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Chevy S10/GMC S15-Sonoma: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • hemiheadhemihead Member Posts: 8
    Thanks, the aftermarket I got shows it idling at 500 rpm with the a/c on, which is totally off, so I"m gonna look for another. O'Reilly said they would give me my money back, I guess that's what I get for getting a cheapo tach.

    RYan
  • eackermaneackerman Member Posts: 2
    I purchased my S-10 in Feb. 97. It had 10 miles on it. I now have 131000 miles on this truck, and I bought my first set of tires at 118000 miles. I probably could have gotten another 3000 miles out of my old tires.Naturally, I bought the same tires, Uniroyal Tiger Paws.Of course, the type of driving I do is mainly highway,so I don't do a lot of stop and go.The only problem I have with my truck is that my A.C. compressor had to have the seals replaced after only 4 years.Otherwise, I have changed the oil and filters,the brakes,and other regular maintenance items.Does anyone else have problems with the A.C. in their truck? I have a 4 cyllindar, 5 speed manual transmission,2.2 Ltr.Please let me know.
  • hemiheadhemihead Member Posts: 8
    Yes, I did. When my 97 S-10 was still under the extended warrenty my a/c pump went out, it was 3 yrs old and had 72k on it. I think the seals went out and it bled off all of it's lubricating oil over time, turning my hood insulation into an oil sponge and making a nice little oil trail down my fender. I thought the engine was leaking oil until the a/c pump totally locked up, and the spray was right above it. So, new a/c pump. Anyone having trouble with peddle pressure on their clutches?

    RYan
  • hdaiv1hdaiv1 Member Posts: 3
    Just wanted to let the owners of older S10s know, I finally fixed the water leak on my 1992 S10. I went to the junkyard and got a replacement door switch for the driver's side. One with good rubber on it. Slathered on the lithium grease, installed it, and the water stopped coming in. Then I sold it two months later and bought a Sierra!
  • rowezonerowezone Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 Chevy S10, 2.2 5 speed manual, antilock brakes, with 11,000 miles on it. The miles are mostly highway, not city, miles.
    Yesterday a loud squeal developed in the left front brake area. Constant squeal when vehicle is moving, goes away when brakes are applied. Would the pads be bad already or could it be brake dust?
    Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
  • jauto98jauto98 Member Posts: 77
    Seems like your pads are getting bad or worn. When the pads get worn, a piece of metal sticks out and rubs the rotor to let you know that your pads or low. Depends on how you drive. If you do a lot of braking, then your brake pads probably need to be replaced. I had to replace my front pads on my 97 sonoma at about 25,000 miles i think. If it continues, bring it in and have a check before you do some damage to your rotors.
  • dives66dives66 Member Posts: 1
    i would like to here from any one that has a 2000 or 2001 truck that has paint problems. My truck has 6000 km on it and the paint is cracking from nothing more than tree sap! the dealer says they will paint the affected areas but i think the paint is the same on the whole truck ...this sucks. They also say it is only covered for 1 year what if anything can i do?
    Help... dave in BC Canada
  • cajun626cajun626 Member Posts: 54
    I have a '97 S10, 4 cyl, 5 spd, x-cab with 35K miles. What other problems have you had with your trucks and do you have any maint. suggestions? I've done routine maint. so far and have had no problems.
  • mjbwrtrmjbwrtr Member Posts: 172
    hearing all this and seeing Edmunds and other sites saying "spotty build quality" and such, have made me waver on my choice of a new s-10...are they really that bad?
    let me explain. i am looking for a new truck...a stripped down one which i can get great mileage and be able to do work on my house with and transport hunting and fishing supplies. i also commute quite a ways and i tend to hang onto vehicles and drive them until they sputter and kill themselves in the driveway for fear of going yet another mile. :)
    so my choices are Ford Ranger with the new 4 cylinder, and the s-10 with the 2.2.
    i want a manual tranny, air conditioning, cloth seats, and maybe a CD player. any suggestions or preferences? i could also use info regarding which engine is best.
  • gaston3gaston3 Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone had a problem with fuse #9 in the fuse panel blowing, it controls the HVAC or climate controls. Mine just started doing this at 7,000 miles. It is not blowing immediately, but can take anywhere from 5 minutes or longer to blow. The dealer has it now, but I'm just wondering if anyone else had this problem and what was done to solve it, because right now I'm not too thrilled with what one service rep was trying to suggest to me.
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    if they have a spotty build quality then my dads 92 is an exception. Just turned 100K on wed.

