Chevy S10/GMC S15-Sonoma: Problems & Solutions

dtadlock · December 2003

Thanks for the info Dusty. I checked the drive shaft this morning and there is a balance weight missing. What did it cost your son to fix his? TIA.

dustyk · December 2003

Well, that's a saga. He originally went to a bone yard and tried to buy a used drive shaft. They wanted $100. He put it on and the vibration was worse. After two more driveshafts he was still getting vibrations, but different each time. So he went to the dealer thinking he'd buy a new one. I can't remember the price, but it was pretty expensive. The new one lasted a year and started to vibrate. The weight had come off.

By this time he was pretty discouraged. A friend recommended a driveshaft straightening and balance service. When he got there they said they wouldn't touch an S10 driveshaft. The guy did check the shaft for him and told him it was bent. The guy did give him a suggestion to try positioning some radiator hose clamps (an old method, by the way) on the driveshaft starting where the original weight was. After two tries he actually got about 95% of the vibration out and that's what was on the thing when he sold it off.

Oh, I almost forgot. When he tried to take the new driveshaft back the Chevy dealer said that the factory did not balance them, despite fair visible evidence that a weight had come off.

His second S10 exhibited the same thing but by that time he had learned his lesson and used hose clamps, although that one never did get all of the vibration out.

Good luck,
Dusty

powercat12 · January 2004

2000 S-10 LS 4WD, 69K. I purchased this vehicle new in 2000 and am a loyal GM owner, but am having doubts about my next vehicle. Up to 50K everything was great and all scheduled maintenance was performed. The truck has not had any hard tasks other than small loads in the bed and some limited 4WD use for weather and hunting. Since 50K... wheel bearings & ball joints have been replaced, the heat has gone twice, third door handle failed, and it is currently at the dealer for a yet another front end problem. The positives are that the vehicle's engine has been top rate and it has pulled me through some tough northern snowfall. I have been shopping and was considering a Colorado/Canyon, but the reviews have been mediocre. Does anyone have some general feedback whether I should stay loyal to the new small/mid-sized GM trucks or jump to another domestic or foreign (gasp) truck? I plan on purchasing in the next three months.

leadfoot4 · January 2004

...with my 1997 S-10 4x4 right from the start. The dealer did all kinds of nonsense that didn't work. Finally I had the local driveshaft shop make me a new one...problem solved!
The driveshaft shop said that all of the S-10s are like that!

willia39 · January 2004

I own a 1997 4c 2.2L S-10. This past weekend, while driving my headlights switched from "running" to the day time running level. The first time, this occurred 2-3 times in approximately an 8 minute span. After a period of 10 minutes of no problems the lights turned off 2 more times in a period of ~5 minutes. Each time the lights went off I switched the switch to "off" and quickly back to "on" and this turned the lights back on. On my return trip home I flipped the lights up to "bright" and after ~1 minute the lights turned off again. I again flipped the lights on and off and the lights returned to normal. The lights worked fine for the remainder of the trip. Both times the lights had been running for ~1.5 hours. I do remember the lights going completely off one time but all the other times the lights just went to the day time running level. Thank you for any and all help.

d3d477 · January 2004

we were denied our request to have our tranny fixed.BBB arbitration is a farse. Our arbitrator had a chance to read the flyers the dealer gave to him on the noises and how to prevent the noise so the truck didn't make the noise.have you ever heard of drivers training to learn to double clutch HAW HAW big rigs yes but not regular trucks stupid huh you have to wear out your clutch to drive your truck so it won't make noise. well i really don't think it matters now my son was hit yesterday and we think the insurance company will consider it totaled. chevy can take a hike

tommc · January 2004

Notice a lot of posts on the ball joint failures and early wear. Most owners say they have performed routine maintenance at correct intervals, but I'm wondering who did the service work. Had our new Blazer back to the "big city dealer" three times now - and not once did they put a grease gun on the suspension fittings. Highly suggest anyone reading this to check your vehicle after a service and tell friends about this also. Just take a quick look for fresh grease on the fitting or around the boot. May not see much, but even a little is proof it was done right. Might save some serious money in the future. In my case the dealer service department has proved to be about as competent as the lube service. Pretty much shocked at this.

