1996 CHEVROLET S10 Complaints

BACK-UP LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER WHILE REVERSING, THEN ONLY COME ON WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE REVERSING AND FINALLY WENT OUT COMPLETELY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE'S FRONT END BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO ONE HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE MAKES A NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE CLUTCH IS OUT AT AN IDLE, DEALER STATED THE NOISE IS NORMAL. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVESHAFT BROKE IN HALF WHILE CARRYING PLYWOOD. DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

DRIVER'S AIRBAG LIGHT STAY ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH WON'T DEPLOY UPON IMPACT OR DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON A WET SURFACE VEHICLE LOSES CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF BRAKING. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP BY APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE KEEPS ON GOING.*AK

TODAY (11/21/00) WAS THE THIRD TIME I'VE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY 1996 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP. DURING CERTAIN, SPECIFIC SITUATIONS, THE ABS WILL "DECIDE" NOT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ROLL FORWARDS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THIS OCCURS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) SLOW SPEED; GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 MPH. 2) WET, SLICK PAVEMENT THAT ABRUPTLY CHANGES TO DRY PAVEMENT AND THEN BACK TO WET PAVEMENT. IN THESE SITUATIONS, THE ABS CAN BE HEARD AND FELT CYCLING BUT NO STOPPING POWER IS AVAILABLE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN THIS SITUATION IN A "REASONABLE" DISTANCE IS TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE AND "LOCK UP" THE REAR WHEELS. THE FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES, WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, TOOK PLACE APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 YEARS AGO WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE S10 WAS TAKEN TO A CHEVROLET DEALER (GROTH BROTHERS, LIVERMORE, CA 94550) WHO CHECKED THE ABS SYSTEM AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE THIRD OCCURRENCE HAPPENED ON 11/21/00 AND RESULTED IN ME REAR-ENDING A VEHICLE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. --I APPROACHED THE RED LIGHT AT WHICH A VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. I WAS TRAVELING LESS THAN 10 MPH AND THE ROAD WAS WET BUT I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO STOP (OR SO I THOUGHT); AT LEAST 50 FEET! AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES FOR A LEISURELY STOP (DIDN'T PUMP THEM, JUST AN EVEN, STEADY FIRM PRESSURE), I COULD FEEL THE ABS SYSTEM BEGIN TO CYCLE. AT THIS POINT, NO STOPPING POWER WAS AVAILABLE AT ALL AND I ROLLED INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME AT THE RED LIGHT. BECAUSE OF THE SLOW SPEED, NO DAMAGE WAS INCURRED. BEFORE YOU CHOCK THIS UP TO OPERATOR ERROR OR A DRIVER (ME) WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND ABS, CONSIDER THIS; I HAVE HAD MUCH PRACTICAL USE AND EXPERIENCE WITH ABS SYSTEMS. BESIDES HAVING AN ENGINEERING DEGREE AND BEING FAIRLY ADEPT AT OPERATING A VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT (CARS, TRACTORS, MOTORCYCLES, BOATS AND AIRPLANES), I AM A PILOT FOR A MAJOR US AIRLINE AND OPERATE AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH ABS S

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH REAR ENDED A VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, HAS TRIED TO CONTACT GMC, NO RESULT. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 98V150001 DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME DEFECT. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT DEFECT WAS DUE TO WIPER MOTOR OVERHEATING, AND A NEW DESIGNED CIRCUIT BOARD WOULD NEED TO BE INSTALLED, DEALER PAID FOR PARTS, HOWEVER CONSUMER PAID FOR LABOR. *AK *SLC

MECHANICS EVALUATION IS THAT POSSIBLE FAILURE COULD BE FROM DEX-COOL COOLANT ERODING GASKETS. *AK