    Truck has been great. It should easily go 100K more+
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    2001 did have an issue with shorted wiring in the HVAC system.
  • mjbwrtrmjbwrtr Member Posts: 172
    i have a 93 s-10 which has given me no problems...i meant the new version...1994 and on.
  • dennisdixondennisdixon Member Posts: 5
    Have a 2001 Chevy Xtreme S-10 Ext Cab pickup that develops a vibration that you feel in the seat. The truck has only 700 miles on the odometer, a 4.3 L V6, automatic transmission and the Xtreme sport package. The vibration usually begins to occur at approx 50 mph and will continue to occur at all speeds between 50 and approx 64 mph. At 65 mph the vibration will diminish tremendously if not completely.

    There is no vibration felt in the steering wheel at all regardless of speed. Less than 50 mph the ride is smooth and vibration free. The vibration does vary in intensity at times. A first reaction is that a tire must be out of balance. Other ideas were that a wheel lug nut was loose but none were loose.

    I had a reputable tire shop examine the vehicle and remove and rebalance all four wheels and tires. Two of the wheels needed rebalancing and .5 oz was added. The other two were fine. The wheels that were originally on the rear were moved to the front. There was no change in the vibration and its’ characteristics.

    The Chevy dealer would not check the tire balance at first because it did not have enough miles on it. They said carriers cause flat spots in tires during the chaining process as the vehicles are transported. Chevy will not authorize a dealer to balance tires until they have over 500 - 700 miles on them.

    I have had suggestions (from other than the dealer) there could be a problem with the alignment of the driveshafts or another problem since the ext cab has two driveshats and a carrier bearing.

    The dealer has now had the truck for a week. They have told me the vibration is normal for this performance oriented suspension. I disagree. I refused to take the truck back from the dealer. They had a Chevy service rep look at it last Friday and say they now feel it is a tire problem. They will let me know in a couple of more days after another dealer rechecks the tire balances with a special "road vibration balancer".

    The dealer said they used an "electronic vibration analyzer" which registers vibrations in some type of electrical term of measurement. The installed another set of wheels and tires from another vehicle and the machine registered a 2/3 drop in vibration. That is the reason for the additional dealers involvement with the "road vibrations balancer". They did not invite me to stop by to drive the truck with the other tires so I have no personal experience of any difference.

    Any suggestions or information will be greatly appreciated in that this is a problem that not only makes the truck uncomfortable to drive but also brings safety into question if there is something wrong that could eventually contribute problems to controlling the vehicle.
  • PAmanPAman Member Posts: 207
    Here's a self-diagnosis suggestion:

    1. Drive the truck as you normally would, and as soon as the vibration starts, shift the transmission from O-D (overdrive) which looks like a "D" on the indicator, to the "3" position. This will take the transmission out of overdrive. IF the vibration goes away, the vibration is in one likely place. If it continues, there are two other likely sources.

    A. If the vibration goes away when you shift from D to 3, the vibration may be generated by the torque converter or the lock-up solenoid for the converter in the transmission. The dealer can verify this by using a Snap-On Scanner with the proper cartridge for your truck. On the scanner, which should be plugged into the diagnostic connector while the truck is being driven, the relay that engages the lock-up torque converter will be going into and out of lock. The tech can clearly see this while driving the truck with the scanner on the right diagnostic screen. This may sound like gobbldy-[non-permissible content removed] to you, but a good transmission tech will know what this all means.

    B. Second possibility is the vibration is in the Y-pipe or the exhaust pipe between the Y-pipe and the catalytic converter. I know it sounds stupid, but I know of two full-sized Chevy trucks that had a similar vibration, and it was somehow related to the exhaust system. Not sure why--maybe the factory made the wrong bend in the pipe somewhere and it is transmitting a vibration through the frame and motor mounts.

    C. Third possiblilty--the drive shaft. This procedure must be done CAREFULLY in a shop with another mechanic. DO NOT do this in your driveway! Using a frame lift, raise the truck's wheels a foot or so off the ground. Making sure the lift doesn't rub the wheels anywhere, have someone get in the truck, start it, put it in drive and accelerate it CAREFULLY. The truck will speed up easily because the wheels are off the ground, so don't have someone gun it hard, but speed up gradually. While this is happening, you are under the truck, clear of any moving parts. Watch the driveshaft while this is going on. If it seems to stay in the same horizontal position as it rotates, it is likely balanced. If it seems to be jumping up and down while it rotates, it is out of balance. Either it lost a balance weight that was originally welded on it at the factory, or it wasn't balanced properly in the first place. If, while spinning, the drive shaft doesn't appear to be perfectly straight, then it could have been damaged while being shipped from the factory.