benjr · January 2004

I have a 2003 S-10 with the 4 cyl engine and 5 speed manual transmission with 8300 miles . The engine is idling at 900 rpm and there is a whining noise that gets louder as the engine speeds up. The local dealer said the 900 rpm idle is normal, and that all S-10's with the 4 cyl engines have noisy alternators and that he cannot fix what's not broken . The noise gets intrusive enough that I just ring up the volume on the stereo to drown it down. Is there truth to the dealer's statement about the noisy alternators as normal? If it is , has anyone found a fix to reduce the whining noise?

joe3891 · January 2004

Sonoma 4cyl auto idles at 900 rpm it has to do with the engine driven clutch fan,my alternator is quiet,try another dealer.

leadfoot4 · January 2004

...You might want to check the belt tensioner. If it goes bad, the sound is similar to that of a bad alternator.

I took my S-10 back for warranty on what sounded like a bad alternator, at least that's what I told the service writer. He said, "OK, we'll check it". They replaced the alternator, said the truck was OK. I drove away from the dealership with the noise still there.

I turned right around, drove back into service, told them it's still noisy, so they changed the tensioner and the noise went away. I guess the alternator was OK, they just assumed my diagnosis was correct.

rrtaz1 · January 2004

I have 1999 S-10 with 70,000 miles. So far everything is working ok for now. The only thing that I have problems with is a graining sounds when I hit the brakes. Its not the brakes but I think its the wheel bearing. Other than that all is well. I changed my oil every month and half no matter how many miles I put on it. I never hit over 3000 miles before oil change. I average about 2500 miles.

jlally1 · January 2004

Purchased an 89 S10 Long bed with a 4.3L V6 that had 29k on it when I bought. 5 years later it now has 56K on the odometer. The truck spent its early years near the ocean in Rhode Island so it has some rust on it but is in good shape overall. I think that the Heater Core needs to be replaced since the windows started to fog up or better yet they misted up. The question that I have: Is the Heater core a DIY replacement for someone who is a maple shade mechanic or should I leave it to a regular mechanic? The truck also has AC which is not working right now. The other thing is I would have to wait till it warms up around here. Can someone give me a hint as to how hard it would be to attempt it myself. Is it done from the engine compartment or do I have to take the Dash apart? The Chilton manual that I have doesn't even mention the Heater core. Thanks for any clues

markw8 · January 2004

Chevy heater cores especially with air are a bear.My son's 96 the flat rate was over 6 hours,and it comes out from inside. mark

tommc · January 2004

All you need to know here, you can do this yourself but you'll need some patience.
http://www.sytyarchives.com/howto/viewarticle.php?article_name=he- ater_core.php&dir=climate_controls

markw8 · February 2004

It sounds like the older ones are easier. Mark.

djpm64 · February 2004

I have a 2002 S10 2.2L and I cant figure out why my highest setting (#4)went out on me all of a sudden. I've changed the fan switch and the relay on the firewall. I put a multi-tester up to the fan and I lose power at the #4 setting. 1 thru 3 work fine? I also checked fuses! At a lost! I only have 48K on it. Is it still under warranty?

alcan · February 2004

I'm looking at the wiring circuit schematic for it. Got an email address?

djpm64 · February 2004

Djpm64@yahoo.com

alcan · February 2004

Check your email.

parker_n_va · February 2004

I have a 2000 S10 4.3V6, once in a while it wont start. By this I mean it'll turn over sometimes then stall or I will turn the key and get no reply but the dash lights coming on. What I do is turn the key while pushing the gas then sit there with my foot on the gas for a little bit and then start going, but sometimes after Ive done this while im driving my dash lights will flash up and the truck tries to stall. I have my guesses but could use help.

