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2003 Chevrolet S10

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most S10 years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet S10 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 42.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

132 reports with mileage · 46 unknown

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.

  • Structure. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports1 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

178 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW PURCHASE OF 2004 CHEVROLET S10.*MR WHILE DRIVING SOMETHING HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY A STONE. THIS CONTACT ENTIRELY DAMAGED THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY A MECHANIC THAT THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK WASN'T AN INCH OFF THE GROUND AND WAS EVEN BELOW THE FRAME OF THE CAR WITH …

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PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW PURCHASE OF 2004 CHEVROLET S10.*MR WHILE DRIVING SOMETHING HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLY A STONE. THIS CONTACT ENTIRELY DAMAGED THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY A MECHANIC THAT THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK WASN'T AN INCH OFF THE GROUND AND WAS EVEN BELOW THE FRAME OF THE CAR WITH NO PROTECTION. THE CONSUMER IS CONSUMER ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE OF THE TANK BEING SO LOW TO THE GROUND AND NOT BEING PROTECTED BY THE FRAME. THE CONSUMER HAD TO RIDE AN HOUR AND A HALF TO OBTAIN A NEW TANK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ONE SHE PURCHASED WAS THE LAST ONE IN THE COUNTRY. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10083371

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2004
Steering

LTR FM [XXX] (MO) RE POOR QUALITY ASSURANCE ON THE PART OF GM CHEVROLET DIVISION BOTH HIS 2003 CHEVROLET S-10 PICKUP & HIS 2004 SILVERADO WERE DEFECTIVE. *MR THE CONSUMER ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE A WEEK WHEN HE DISCOVERED THAT THE IDLE ARM OR ROCKER ARM (THE BAR THAT CONNECTS THE TIRE TO THE AXLE) HAD NOT BEEN CONNECTED AT TH…

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LTR FM [XXX] (MO) RE POOR QUALITY ASSURANCE ON THE PART OF GM CHEVROLET DIVISION BOTH HIS 2003 CHEVROLET S-10 PICKUP & HIS 2004 SILVERADO WERE DEFECTIVE. *MR THE CONSUMER ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE A WEEK WHEN HE DISCOVERED THAT THE IDLE ARM OR ROCKER ARM (THE BAR THAT CONNECTS THE TIRE TO THE AXLE) HAD NOT BEEN CONNECTED AT THE FACTORY. ONE SIDE WAS CONNECTED TO THE TIRE BUT THE OPPOSITE END WAS JUST SITTING ON THE AXLE, NOT CONNECTED. THE CONSUMER HAD ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE SO DECIDED TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE. THE NEW VEHICLE WAS A 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO FULL SIZE. THIS VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT ABOVE 50 MPH THE PULLING WAS WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT END WAS NOR ALIGNED NOR WAS THE STEERING COLUMN CONNECTED. *NM 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10081444

1,866 miles · Jul 2, 2004
Suspension

2003 S-10 PICKUP, VIN [XXX] . WHEN I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO FLETCHER CHEVROLET FOR AN OIL CHANGE ON OCT 28, 2003, AT 1,866 MILES, I MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A SQUEAK COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION. THEY CHECKED AND HEARD THE SQUEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR ON NOV 17, 2003. ON DEC 3, 2003, 2 WEEKS LATER, I …

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2003 S-10 PICKUP, VIN [XXX] . WHEN I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO FLETCHER CHEVROLET FOR AN OIL CHANGE ON OCT 28, 2003, AT 1,866 MILES, I MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A SQUEAK COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION. THEY CHECKED AND HEARD THE SQUEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR ON NOV 17, 2003. ON DEC 3, 2003, 2 WEEKS LATER, I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE COIL SPRING INSULATORS WERE REPLACED. ON DEC 11, 2003, I WENT TO FLETCHER CHEVROLET FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND AGAIN MENTIONED HAVING A SQUEAK IN THE FRONT. THE FRONT END WAS LUBRICATED. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM BUT I PROCRASTINATED UNTIL JUNE 7, 2004 BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK FOR SERVICE. FLETCHER CHEVROLET CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND SAID THAT THEY NEEDED TO ORDER UPPER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR ON JUNE 17, 2004. ON JULY 1, 2004, 2 WEEKS LATER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS READY. THIS TIME THEY LUBED JOINTS AND BUSHINGS, REMOVED THE STABILIZER BAR TO GREASE BUSHINGS AND REPLACED THE STABILIZER LINK BUSHINGS AND UPPER BUSHINGS. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NOISE STILL EXISTED. THE NICE FOLKS AT THE FLETCHER CHEVROLETS SERVICE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAD DONE ALL THEY COULD BUT SINCE GM TOLD THEM THAT MY DEFECT WAS NOT A PROBLEM STEMMING FROM DRIVABILITY PART OF NORMAL OPERATION, ADDITIONAL WORK WOULD NOT BE PERFORMED UNDER WARRANTY TO FIX THIS DEFECT. I CALLED THIS NUMBER AND SPOKE WITH SARA HARTMANN. AFTER CHECKING SHE INFORMED ME THAT CHEVROLET KNEW THAT SOME S-10S WERE EXPERIENCING A SUSPENSION NOISE PROBLEM BUT IT WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NO KNOWN FIX. IN ESSENCE SHE IS SAYING, TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, THAT I AM NOT ALONE. I TOLD HER THAT THIS WAS MY 4TH S-10 AND I DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE OTHERS. SHE DID OFFER ME A SMART CARE PACKAGE CONSISTING OF FREE OIL CHANGES FOR 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE DEFECT FIXED. *AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.

NHTSA ODI #10079169

5,000 miles · Jun 22, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A MAJOR BRAKE PROBLEM. BRAKE ROTORS WARPED AFTER 5,000 MILES OF USAGE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON 2 OCCASIONS, AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE BRAKE ROTORS UNTIL THEY FELL BELOW SPECIFICATIONS. ALSO, CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO REFUSED TO HELP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10079682

5,000 miles · Jun 4, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10075707

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2004
Suspension

WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TOWARDS THE RIGHT. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10063153

Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

GAS TANK OVERFILL PROTECTION. WHEN YOU FILL THE GAS TANK ON MY 2003 CHEVY S-10 CREW CAB IT WILL NOT AUTO SHUT OFF THE PUMP LEVER BEFORE THE TANK IS TOO FULL AND GAS SPRAYS OUT AND DOWN THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK. HAPPENS ON EVERY FILL UP THAT IS NOT MANUALLY CONTROLLED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10063956

Mileage unknown · Mar 19, 2004
Suspension

WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED STEERING WHEEL PULLED TOWARDS THE RIGHT. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10063518

2,000 miles · Mar 18, 2004
Steering

VEHICLE HAS IMPROPER STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL SWAYS, EVEN IF VEHICLE IS GOING STRAIGHT. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE GEAR BOX, AND OTHER STEERING COMPONENTS. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10063452

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2004
SteeringCrash

ILDLER ARM WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED AT FACTORY. WAS ATTACHED TO WHEEL, BUT NOT ATTACHED TO AXLE--WAS JUST LAYING ON AXLE. I BLAME THE GM FACTORY--QUALITY CONTROL-- NOT THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10062131

Official recalls

1

04V132000 · Equipment:other:labels

Mar 18, 2004

CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SOME OF THESE VEHICLES INCLUDE INCORRECT STATEMENTS ON ONE OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LABELS.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 4, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.