    Good luck--and let me know what you find out!

    Joe
  • blukensblukens Member Posts: 8
    My 1996 S-10 4.3 had the sludgey Dexron orange problem. Different opinions from several people as to switching to green stuff, but after the second overheating problem, all 12 lifters needed to be replaced, thank you Warranty Gold. The dealer switched the coolant to green
    stuff after doing the expensive acid wash routine per the service bulletin.

    I first noticed the sludge forming in the filler/overflow tank at about 50K and it first overheated at about 70K. (The dealer originally said the sludge was no problem!).

    After the repaired lifters about 4K ago, no problems. Green stuff looks clean still.
  • meistermanmeisterman Member Posts: 7
    Hi, I own a 00 4 cyl S10 and have been getting horrible mileage. Best so far has been 17 mpg, worst has been 13. I have read that other people have been getting around the same. I was wondering if any of the other guys had found out the problem or found a way to fix this. Thanks
    Oh yeah i do mainly city driving, but i don't thing it would make such a huge difference.
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    I have a 99 Sonoma 4 cyl auto A/C.The window sticker states 19 city 26 highway.I never check city milage but i get 25 mpg at 70 mph & 29 mpg at 55 to 60 mph.I think its hard to check city, like the number of stop & goes makes a difference.
  • cwo4cwo4 Member Posts: 90
    My '01 Sonoma with 4 cyl, standard, gets 25-26 mpg combined city and highway. That's with the AC on too. If I do 55-60, which I did once on a long road trip, I get a whopping 30 mpg. If I were you meisterman, I'd take it to the dealer and have the mileage complaint documented and checked out. I'm assuming you're still under the 3 yr, 36K bumper to bumper warranty. If so, it won't cost you a cent.
  • dennisdixondennisdixon Member Posts: 5
    The short story version is YES, THE VIBRATION IS GONE!!!

    I find it hard to believe but they replaced both rear tires and the side-to-side vibration is gone.

    Here's the whole story...long version.

    Service Writer & Service Mgr explained they were going to replace the driveshafts with one from another Xtreme in stock. When they drove the stock models they noticed the same side-to-side vibration in the other 3 models. So before changing the driveshafts they called Chevy Technical Assistance only to be told the condition could not be fixed. Chevy told them there had been other complaints and they were aware of the "situation" but there was not a fix.

    Dealership continued to explain the ride was normal for a vehicle with a performance-designed suspension.

    I didn't buy it. I told them I felt there has to be something that can be done. There could never be a way any car mfgr would design a vehicle with a side-to-side vibration like that in the seat/frame. They said nothing could be done.

    I asked if where the Xtreme was parked was ok. They told me yes. I then handed the keys back to them and told them if that was the case I did not want the truck. They could call whomever they wanted but I was not accepting the vehicle...after all it only had 700 miles on it.

    They did not know what to say. I went to the sales mgr and explained the situation. He told the Service Mgr he could not believe GM had not fixed the problem yet and continued to sell these. He indicated this problem existed on other models and on the full size truck also. After some heated verbal exchanges between the Service mgr and Sales mgr we went for a ride. The Sales mgr agreed there is a problem and it is not right. He assured me he would talk to the Chevy Zone rep about what could be done. He assured me they would take care of me.

    Next day, no answer from the rep. I was introduced to the General Manager. I insisted we go for a drive. He tried to worm his way through the whole thing. He kept telling me the ride was normal and was due to the performance suspension. I insisted he was not being honest with me. Insisted he drive the truck further, pointing out the vibration in the seat as we went from 50 – 64 mph. When we hit 65 mph the vibration disappeared. He started to acknowledge the problem but caught himself and shrewdly admitted the truck was a sport model and rode rough. I could not get him to focus on the side-to-side vibration. He would only feel the up and down bounce of the tires against the road, which is a little harsh because of the large tires and suspension.

    When we returned to the dealership I informed him I would not accept the Xtreme. They could either return the truck I traded and restore ourselves to our before sale condition or work something acceptable by me for another truck.

    He said he would have the Chevy Area Service Rep look at the truck on Friday. I refused to take the truck and left it.

