1998 Chevrolet S Series recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Electrical system

  WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED AND STOPPED FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS AND NOW TOTALLY STOPPED RAINING HARD AND ALSO CAUSED A WRECK TRUCK IN GOOD CONDITION ONLY 50,000 MILES. *TR

  Jan 10, 2013 · 50,000 miles
• Engine and engine cooling

  ENGINE SEIZED UP WITH NO WARNING THROWING ROCKER ARM OUT THROUGH ENGINE BLOCK. TRUCK TOWED TO GM DEALERSHIP. OVER TWO YEARS LATER, THE TRUCK IS STILL AT GM DEALER. CUSTOMER AWAITING ESTIMATE OF REPAIR.

  Nov 15, 2002
• Seats › Front assembly › Recliner

  DRIVER AND PASSENGER RECLINER HANDLE BOTH GET STOCK AND WILL NOT FUNCTION WHEN PULLED AND THEN BREAKS. THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME 1 TIME IN A 98 S10 SINGLE CAB PLUS THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD JUST HAD IT REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO. IT ALSO HAPPEN TWO TIMES ON MY OTHER 98 S10 EXT CAB. I BELIEVE THIS A RISK BECAUSE ONES THE HANDLE BREAK U CANT ADJUST THE SEAT TO SIT UP RIGHT GM SHOULD HAVE THIS RECALLED AND PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT THE VEHICLES THAT ARE AFFECTED ARE 1998-2003 CHEVROLET S10 (ALL MODELS), 1998-2003 GMC SONOMA (ALL MODELS) AND ANY CAR MADE BY GM WITH THE SAME INTERIOR STYLE. *NLM

  Nov 10, 2003
• Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer

  WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATION HAS BECOME VERY UNRELIABLE. STARTED OUT JUST BEING A PROBLEM IN THE INTERMITTENT SETTING BUT HAS PROGRESSED TO ALL SETTINGS. SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL NO MATTER WHAT I TRY AND OTHER TIMES THEY WILL NOT SHUT OFF. A FRIEND HAD HER OLDER TRUCK RECALLED BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT'S STILL A PROBLEM ON THE NEWER UNITS I GUESS. *LA

  Sep 20, 2003 · 75,000 miles
• Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer

  WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING WHEN USING INTERMITTENT WIPER FUNCTION. HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND WIPERS MUST BE SET ON FULL SPEED SETTING TO GET THEM TO WORK AT ALL. THEY WILL REMAIN UNUSABLE IN INTERMITTENT SETTINGS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES OR SOMETIMES DAYS. THE DEFECT GOES AWAY AND RETURNS WITHOUT ANY PATTERN OF FAILURE, LATELY, WIPERS STOP WORKING IN ALL MODES UNTIL SHUT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON. *JB

  Aug 27, 2003 · 66,700 miles
• Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch

  THE DEFECT(S) RELATE TO THE EXTENDED CAB VERSION OF THE VEHICLE WITH A 3RD DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. 3RD DOOR UPPER LATCH HAS BROKEN SEVERAL TIMES. PART IS MADE FROM STEEL ROD STOCK WHICH IS FORMED INTO A U SHAPE THEN STAMPED TO FORM HOLES FOR THE MOUNTING SCREWS AND THE SERRATED MOUNTING SURFACE. FAILURE EACH TIME HAS BEEN METAL FATIGUE WHERE THE METAL IS STAMPED AND IS DUE TO THE METAL BECOMING FATIGUED BY HITTING THE UPPER STRIKER/LATCH ASSEMBLY. THIS KEEPS THE 3RD DOOR FROM LATCHING AT THE TOP LETTING RAIN AND FUMES ENTER THE CAB. THE DEALER REPLACED IT ON EACH FAILURE BUT ADVISED ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS KEEPS THE…

  Jan 6, 2002 · 55,000 miles
• Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Switch/wiring

  WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING WHEN USING INTERMITTENT WIPER FUNCTION. HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND WIPERS MUST BE SET ON FULL SPEED SETTING TO GET THEM TO WORK AT ALL. THEY WILL REMAIN UNUSABLE IN INTERMITTENT SETTINGS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES OR SOMETIMES DAYS. THE DEFECT GOES AWAY AND RETURNS WITHOUT ANY PATTERN OF FAILURE. *NLM

  Jun 6, 2003 · 55,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.