1997 CHEVROLET S10 Complaints

FUEL GAUGE GOES TO FULL WHEN DRIVING REGARDLESS OF FUEL LEVEL. ORIGINAL OWNER RAN OUT OF FUEL ONCE BEFORE THEY KNEW THE GAUGE WASN'T CORRECT. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND/OR FATALITY. IT ALSO MAY HAVE SHORTENED THE LIFE OF THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, WHO TOLD CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SPECIAL POLICY THAT RECOGNIZED THIS DEFECT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED, AND SOMETIMES WOULD RESTART ON ITS OWN. ALSO, SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE FUEL GAUGE NOT TO REGISTER THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF GASOLINE IN THE TANK. *AK

FAULTY FUEL GAUGE/SENSOR: THE '97 CHEVY S10 I OWN RECENTLY EXPERIENCED VERY ERRATIC BEHAVIOR WITH INDICATING THE LEVEL OF FUEL CURRENTLY IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE DEPENDING UPON THE GAUGE I RAN OUT OF FUEL WHEN THE GAUGE SHOWED JUST UNDER 1/2 TANK. THIS VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 40,000 MILES ON IT SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO CHECK WITH THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER. AFTER PAYING AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY ($100) JUST TO RUN DIANOSTICS ON IT THE END RESULT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I HAD EXPECTED AND SEEN BY OTHERS ON THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME VEHICLE. THE CHEVY DEALER SAYS THE MINIMUM THAT IT WILL COST IS $550 TO REPLACE THE "SENDING CARD," IF THE MODULE IS BAD THEN IT WILL COST $1050. NOT HAVING THAT AMOUNT OF $$ AVAILABLE I DECIDED TO NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME (PROBABLY NEVER). SINCE TECHNICALLY THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT IT. RUNNING OUT OF FUEL IN THE WINTER MONTHS IS NOT ALL THAT GREAT. LUCKILY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN A WEEK EARLIER WHEN IT WAS WELL BELOW ZERO. GM PLEASE FIX YOUR SO CALL GLITCHES. THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN A FUN EXPERIENCE TO OWN AND MOST LIKELY WILL BE THE LAST GM I WILL EVER OWN....

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE MADE A CHOKING NOISE LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO STALL THEN, IT STOPPED ACCELERATING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ENGINE GASKET, SEALS, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BECAUSE THEY WERE DEFECTIVE. ALSO, AT 49,773 REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER QUIT WORKING BECAUSE OF A ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE MOTOR. *AK

THE PAINT HAS A DEFECT IN IT ON THE HOOD AND THE ROOF THAT LOOKS LIKE IT IS PEELING DOWN TO A GRAY SURFACE AND I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER AND HE TOLD ME I AM OUT OF LUCK OF GETTING MY CAR PAINTED. IT IS CLEAR THAT IT IS A DEFECT IN THE PAINT SO WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF MY POCKET.

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION LEAKED FLUID, AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR. I HAVE INSPECTED THIS VEHICLE, WHICH WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER INCIDENT, AND FOUND THE SAME "ENERGY MANAGEMENT LOOP" AS WAS RECALLED IN NHTSA RECALL #03V117000. THE DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE WAS A 29 YEAR OLD GENTLEMAN, 6 FOOT TALL AND 200 POUNDS. HE WAS FULLY EJECTED AND FATALLY INJURED. THE SURVIVAL SPACE SURROUNDING THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD REMAINED INTACT, AND LIKELY THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE NOT SUSTAINED A CATASTROPHIC INJURY BUT FOR THE 10" OF EXTRA SLACK ADDED TO THE SAFETY BELT SYSTEM DURING THE ROLLOVER.

GOT THE TRUCK AT 48,400 MILES. AT 48,800 AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED CONTINUOULY FOR ABOUT 25 MINUTES, MY TRUCK SHIFTED VERY HARD BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. THE PROBLEM COULD BE DUPLICATED LIKE CLOCKWORK. TALKED TO BOTH THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER AND CHEVROLET AND NEITHER WOULD BUDGE ON ASSISTING ON THE REPAIR BILL WHICH CAME OUT TO BE $710. AFTER READING ABOUT MORE COMPLAINT OF THE SAME NATURE ON THIS AND MANY MORE SITES, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW CHEVROLET CAN GET AWAY WITH PASSING THIS COST ON TO THE CONSUMER. IT'S OBVIOUS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER, AFTER VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP, FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED WITH NO PROBLEM IN COLD WEATHER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED.*AK