    The rep drove the Xtreme that Friday and said there was a tire problem. Service mgr said they drove the truck with an “Electronic Vibration Analyzer” which converted vibrations into an electronic unit of measurement. When they tried tires off another vehicle the “Electronic Vibration Analyzer” gave readings of 2/3 less. They scheduled an appointment with another dealer who has a “Load Force Tire Balancer” that would determine a bad tire and/or wheel.

    Service mgr also told me Chevy said they have had a problem with these because of a process where the paint is baked on the truck after the tires are installed. He went further to state that the problem was worse on black trucks because they actually bake them twice due to the paint. I guess he was telling me since mine was red the vibration was not as bad. Go figure. I found that explanation to be a bit of a stretch but did not question it at the time. I have never been to the plant to see them built so do not know if that is true. Sorry to be so distrustful of what I am being told…..but these are the guys who kept telling me nothing was wrong.

    After they had the truck a week and a half they called to let me know it was finished and the vibration was gone. The tests confirmed two bad tires. They replaced them and the vibration was gone.

    True! When I drove it afterwards the side-to-side vibration was gone.

    I thought they were “yanking my chain” with the explanation of the “Electronic Vibration Analyzer”. I have asked around and found no one who has ever heard of a device such as that. I am not saying they do not exist…..only that I have not found someone away from the dealership who knows about them. As for the “Load Force Tire Balancer” I have confirmed that there is such a machine. It has a drum that forces load pressures similar to that of a road against the tire. It looks like a high scale tire balancer and sells for around $12000.

    So, if everything they have told me is true….then that is the story of how it was fixed. The only thing I am still puzzled about is in the very beginning the vibration never changed when the tires were balanced and rotated from front to back. One would think in theory that if the rear tires caused the vibration in the seat that they would have caused a similar vibration in the steering wheel when they were on the front. No such vibration has ever been in the steering wheel. The vibration was in the seat and remained there regardless of the tires and wheels that were on the rear of the truck.

    Now on to a new problem. The fuel gauge does not read full when filling up the tank. It only read 7/8 of a tank. Every GM vehicle I have ever had when full sends the fuel needle past the full mark to the right. This needle will not even touch the full mark on the left side let alone go past it.

    The dealer has told me it is normal. When I went with him to fill up another one on the lot we discovered that the fuel needle went past the full mark to the right just as I stated. They tried to tell me it was a normal condition the way mine read. Now the Service Mgr had to admit mine was wrong. They are going to install a new sending unit tomorrow……we will see.

    If anyone has these problems, please be persistent with the dealer. There is a fix.
  • jim4444jim4444 Member Posts: 124
    I average 22 mpg and have a leadfoot. And you better believe I use the A/C! 99 S10 LS 4.3 Auto. Posi. HPP modified shifts.

    Great truck, factory puts on worthless tires. I recommend to everyone with a new S10/Sonoma to get real tires, the uniroyals are worthless.

    And the factory shift pattern is......yaaaaawn.

    Unacceptable. Do they think this is a luxury truck??

    Well....it is very nice but its still a truck.

    But a day and a half to shift when you floor it???

    I havent been to the track to get any times but after the reprogramming I can guarantee you that I picked up at least a second if not more in the 1/4 mile.

    When I go to the track I'll reprogram it and eliminate the govenor. For now 99 mph is plenty.
  • redsteelerredsteeler Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2001 S-10 ext cab 3rd door 4.3 V6 and am continuing to have 2 problems that I was wondering if anyone has had experience with.
    1) The third door rattles all the time on good pavement or bad
    2) between 55 and 65 mph the vehcile seems to surge and I can't hold a steady speed. While at these speeds there seems to be a vibration in the gas pedal as well.
    In both cases I have taken it in 3 times and the dealers can find anything wrong.
  • PAmanPAman Member Posts: 207
    When I bought my new 2000 S-10 third door extended cab, I felt the same surging. The dealer said it was the A/C compressor engaging and disengaging.

    While I didn't like that answer, the problem DID go away after I drove the truck a few miles. I think the engine was not broken in and was very tight. As it accumulated a few miles, it became MUCH smoother. One of the reasons I think the engine was not broken in and was very tight is because it uses NO oil, and I mean NO oil. I'm using synthetic oil and a high quality filter, so I'm going about 5K-7K miles between changes, but this 4.3L V-6 engine NEVER drops below the full mark on the dipstick. This is the first engine I've ever had that does't use even 1/4 quart of oil between changes. I now have nearly 21K miles on it.

