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1992 Chevrolet S10

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most S10 years

Owner complaints for the 1992 Chevrolet S10 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 42.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 180 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 118 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports8 fire reports11 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

9 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY SON AND I BOTH OWN CHEVROLETS S10 TRUCKS. BOTH OF THEM DEVELOPED PROFUSE OIL LEAKS FROM THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER LINES. THIS CAUSED A TOTAL HEMORRHAGE OF OIL BEFORE IT COULD BE DISCOVERED AND DAMAGED THE ENGINES. WHAT A SURPRISE TO DISCOVER SEVERAL OTHER SIMILAR GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES IN THE SAME SHOP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. TH…

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MY SON AND I BOTH OWN CHEVROLETS S10 TRUCKS. BOTH OF THEM DEVELOPED PROFUSE OIL LEAKS FROM THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER LINES. THIS CAUSED A TOTAL HEMORRHAGE OF OIL BEFORE IT COULD BE DISCOVERED AND DAMAGED THE ENGINES. WHAT A SURPRISE TO DISCOVER SEVERAL OTHER SIMILAR GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES IN THE SAME SHOP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SHOP OWNERS SAID THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT WITH THESE CHEVROLET AND GMC TRUCKS, AND THAT THEY HAD REPLACED LEAKING LINES ON 8 OR 10 IN JUST THE PAST MONTH. IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN ONE SMALL SHOP IN TOWN, HOW MANY IS IT HAPPENING TO ALL OVER THE COUNTRY? MOST OF THE TRUCKS SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT ENGINE DAMAGE REQUIRING A COMPLETE OVERHAUL BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW THE OIL IS LEAKING OUT UNTIL THE ENGINE BEGINS MAKING NOISE OR SEIZES. THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT BECAUSE THE OIL LINES ARE VERY NEAR THE EXHAUST PIPE AND COULD SPRAY OIL ONTO IT. SOMEONE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD BE UNAWARE THIS WAS HAPPENING UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS AFIRE. IT COULD ALSO SPRAY OIL ONTO THE TIRE AND CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD BE MADE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING BOTH THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND FOR REPAIRING/REPLACING DAMAGED ENGINES CAUSED BY IT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10049393

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

NHTSA ODI #551713

Mileage unknown · Nov 23, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

THIS IS THE 3RD TIME I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE MY EXHAST MANIFOLD.. I HAVE HEARD THERE BEEN OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE GM 2.5 L ENGINE WHO ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE EXHUAST MANIFOLD NUMBEROUS TIMES. IS THERE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS PRODUCT?

NHTSA ODI #715165

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

A/C COMPRESSOR AND VALVE STEM SEALS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #543630

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ONLY PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WAS THE EXAUST OTHER THAN THAT IT'S THE BEST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED.

NHTSA ODI #701492

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

OIL LINES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES. DEALER UNABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #814029

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED.

NHTSA ODI #519326

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 1997
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #515375

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 1995
Engine And Engine Cooling

OIL SEALS ON THE VALUE HAVE DETERIORATED AND LEAKS OIL INTO THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSES A SMOKING CONDITION WHEN FIRST STARTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ODI #976099

Official recalls

3

99V193000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Jul 19, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS (ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1989 THROUGH AUGUST 1996. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS THE SWITCH WHICH SIGNALS THE ABS SYSTEM WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN 2-WHEEL OR 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAN MALFUNCTION CAUSING INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES DURING ABS STOPS WHILE IN THE TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE WAS REQUIRED, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE OR REPAIR THE 4-WHEEL/2-WHEEL DRIVE SWITCH.

96V195000 · Steering:gear Box:shaft Sector

Oct 8, 1996

THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT LOOSENS AT THE STEERING SHAFT TO STEERING GEAR COUPLING. WITH THIS LOOSENESS, THE YOKE PINCH BOLT CAN WEAR ON THE SPLINES OF THE SHAFT UNTIL THERE IS NO LONGER AN INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPLINES AND THE BOLT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE BODY TO CHASSIS MOVEMENT ALLOWING THE STEERING SHAFT TO SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL RETORQUE THE UPPER AND LOWER BOLTS TO CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS.

93V008000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan

Jan 14, 1993

THE ENGINE COOLING FAN BLADES BREAK AS A RESULT OF FATIGUE AND/OR VEHICLE INDUCED STRESS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BLADE BREAKAGE OCCURS WHILE THE HOOD IS OPEN, APERSON WORKING UNDER THE HOOD OR IN THE VICINITY OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE STRUCKAND INJURED BY THE BLADE SEGMENT.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEWLY DESIGNED FAN ASSEMBLY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

5

EA99018 · Spare Tire Separation From Vehicle

Opened Jun 30, 1999 · Closed Oct 20, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment

No summary supplied.

PE99004 · Separation Of Spare Tire From Vehicle

Opened Jan 15, 1999 · Closed Jun 30, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment

ALLEGED THAT WIRE CABLE/WINCH ASSEMBLY WHICH HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLY UDER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE MAY FAIL, ALLOWING THE TIRE TO FALL FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION

EA94038 · Abs Braking System

Opened Oct 31, 1994 · Closed Feb 28, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THIS INVESTIGATION RESULTED IN A SAFETY RECALL, 99V-193, AND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, 99I-006.

EA94029 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Jul 29, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

AN ALLEGED MALFUNCTION IN THE ATLERNATOR RESULTING IN ENGINE COMPARTMET FIRES.

PE94046 · Abs Braking System Fails

Opened Jun 17, 1994 · Closed Oct 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

There is no summary currently available