4.5

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
24,155 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 1998 Chevrolet S-10 Pickup:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #24

Mar 272008

S-10 Pickup

  • miles
Hi I originally purchased a 1998 Chevrolet S10 used private party and noticed a check engine light on and my brother scanned the computer and found it was a transmission problem and was informed by my brother it had been rebuilt literally 2 months before purchased and was shown proof when driving highway speeds it shifted into 3rd by itself and was forced to drive 25 miles doing 50 took it to GM and was informed it was a pressure problem and was "recommended" a tranny rebuild and then they called the car a piece of @#$%^ and wasn't worth it I personally love the truck and then they said it would be 2500 dollars. I continue to drive it with check engine light on and was informed the transmission will eventually lock me out of it, also when hot it sounds literally like a tractor on excel and steady speed if any one has any answers please email.

- Sun City, CA, USA

problem #23

Oct 202007

S-10 Pickup 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles
Transmission shifting very hard into second gear. Now transmission does not shift into second at all and there is no reverse. Apparently this problem with the 4L60E transmission is very common.

- Jamestown, IN, USA

problem #22

Mar 072006

S-10 Pickup 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 136,000 miles
When you drive the truck for approx 1 hour, the transmission goes into high gear and will not come out until it cool down. It throws a cel lamp. When you stop with the transmission warm, it shifts very hard from 1st to second.

- Hilliard, OH, USA

problem #21

May 302004

S-10 Pickup 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles
I own an 1998 Chevy S10 pick-up truck. Some time last year I started to get a P1870 trouble code. When I took it to the dealer I was told that my transmission needed to be replaced at the cost of $2,300. At the time the transmission only had 61,000 miles on it. I researched the problem and found that this is a big problem with these transmissions. I believe that GM should take responsibility for this faulty transmission.

- Hewitt, NJ, USA

problem #20

Jun 142004

S-10 Pickup 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 59,722 miles
Transmission front seal blew out at speed on free-way. Dumping fluid. Transmission needed to be rebuilt with only 59000 miles on it.

- Garden Grove, CA, USA

problem #19

Dec 172003

S-10 Pickup

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles
1998 Chevy S10 4 cyl. 74,000 miles transmission shifting hard, check engine light comes on and has code 1870. Shop says transmission needs to be replaced. Ran across hundreds and hundreds of this same complaint on the internet.

- Winder, GA, USA

problem #18

Jan 232004

S-10 Pickup

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving at any speed and with out warning, the transmission slipped badly.

- State College, PA, USA

problem #17

Dec 222003

S-10 Pickup 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 85,000 miles
Vehicle starts to vibrate as speed increases.

- Attleboro, MA, USA

problem #16

Dec 042003

S-10 Pickup 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 52,000 miles
The consumer had multiple problems with this vehicle. The spark wires corroded, the head gasket leaked and the transmission did not work properly when shifted. Dealer notified. Also the radiator erupted between the transmission cooler and the cooler of the radiator.

- Camden Point, MO, USA

problem #15

Jun 122002

S-10 Pickup 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving, transmission will shift hard from 1st to 2nd gear. Hard parts in transmission replaced twice, problem reoccurred. Consumer states that the hard shift only occurs when vehicle is driven more than 1 hour when transmission is hot. Dealer replaced the torque converter, however problem came back 2 days later, dealer then replaced the valve body.

- Springville, NY, USA

problem #14

Dec 181999

S-10 Pickup

  • miles
With the air conditoner the relays and fuses keep blowing. I have taken the vehicle to a air conditoning place and they are not sure. With the ABS I was driving down the road in snow. I used the brakes the anti locks came on and all lights interior and exterior cut off completely. Had to stop and restart vehicle. With the elctrical problem I was driving down the road when all my gauges jumped then went to normal. With the trannsmission it has constatly slammed into second and third gear. I have brought to thte dealer numerous times. It was worked on once. They said they replaced numerous parts on the transmission. Upon driving it down the road the same thing happened again.

- Valdosta, GA, USA

problem #13

Jun 172002

(reported on)

S-10 Pickup

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When accelerating from 1st gear there is a sudden "bang" in transmission which interrupts acceleration. Truck has been in for same repairs 3 times with no change in condition after minimum mileage accumulated.

- Blaine, OH, USA

problem #12

Feb 072001

(reported on)

S-10 Pickup

  • miles
Reclining handle on seat are very hard to pull up, passenger side handle broke off leaving seat stuck in one position. Passenger seat slides into dash when brakes are applied. Throttle sticks at trottle body and transmision cooler line leaks.

- Ball Ground, GA, USA

problem #11

Dec 192000

S-10 Pickup

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Transmission started to slip badly with no warning.

- Hendersonville, TN, USA

problem #10

Nov 302000

S-10 Pickup 4WD

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Reverse does not always engage when it is shifted from park to reverse.

- Kirkland, WA, USA

problem #9

Dec 181999

S-10 Pickup

  • miles
With the air conditoner the relays and fuses keep blowing. I have taken the vehicle to a air conditoning place and they are not sure. With the ABS I was driving down the road in snow. I used the brakes the anti locks came on and all lights interior and exterior cut off completely. Had to stop and restart vehicle. With the elctrical problem I was driving down the road when all my gauges jumped then went to normal. With the trannsmission it has constatly slammed into second and third gear. I have brought to thte dealer numerous times. It was worked on once. They said they replaced numerous parts on the transmission. Upon driving it down the road the same thing happened again.

- Valdosta, GA, USA

problem #8

Aug 152000

S-10 Pickup

  • miles
When the problem with the cooling system first came up the SUV was I thought over heating a bit I called the dealership and they told me not to worry about it as that was nornal for them in hot weather.the SUV broke down in springfild mo, we manged to pull into a shop, they said the damage was to great to repair without costing at least $2000, and even then there was no way to know what damge was done to the SUV.they did however give me a service bulletin which listed my problem. It seems GM has known of this problem for at leart 4 years. Yet when I called the dealerships with this very (I learned later) common problem noone wanted to admit they had even heard of it. Even after I read the number to them they still acted as if they had never heard of the problem and in fact didnot know what I was talking about.they did after seveal phone called and agree to fix the problem, however they also admit that there is no way to know what type of damage if any was done to engine tranmission or heating and cooling sytems.

- Grandview, MO, USA

problem #7

Sep 151998

S-10 Pickup

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Automatic transmission O-ring is leaking.

- Redlands, CA, USA

problem #6

Sep 011999

S-10 Pickup

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Reverse gear does not. Vehicle is currently in the shop for repairs.

- Lebanon, MI, USA

problem #5

May 291999

S-10 Pickup

  • miles
Transmission failed dumping contents onto highway. Bell housing was completely damaged. Dealer declined to cover it under warranty because they believed it was a road hazard.

- Bradenton, FL, USA

Read the next 4 complaints »