    As for the rattling third door, that sounds like a broken retaining clip between the door panel and the metal shell of the door. DON"T accept a noisy door; my truck is now 16 months old, and the third door has never rattled, even on the roughest roads.

    If you can bang on the panel with the heel of your hand and hear the noise, it is likely a broken clip. If the door is quiet when you bang on it, but it still rattles when the truck is moving, it sounds like there is metal-on-metal somewhere and it either needs to be adjusted or have a new door gasket installed.

    Good luck.

    Joe
  • PAmanPAman Member Posts: 207
    There's lots of hype out there, but here's a test conducted by an Acura NSX owner that proved interesting. He pitted his "custom" $144 a jar Zymol NSX wax against Zaino, Mequiars and the inexpensive Zymol wax sold in discount stores.


    He also used several other NSX owners to help judge the results. Considering that many of these guys think of their cars as if it were their religion (there's something very sad in that thought) I knew they would "take no prisoners" when it came to determining which wax worked best.


    Here's the link to see the results of the test:


    http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/waxtest.html


    Have a good day!


    Joe

  • cwo4cwo4 Member Posts: 90
    While driving along the highway in my 2001 Sonoma today, the ABS dash light came on for no apparent reason. I checked the owners manual and it said if the ABS light comes on, your system needs servicing. (DUH) If your brake warning light stays off, you have brakes, but not ABS. I had brakes, no problem . I was just cruising, didn't even have my foot on the brakes. I'll take it to the dealer tomorrow, but I'm a little disappointed. I only have 12,250 miles on the truck. Anyone else have this problem before, and if so, what caused it?
  • mr5by5mr5by5 Member Posts: 11
    I'm the guy who posted the fix for intermittent operation of '94 S-10 Wipers a year or so ago! I think it has been lost from the database but I do have a simplified description of the problem and my fix on my personal website at: http://www.geocities.com/mr5by5/s10wiper.html


    Check it out while I try to find my original (detailed) instructions for making the relatively simple repair!


    (As I recall, a Chevy Mechanic posted a response that stated that you can buy a new "Wiper Delay Control Board from GM Parts. Solder is cheaper!)

  • mdm4mdm4 Member Posts: 33
    I just purchased a '98 extended cab LS S-10 with a 2.2 four banger and a 5spd with 33,000 miles. Aside from the driver's seat recline handle being broke(actually the handle is fine it is the rod that the handle connects to that snapped), and having to replace the front brake pads, I have a question about the thermostat housing. There is a by-pass tube that connects to the housing, at this connection I have a small leak. When I had the vehicle inspected the fellow said that there is an o-ring on the tube and if you turn the tube counter clock-wise the tube will come out of the housing and you can replace the o-ring. Well, I went to the dealer to get the o-ring and was told that I would have to order the complete housing for about $50.00. It appears that the tube will come out of the housing but I am not sure. Has anyone else had this problem?
  • joe3891joe3891 Member Posts: 759
    If the tube screws out why would you need an "0" ring,just use sealer.
    I looked at my 99 2.2 and i think the tube maybe pressed in,they like cheap assy.
    Try some epoxy sealer or pop for the $50 part.
  • PAmanPAman Member Posts: 207
    My wife's '96 Regal with the 3.8 has a similar set-up for the heater hoses. I replaced the O-rings by matching them at Autozone or Pep Boys. Cover them with some white lithium grease before putting them back in. I don't like the design, but so far, no leaks.
  • mdm4mdm4 Member Posts: 33
    PAman: On your wife's Regal how did you get the tube out, did you have to turn it or did it just pop out?
  • PAmanPAman Member Posts: 207
    I think the bypass tube went from the top of the water pump or water pump housing to the base of the intake manifold. I just GENTLY pulled it straight forward until it came out.

    The heater hoses were mounted on 90-degree elbow connections that slipped into the water pump housing. They also just pulled straight out. If they seem difficult to pull out, that is probably because there is a lot of mineral deposits around the fitting, or the aluminum has started to oxidize, and is partially stuck.

    If you can't get it out, I would recommend going to a u-pull-it junk yard, finding a truck with the same engine, and if you can get to it, take that one apart first. That way, if you break something because you couldn't determine the best way to take it apart until it was too late, you haven't damaged yours yet.

    Good luck!