djpm64 · February 2004

Alcan, Thanks for the for the email. After looking over diagram and checking all the resistances I noticed there was a 30a fuse in the circuit. I went to owners manual and found it under my hood. And guess what? It was blown! Everything working great now! Thanks for your help! Dan

alcan · February 2004

You're welcome. Glad to hear you sorted it out.

bork_23 · February 2004

If any one can help me. I just put a new transmission in my S-10 it is automatic 4x4 and 2.8 I tis going from first to second to third to fast and someone said it may be my modulator valve. I don't know what that is or where that is. My husband dosn't know much about transmissions either. if any one could describe where and what i do i waould appreciate it. thank you Martha

alcan · February 2004

What year is it, overdrive or 3 speed?

tommc · February 2004

Probably not a modulator valve on this trans. Should have a "TV" cable under the hood near the throttle cable on the throttle body. May have been unhooked or not adjusted correctly. Has to be adjusted right or bad for transmission. Best to take back to mechanic and have it looked at.

bork_23 · February 2004

I'm sorry the year of my S-10 is an 83 it is a very sharp truck still in great shape and i would love to have it back on the road. It does have overdrive. And a machanic didn't put it in we did and we bought it at a transmission shop with a short warranty. there is only one way to put one in right? or did we screw something up?

alcan · February 2004

It's an early 700R-4 transmission and doesn't have a modulator. As was mentioned, it has a throttle valve cable or TV cable. If the TV cable is broken, sticking, misadjusted, or if an incorrect part is installed for the model, the vehicle may exhibit various malfunctions such as no upshift delay or full throttle shifts. TV cable adjustment is also critical for transmission oil pressure control. If disconnected or misadjusted, it can cause transmission failure due to clutch or band slippage.

Here's the adjustment procedure if you want to take a kick at it yourself. Takes about 10 seconds after you've done it once:

Preliminary Checks

Inspect and/or correct the transmission fluid level.
Make sure that the cable is connected at both ends.
Make sure that the correct cable is installed.

Adjustment

If necessary for access, remove the air cleaner assembly.
If the cable has been removed and installed, pull on the upper end of the cable. It should travel a short distance with light resistance caused by the small return spring on the TV lever. When released, check to see that the cable slider returns to the zero or the fully adjusted position; if not, adjust the cable and slider:

Depress and hold the metal readjust tab on the end of the TV cable. It might require application of penetrating oil to free it up, but should depress under thumb pressure.
Move the slider back on the cable (away from the throttle lever) until it stops against the fitting.
Release the readjust tab.
Slowly rotate the throttle lever by hand (DO NOT use the accelerator pedal) to the full throttle stop (wide open throttle) position. The slider must move (ratchet) toward the lever in order to adjust the cable when the lever is rotated.
Release the throttle lever and check for proper operation.

The throttle valve cable adjustment should be rechecked with the engine at normal operating temperature. A cable may appear to function properly while the engine is cold, but not work properly when warmed.

cfcue · February 2004

I own a 2000 extended cab 4WD ZR2 truck - 65k. I see from this board that handles breaking are a common problem. Both of mine broke off within 3 weeks of each other. The parts are $80 per side and the dealer wants $150 per side to put them on. For the whopping total of $400(including tax). Seems excessive for friggin' handles, eh?

Can this be done by an average joe?? The dealer says "no". I'd be interested to hear how other have dealt with this issue.

The dealer says this item has a "high failure rate" but I can't get them to come down on the price of fixing it.

Also, I've had the ball joint problem, oil leak from the hose that runs from the oil filter, loose exhaust heat sheild, and my 3rd door handle has broken off 3 times (luckily I can replace that myself). Everyone told me I should've bought a toyota - but I REALLY liked the idea of buying american and the looks of the s-10.

zr2rando · February 2004

I had My truck getting aligned at Merchants and that seat tilt handle broke, somebody there used it and wasn't carefull I guess.
They paid for it and had a guy put the new one on for me.
He said it took a few minutes but nothing too bad.
Spoke to the manager about 2-3 months later and he admitted that they broke one on his truck too.
Seems to be weak design, just be carefull with them...

alcan · February 2004

Document ID# 615860
2000 Chevrolet/Geo S10 Pickup - 4WD

Seat Back Recliner Handle Replacement

Removal Procedure

Remove the retainer clip using a flat-bladed tool.
Remove the recliner handle from the seat bottom.

