1998 CHEVROLET S10 Complaints

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1998 CHEVY S10 PICKUP TRUCK. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXHIBIT THE EXACT BEHAVIOR DESCRIBED IN NHTSA SAFTETY RECALL BULLETIN #03023--THE WIPERS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY, OBVIOUSLY DANGEROUS HERE IN RAINY WASHINGON STATE. IT IS MY STRONG BELIEF THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHICH NOW ONLY COVERS 1995-1997. I WOULD GUESS IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THIS '98 HAS THE SAME WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD INSTALLED AS THE PREVIOUS YEARS HAD.

MY 1998 CHEVROLET S-10 HAS A FAILED CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND IT ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES. IT IS MY SUSPICION THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS COOKED BY A DEFECT IN THE WORKMANSHIP OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CAR. LESS THAN ONE YEAR BEFORE FAILURE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE SYSTEM, CAUSING THE O2 SENSOR TO REACT AND ENACT A FUEL/AIR MIXTURE THAT COOKED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CHEVROLET DEALER SAYS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN OVER 8 YEARS. *AK

I DRIVE A 1998 CHEVY S-10. EVERYTIME IT RAINS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING. I INSTANTLY GO BLIND, AND PULL OFF THE ROAD/HIGHWAY AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. THE 1995-1997 CHEVY S-10 HAS A RECALL ON THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM DUE TO A FAULTY WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD. THE DESCRIPTION FITS MY PROBLEM EXACTLY. THIS DEFECT HAS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000. MY TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED IN NOVEMBER 1997. WHEN I CALLED UP CHEVY, AND TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM, THEY SAID THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE DOING WHAT IT IS DOING. THE CHEVY REP. SAID THAT MY TRUCK, MANUFACTURED IN NOVEMBER 1997 WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IT SHOULD BECAUSE MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS FREEZE AT THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF RAIN. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THIS PROBLEM FIXED YET. *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILING INTERMITTENTLY. HAPPENED IN THE POURING RAIN ALMOST WRECKED. I CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. *TR

3RD DOOR ON 1998 CHEVROLET S10 LATCH BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OPEN. LATCH FINALLY SNAPPED OFF. 3RD DOOR NO LONGER OPENED, POTENTIALLY MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR 3RD SEAT PASSENGER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK

WIPERS MAY NOT COME ON OR MAY STOP DURING USE. ALSO WIPER SPEED CONTROL DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK. *JB

RE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 98V50001 & 97V096001 " WINDSHIELD WIPE FAILURE DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. UNIT FAILED ON MY 1998 CHEV S-10 VIN 1GCCS1948WK1XXXXX. GM 1ST AGREED TO REPLACE AT NO COST. UPON DEALERSHIP CONFIRMATION OF PROBLEM, GM CHANGE TO POSITION OF NOT RESPONSIBLE. THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH THE UNITS ACCORDING TO SERVICE MANAGER. GM TAKES THE POSITION THAT VEHICLE IN NOT PART OF ANY RECALL. THE PART INVOLVED IS THE SAME AS ON THE 1996 VEHICLES. I REPLACE UNIT A MY EXPENSE, DEALERSHIP DID NOT CHARGE LABOR. THE DEFECT CAME TO MY ATTENTION WHEN WIPERS FAILED AND THEN CAME TO LIFE AFTER TOUCHING CIRCUIT BOARD HOUSING. THE ABOVE NHTSA RECALLS NEED TO BE EXTENDED TO ALL GM S-10 PICKUPS AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES. *NM

GAS ODOR- UPON STATE INSPECTION FAILURE REVEALED BOTH GAS LINES WERE ABLE TO RUB TOGETHER, CAUSING A LOT OF FUEL TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST CAUSING SMOKE. BOTH LINES WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED TO AVOID THE TRUCK EXPLODING OR CATCHING FIRE. FUNNY HOW YOU CAN ONLY BUY THE FUEL LINES FROM CHEVROLET. WHAT IS TO KEEP THEM FROM RUBBING TOGETHER AGAIN AFTER I SPEND THE FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS TO HAVE IT FIXED? THIS IS A DEFECT. ALSO, FAULTY WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTORS OR WIRING ALLOWS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO JUST COMPLETELY STOP WHILE IT IS DOWNPOURING RAIN. I COULD HAVE ENDED UP IN THE LAKE! I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE FROM OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE REGARDING BOTH OF MY COMPLAINTS. WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE TO MAKE GM FIX THESE KNOWN DEFECTS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES? *NM

ON MY 1998 CHEVY S-10 BOTH OF THE TAILGATE CABLE BROKE. THE CABLES BROKE AND THE WOOD I WAS LOADING SLID OFF AND HIT MY FOOT IT DID HURT IT, BUT LUCKILY IT WAS NOT BAD. IT ALSO DAMAGE MY TAILGATE ON MY TRUCK. I HAVE SEE ON THE INTERNET AND FROM OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THERE TAILGATE CABLES BREAKING. I HAVE SEEN IT ON 1995, 1998 AND 2000 S-10 TRUCKS. I THINK THAT GM NEEDS TO MAKE REPLACEMENT CABLES THIS VERY DANGEROUS AND IF YOU WERE LOADING SOMETHING IT COULD SLID OFF THE TAILGATE AND HURT THEMSELVES LIKE I DID. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BOTH CABLES ON MY 1998 CHEVY S-10 PICK-UP HAVE SNAPPED. MY DOG WAS USING A RAMP THAT RESTED ON THE TAILGATE WHEN IT HAPPENED. IT CAUSED THE RAMP TO FALL A FEW INCHES LUCKILY THE DOG WAS UNINJURED HOWEVER HE IS VERY FRIGHTENED TO USE THE RAMP NOW. HE WEIGHS OVER 150S SO I CAN'T LIFT HIM. I WENT TO THE LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO GET NEW CABLE WHEN I WAS TOLD ABOUT THE RECALL ON OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES. I HAVE PUT OFF REPAIRING THIS IN ANTICIPATION OF A RECALL. *JB