2003 Chevrolet S10

The contact owned a 2003 Chevrolet S 10. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop sign, another vehicle T-boned his vehicle at a high rate of speed. The contact stated that the air bag did not deploy and the contact hit his head on the windshield. The contact was taken from the scene to a local hospital where they initially ran a test and found no injuries on his body. The contact stated that his head remained in pain and went back to the hospital the next day. The next day, the contact was informed that a blood clot was discovered near his brain, and was transferred to another hospital for surgery. The contact was sent to outpatient rehabilitation once he was released from the hospital. The contact stated that the other driver did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop where it was deemed a total loss and his insurance had taken possession of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The vehicle was a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Twice now while lightly applying brakes to come to a stop at an intersection the antilock brake system engaged. Since it was unexpected I almost didn't come to a stop in time before rolling into the intersection into traffic. The ABS warning indicator was illuminated intermittently before this with recorded DTC C0268 (Pump motor circuit shorted). Also the transfer case input shaft seal failed which caused transmission fluid to leak into the transfer case, completely filling it. That caused the transfer case vacuum switch to fail and transmission fluid was sucked into the vacuum lines and eat through them causing a vacuum leak. Because of the vacuum leak, whenever I would accelerate to highway speeds and the engine would use what vacuum it could, the 4WD actuator would lose its vacuum then regain it when the RPM's dropped and try to lock the front axle while at highway speeds which would cause the truck to jerk and the gears to grind. And lastly the Airbag warning indicator is always illuminated for reasons I do not know.

2003 Chevy S10 has been maintained and taking care of. Brakes in rear were sticking due to factory defective ABS control module. Rear wheel bearing gave out and started leaking axle fluid cause of a sticking drivers side brake from ABS control module malfunctioning. After much cost of replacing calipers and brake pads the culprit from a defectively ABS control module making the brake caliper stick to the rotor.. Next the coolant leaks from the intake manifold gasket and now the heater core leaks… this truck has only 146k miles on it and I always taking care of it keeping up before it’s schedule maintenance. But what I see is poor defective parts from GM. SO I have to make sure I get this work done and keep the coolant filled or there be a motor issue from overheating. This is a SAFETY concern and if the heater core leaks then breathing the toxic coolants isn’t safe at all when the AC is on or no heat in winter!. Now GM discontinued making the S10 in North America but redesigned a front wheel drive diesel version in South America.

TRUCK WAS PURCHASED 7/7/20. SEEMED TO WORK FINE, BUT STARTED NOTICING ENGINE TROUBLE ON 9/10/20. HAD ONLY DRIVEN IT ~150 MILES SINCE PURCHASE, NEVER ANY STRENUOUS DRIVING. TOOK IT IN TO GET SERVICED ON 9/21/20, WHERE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WERE SPOTTED, ONE OF WHICH IS TRACEABLE TO THE DEALER: 1) THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP WAS BEING HELD ON ONLY BY TWO ZIPTIES. THIS IS WHY IT SEEMED TO RUN FINE ON THE DATE OF PURCHASE, BUT CAUSED ENGINE MISFIRES WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF LIGHT USE. THE DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THE DAY BEFORE I PURCHASED IT THAT THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS BEING FIXED, BUT THEY FAILED TO NOTIFY ME THAT IT WASN'T FIXED PROPERLY. TRUCK NOW MISFIRES, HAS AN ARCING WIRE, AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. 2)TRUCK WAS SOLD WITH NO PARKING BRAKE, AND NO WARNING THAT IT WAS NOT INSTALLED. THIS INFORMATION HAS OMITTED WHEN I ASKED ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES BEFORE PURCHASING. NEVER NOTICED BECAUSE PHX IS SO FLAT. HAD I NEEDED TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE, NOT HAVING ONE INSTALLED IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. 3) AN IMPACT SENSOR WAS LEFT HANGING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. A LARGE ENOUGH BUMP OR A ROCK COULD SET OFF AIRBAGS WHILE DRIVING, PUTTING MY PASSENGERS, MYSELF, AND OTHER DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS AT SERIOUS RISK. THIS TRUCK IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND I WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT MADE IT UNSAFE. THE FIRST ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY A BAD REPAIR MADE BY THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE OTHER TWO NOTED ISSUES WERE NOT NOTED IN THE CARFAX OR BY THE SALESPERSON WHEN I ASKED ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET S10. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT REACHED DOWN TO ACCESS AN ITEM AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE OFFICERS ALSO WONDERED WHY THE AIR BAGS HAD NOT DEPLOYED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND MINOR BRUISING, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE SEAT BELT MANAGED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER SECURELY. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A YARD. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT ISSUED ANY AIR BAG RECALLS FOR THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THERE WAS ONE AIR BAG TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,048.

THE TRUCK WAS OCCASIONALLY NOT TURNING OVER. TRIED THINGS LIKE TURNING FAN ON, RADIO, ETC AND IT WOULD START. SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON OR WILL BLINK. TRUCK NOW IS NOT TURNING OVER AT ALL. DASH LIGHTS BLINK AND OR COME ON WHEN DOOR OPENS. THIS IS A PROBLEM I'VE SEEN ALL OVER INTERNET, BUT NOTHING HAS WORKED. I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE A RECALL. I AM PAYING FOR A DEAD TRUCK NOW. TRUCK WAS STATIONARY-WON'T START.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET S10. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A TICKET BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN SPEED LIMIT AND WAS SPEEDING 20 MPH OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS OVER 100,000.