    Joe
  • deppdepp Member Posts: 3
    Hi all,

    I have a 1994 Sonoma, and every time it rains or gets wet it leaks into the passenger foot well. It trickles down behind the heater soaking the foam there along the firewall. I don't think its a windshield leak from the top, I think its coming in from the cowl area somehow. I can't really see down in it though, it is hard to get to because the steel only allows so much of an opening under the windshield. I've tried looking up behind the L. front wheel covering, still cant really get to the area to find out what is leaking. Can anyone help me out?

    Thanks
  • PAmanPAman Member Posts: 207
    Take it out when you know it is going to rain again. When the rain starts, get in the truck and wait to see where the water is leaking in.

    As for the 'where,' there are several possibilities. The first place I would suspect is the area at the bottom of the windshield where it mounts to the truck. Next, I'd look at the gasket where the hood meets the cowl. If the gasket is damaged or missing, it would allow water to run down the firewall, and could be leaking in around the box that holds the heater core.

    If those areas are not the source of the leaks, talk to a windshield shop or the guy at the dealership that fixes water leaks. They may have seen this in a few other S-10s and Sonomas and can almost certainly tell you where to look.

    Good luck!

    Joe
  • leroydriverleroydriver Member Posts: 2
    I've just purchased my new S-10 in July of 2001 and I've been back to the dealer 7 times in 5 months! Everytime I tell them to fix the same problem they come back with a different excuse for the shaking that occurs at 55 to 65mph and 1800 rpm's.Does anyone know about a drivetrain problem or any recall's? I would really like to hear anybody's opinion on this problem. I'm about a phone call away from my lawyer! Also, this truck after 5 months has terrible interior design. The interior rattles and creeks all the time, even on smooth roads! Please e-mail leroydriver@hotmail.com or post your response here. Thanks!
  • wpatterson1wpatterson1 Member Posts: 6
    I took delivery of my new 2002 Crew Cab last Wednesday. I had to drive 120 miles to get it so you can imagine my digust was turning the corner onto my street I heard for the first time a loud, high-pitched squeaking noise coming from the left front of the vehicle. It sounds like two pieces of styrofoam being rubbed together. I rolled the window down and listened to the noise until I parked in the driveway. I could not find anything out of the ordinary until I pushed down on the front bumper. Same sound. I loked under the front end and bumper and found the inside of the bumber is lined with no other than a black styrofoam substance. Due to my work schedule I have not been able to take it in to my local dealer. I was wanting to know if anyone has had the same thing happen to them.
  • cwo4cwo4 Member Posts: 90
    On my 2001 Sonoma. Turned out to be the rubber bushings cushioning the springs. It happened to me around 12,000 miles. Took it to the dealer during routine oil change and they "greased" it. It was quiet for about a week. Took it in last week and they're going to replace the bushings under warranty. Part is on order.
  • leadfoot4leadfoot4 Member Posts: 593
    I had a similar vibration in my 1997 S-10 4x4 when I first bought it. The dealer did all kinds of "smoke and mirrors" while trying to fix it, but wouldn't listen to me. I took the driveshaft out myself, and took it to a competent shop who diagnosed the problem.
    The shaft had about 0.100" of "whip" in it, and was too far out to re-balance. The problem was cured by a new driveshaft, and then the dealer and I had a "long discussion" about it being covered by the warranty. GM eventually paid for the new shaft. Good luck !!
  • ehennessehenness Member Posts: 92
    Hi all. I am posting for my sister and brother in law, who are 130 miles away (so I haven't seen the truck). I'm good with cars, so I get the phone calls when something goes BLOOEY...

    My brother in law has a '97 S10 regular cab, long bed with the 5 speed and 2.2 (2.5?) 4 cylinder engine. It has 59K miles on it, and gets mostly light commuter use. After catching the truck overheating, they took it to a shop they trust and had it diagnosed as a bad head gasket. It's now at the Chevy dealer's where the repair will be covered by the extended warrantee they forgot they had...

    Apparently, the last time the truck was serviced (9/11/01, actually...), a notation was made that there was 'red liquid' under the truck (my brother in law says he's got Dexcool). He saw this time that there seemed to be seepage at the head/block seam. He noticed the problem when he didn't get any heat, and the truck started running roughly (nothing but 'normal' showing on the temp gauge). Both the shop and the dealer say the gasket blew. It sounded right, from the symptoms which I won't try to paraphrase here for fear of forgetting something he told me...

