IllustrationTAILGATE OF S10 FLEW OFF BACK OF TRUCK. *TR
2002 Chevrolet S10
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most S10 years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
350–25K
3925–50K
3250–75K
1675–100K
10100–150K
7150K+
139 reports with mileage · 75 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.
- Structure. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports2 fire reports16 injury reports
What owners actually said
214 reportsI HAVE A 2002 CHEVY S10 EXT. CAB PICKUP TRUCK WITH A VORTEX 4.3 LITRE ENG. WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE BAKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY I NOTICED I HAD NO REVERSE GEAR, IT IS ALSO SLIPPING IN ALL OTHER GEARS. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER HAULED ANYTHING HEAVY AND ONLY HAS 49,500 MILES ON IT . I GOT DOWN TO THE STOP SIGN AND TRIED TO PROCEE…
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I HAVE A 2002 CHEVY S10 EXT. CAB PICKUP TRUCK WITH A VORTEX 4.3 LITRE ENG. WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE BAKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY I NOTICED I HAD NO REVERSE GEAR, IT IS ALSO SLIPPING IN ALL OTHER GEARS. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER HAULED ANYTHING HEAVY AND ONLY HAS 49,500 MILES ON IT . I GOT DOWN TO THE STOP SIGN AND TRIED TO PROCEED AND THE FORWARD GEARS STARTED TO SLIP AND I COULDN'T GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND ALMOST GOT HIT BY AN ONCOMING CAR. I HAVE HEARD AND TALKED TO MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THESE VEHICLES WITH THE 4L60E/4O65E TRANSMISSIONS. I FEEL THESE COULD BE DANGEROUS. THEY SEEM TO ALL HAVE THE SAME SUN SHELL AND SUN GEAR PROBLEMS. I FEEL GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD RE-CALL THEM. *TR
THERE WAS NO INDICATION THE SPARE TIRE WAS ABOUT TO COME OFF. I WAS DRIVING AT APPROX. 60MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD THUD AND THE TRUCK SHOOK. I LOOKED BEHIND ME TO SEE MY SPARE TIRE SLIDING DOWN THE ROADWAY, ALMOST CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BEHIND ME. IT ALSO PUT A DENT AND REMOVED SOME PAINT FROM THE UNDERSIDE…
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THERE WAS NO INDICATION THE SPARE TIRE WAS ABOUT TO COME OFF. I WAS DRIVING AT APPROX. 60MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD THUD AND THE TRUCK SHOOK. I LOOKED BEHIND ME TO SEE MY SPARE TIRE SLIDING DOWN THE ROADWAY, ALMOST CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BEHIND ME. IT ALSO PUT A DENT AND REMOVED SOME PAINT FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BUMPER. THIS OCCURRED AT 32,000 MILES ON TRUCK. I WENT BACK AND RETRIEVED THE SPARE AND THREW IT INTO THE BED OF THE TRUCK. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE DROP DOWN CABLE UNDER THE BED HAD CORRODED AND SNAPPED LESS THAN AN INCH FROM THE END, DROPPING THE TIRE AND LEAVING NOTHING BUT THE FRAYED CABLE BEHIND. THIS IS THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THAT PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
TAIL GATE CABLES ON 2 YEAR OLD S-10 TRUCK FAILED. DEALER WOULD NOT COVER COST OF REPLACEMENT. TWO YEARS LATER COMPANY HAD A RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT AND DEALER STILL WOULD NOT REIMBURSE COST OF REPLACEMENT. CALLED GM AND FOLLOWED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS TO SEND IN RECEIPT FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT NEVER HEARD FROM THEM, CALLS NOT RETURN…
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TAIL GATE CABLES ON 2 YEAR OLD S-10 TRUCK FAILED. DEALER WOULD NOT COVER COST OF REPLACEMENT. TWO YEARS LATER COMPANY HAD A RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT AND DEALER STILL WOULD NOT REIMBURSE COST OF REPLACEMENT. CALLED GM AND FOLLOWED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS TO SEND IN RECEIPT FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT NEVER HEARD FROM THEM, CALLS NOT RETURNED. COMPANY AND DEALER WERE LONG ON TALK, VERY SHORT ON SERVICE. THIS IS ONE OF THREE SERIOUS S-10 DEFECTS, SO FAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET S-10. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE FOLDED AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 10/16/08 *BF UPDATED 10/20/08. *JB
DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS ON 2002 CHEVROLET S10 TRUCK. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE AIR BAGS ARE DEFECTIVE. DURING THREE DIFFERENT ACCIDENTS THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE LAST ACCIDENT TOTALED THE VEHICLE. *JB
I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF MY S-10 ZR2, THE 3RD DOOR HAS BEEN UNUSABLE WITH SUBSTANTIAL COSTS PUT INTO IT. THIS HAPPENED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS FIXED. IT WOULD BE NICE IF CHEVROLET WOULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES BECAUSE IT BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS TO HAVE SOMEONE RIDE IN THE THIRD SEAT. *TR
TAILGATE CABLE SNAPPED WHILE TAILGATE WAS DOWN. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALS CORROSION INSIDE THE CABLE. NO UNUSUAL WEIGHT WAS PLACED ON TAILGATE. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE WHICH WAS RECALLED IN THE SILVERADO LINE SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED IN THE S-10 LINE. *TR
TAILGATE HINGE AND CABLE ASSEMBLY RUSTED AND FAILED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET S-10. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THE PARK, NEUTRAL, AND DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO DRIVE, THE LIGHTS DIM. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS EMPTY EVEN WH…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET S-10. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THE PARK, NEUTRAL, AND DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO DRIVE, THE LIGHTS DIM. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS EMPTY EVEN WHEN IT IS FULL OF GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 107,000.
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
2EA05008 · 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.