND CHOOSE WHO TO FIX. IT IS HOT OR MISS AT SOME DEALERS ACCORDING TO OTHER OWNERS. *AK
THE LIGHTING INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO WORK. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE WARNING ICONS. *AK THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE A/C WHICH DID NOT GET COLD. *SC *JB
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