    He's had it maintained by the book pretty much, doesn't haul much besides himself (and he's 160 pounds soaking wet) and small Home Depot type repair stuff (the stuff you'd put/fit in a car trunk), and doesn't beat on the truck.

    My question is--especially since I didn't see it in a search on the board as a problem--is this a common thing for the S10 4 cylinder? I have never heard of this on the GM 4, but might have missed it (I am VERY familiar with the problem in many Chrysler 4s, both the older 2.2/2.5 and newer 2.0/2.4 engines with the aluminum head and cast iron block, and the Ford 3.8 V6 problems). Is this head aluminum (the shop mentioned machining the head, my brother in law said, so I assume that it is)?

    In any case, the mileage is awfully low for a gasket blow (59K). Even the Chrysler and Ford engines can often squeak out to 100K (assuming they don't overheat first and cause a blow). Any suggestions/comments/etc.?

    Thanks.
  • ehennessehenness Member Posts: 92
    Well, my brother in law's truck was repaired at the Chevy dealer on Saturday. He and my sister couldn't find the paperwork for the extended warrantee they bought (from that dealer) but the dealer didn't even look up their files. They said that at that low mileage (59K), something had to have been wrong. So, for the $50 deductible plus the ~$100 replacement of the thermostat, the truck's back on the road.

    The only "HMMMM" in this whole thing was that my sister said they'd had the water pump replaced after a leak a while back. That's definitely too early for it to need replacement. Wonder if that and the head gasket failure are related somehow...
  • paulibuspaulibus Member Posts: 1
    I have a '98 S-10, 4x4, 4.3L that has had this drivetrain vibration problem since @ 20,000 mi. Took it to the dealer who couldn't find the problem although in the course of r&r ing the driveshaft it fixed itself. About 15,000 to 20,000 miles later the problem reappeared. Took it back to the dealer and they again r&r ed the driveshaft and said they "repositioned" it. Now at @ 75,000 miles the problem is back again.
    Reading post # 138 it would seem to be the same problem. From an even earlier posting I saw that a new driveshaft is $600 from the dealer. Since I'm going to have to keep this truck for several more years I guess I'm going to have to get it to someone who knows what they are doing as I'd like to get it fixed once and for all.
  • leadfoot4leadfoot4 Member Posts: 593
    Based on what the local driveshaft shop told me, GM has "cheaped out" on their shaft manufacturing process. This shop sees many new GM shafts that are way out of whack, consequently you don't want another GM shaft.
    I don't know what a new GM shaft lists for, but the one I replaced my OE shaft with cost $175.
  • cajun626cajun626 Member Posts: 54
    My '97 X-Cab has the stock Uniroyal Tiger Paw 205/75/15 tires. Has anyone tried a slightly wider tire to improve traction? How much can I change the diameter of the tire b/f I start messing up the speedo, etc.? What tire would be a good replacement? I don't want to spend a lot and I don't need truck tires.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    I just picked up my Crew Cab on Saturday and the dome light will not turn off unless the dome override button is pushed? Anyone else have this problem? Also the alarm is randomly going off and the belt molding (window molding) on the passenger door had to be replaced. I have total of 270 miles on truck and hope this is not indicator of the future. The dealer tried to fix the truck today and could not figure out what was wrong with the truck, they had two other Crew Cabs on the lot and they both had the same problem with dome light. The tech thinks the factory forgot to install part of the wiring harness and is going to call GM tech. service tomorrow. What the heck is GM thinking? This is a $25K list price compact truck and they can't even get the dome light to work correctly.
  • pziggypziggy Member Posts: 7
    Did the dealer ever get the problem fixed, I am interested because i amlooking to purchase that same type of vehicle in the next week or so..I want to know what to look out for..thanx..
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Yes, the dealer was able to fix the dome light issue. Had to take apart every door and check the electrical connections for each door handle. I drove the truck all weekend and it is working fine. The dome light in the crew is activated by the door handles and in the 2 and 3 door S-10 the dome is activated by traditional pin type door switch. The tech. at the dealer had to call GM to figure out the problem because they could not figure out why the pin type door switches were not connected.
    There is $500 in dealer cash incentive on the S-10 that started on 2-1 and is running thru 2-28. With the dealer cash and $2002 rebate the s-10 crew cab is selling for $20,246 at CarMax. Quite a discount from the $25,097 list price don't you think? Also make sure you understand that GMAC does not offer simple interest and instead uses rule of 78's regarding interest if you finance.
    If you have any specific questions about my experience or problems with the truck let me know and I will answer the questions as best I am able. I ended up paying $20,746 for my truck because I was unaware of the $500 dealer incentive.
  • abc246abc246 Member Posts: 305
    My 4.3 V-6 is making a lot of noise at idle again. When it was under warranty the dealer replaced a belt tensioner last time it was making noise. My question is, what idler tensioner goes bad, the idler pulley or the belt tensioner pulley? I can't tell from the paper work last time it was replaced. Why do they go bad?
  • dennisdixondennisdixon Member Posts: 5
    Any one have experience with the fuel gauge not reading properly? The needle is just left of the full mark. The dealer said it was normal but after service manager and I filled another S10 and the needle moved all the way past full to the right he said there was a problem.

    First attempt to fix--They replaced the sending unit in September 01--problem never changed.

    Second attempt to fix--They agreed to change the instrument module but instead installed another sending unit January 02. The problem did not change.

    Third attempt to fix--Feb 02--said they took a cluster out of another S10 and temporarily installed in mine. The gauge did not read differently so they told me the condition is normal and nothing can be done.

    Now Chevrolet Customer Assistance says the situation is a normal operating condition. They will not do anything further.

    Any suggestions or has anyone had this problem? Could there be a step missing from the GM installation of the sending unit? Would there be any procedure that would require some type of calibration of the fuel gauge to the sending unit?

    The truck has only 2300 miles on it.
    Thanks
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    I'm here to announce the new Chevrolet S-10 Owners club now available on Edmunds.com Owners Club board. Please stop by and introduce yourself in Meet the Members and let me know how I can help build your club.

    I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in Pickups.

    Looking forward to meeting everyone!

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • buck351buck351 Member Posts: 2
    I had bought a 1996 extended cab SL new with the 4.3 V6, 5 speed manual and locking rearend. At the time I almost bought the Tacoma but decided on the S-10 since it was alittle less with the same items. So after about 40k I started thinking I should have got the Tacoma and now after 67k I am sure. I use the truck for personel use occationally hauling something from the store, a motorcycle, etc. Lite hualing use. I have run synthetic oil in the engine, trans and rearend. To date this is the history of repairs:
    -engine doesn't slow down sometimes until you hit 5-8mph. Hangs 1300-2200 rpm. They never found the cause. Random problem sometimes slows down the speeds back up. Very strange thank god I have manual trans.
    -water pump @ 40+k (question this one)
    -brakes front & rear 40+k (acceptable)
    -main seal power steering ~43k (unacceptable)
    -~45k right front upper ball joint broke. Lucky only going 20-25mph. (unacceptable)
    -left upper ball joint broke ~55k. Lucky again backing out of garage. Chevy mechanic said it was ok when the fixed the first one.(unacceptable)
    -65k Top transmission seal leaking. (unacceptable)
    -66k bad u-joint in drive shaft (vibrations). Had to have u-joints replace, hanger bearing and the shaft had to be straightened/balanced. Shaft was bent. I don't do hole shots or carry heavy loads. (unacceptable)
    -66k oil leak in oil pan or rear main seal. Pan most likely according to mechanic. Also rear main seal on trans starting to leak. (unacceptable)
    -Last two trucks were Nissans and I didn't do any of these repairs in 120k. Nissan didn't have the V6 available when I was buying.

    Looking for replacement (not GM).
  • scoops2scoops2 Member Posts: 4
    I have exactly the same problem. My truck has been in the shop nearly 10 times. I have a 2001 Chevy S10 Crew Cab. They've replaced the sending unit, the computer brain, gauge cluster, and examined the entire wiring harness for shorts. I've been without the truck for approximately 3-4 weeks. My dealer has been very good about this and appears to have done everything he can. I've talked to GM Customer support and they say that this problem is "normal operating condition". According to them, I have to deal with the problem because they can not and will not fix it. I've also found out that the problem may be because the fuel tank has no baffles in it to stop fuel from sloshing around and confusing the gauge - this is a load of crap because the truck does it when sitting still too. Tonight while talking to Customer support I was told that my only two options are to contact the Better Business Bureau or an attorney. I plan to do both. It is ridiculous to think that they will not uphold the warranty and expect me to pay for a truck that is faulty. In my opinion they have failed to upkeep the warranty and therefore voided our contract to pay for the truck.
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