Installation Procedure

Install the recliner handle to the seat bottom.
Install the retainer clip in order to secure the handle.

cfcue · February 2004

My electrical engineer boyfried came up with a great solution. The post of the reclining mechanism has a slot that the handle fits into. There is still 1/2inch of the post sticking out. He took a drimmel (?) tool and increased the depth of the slot, shaving a bit around the edges and put the handles back on. He thinks it will be a bit better this time as the lever's distance from the reclining mechansim is not as long and won't cause as much stress on the weak metal they use in those mechanisms.

Man! I'm going to be so HAPPY returning the unopened boxes w/the reclining mechanisms to the dealer and getting a $160 refund!!

dustyk · February 2004

For your sake, I hope you're not disappointed when you try to return those parts.

Regards,
Dusty

mitzij · February 2004

Most of these people with broken 'seat handles' have broken recliners. When the handle comes off, the piece that actually breaks is a protrusion on the reclining actuator, inside the seat. The recliner gets replaced, the original handle is usually ok and gets reinstalled. GM warranty pays dealers over 1 hour to replace one, so the average mechanic probably charges at least that, or more.

alcan · February 2004

Thanks for the heads-up. I was going on what they'd posted. I should go back on the bench if warranty's paying 1 hour for this:

Document ID# 553463
2000 Chevrolet/Geo S10 Pickup - 2WD

Seat Back Recliner Replacement - Front

Removal Procedure

Remove the recliner handle.
Remove the recliner cover.
Remove the inertia latch from the recliner assembly.
Remove the recliner assembly bolts.
Remove the recliner assembly from the seat.

Installation Procedure

Install the recliner assembly to the seat.
Install the recliner assembly to the seat frame bolts.
Tighten the recliner assembly to the seat frame bolts to 24 N·m (18 lb ft).
Install the inertia latch.
Install the recliner trim cover to the seat.
Install the recliner handle.

leadfoot4 · February 2004

I've been hearing reports of S-10s with the 4.3 engine having problems with the EGR valve. Does anybody know what the symptoms are?

My 1997 S-10 makes a "rattling" or "pinging" noise briefly at mild acceleration. I'm wondering if it's the EGR valve gone bad, or a PCM problem not controlling the valve correctly. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

alcan · February 2004

Takes about 5 minutes to check, but requires the use of a Tech II scan tool. Common problems are the valve pintle hanging due to carbon buildup, and plugged recirculation passages causing low exhaust gas flow. Here are the symptoms:

Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System Diagnosis

Overview

Results Of Incorrect Operation

With too much EGR flow at idle, cruise, or cold operation, any of the following conditions may occur:

The engine stalls after a cold start.
The engine stalls at idle after deceleration.
The vehicle surges during cruise.
The vehicle idles roughly.
If the EGR valve stays open all of the time, the engine may not idle. A DTC P0401 may set. Refer to DTC P0401 Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Flow Insufficient .

Too little or no EGR flow allows the combustion temperatures to get too high during acceleration and load conditions. This could cause the following conditions:

Spark knock (detonation)
Engine overheating
DTC P0401

System Check
The Linear EGR System Check covers the diagnosis of the EGR system. Refer to Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System Diagnosis .

leadfoot4 · February 2004

...thanks for the info. Like most "home mechanics", I don't have my own TechII tool, however I know someone with the Snap-On equivalent.

I've already checked the pintle valve and EGR passages and they're OK. The drivability is good, so I'm assuming it's something a little deeper. I'll have to contact my "Snap-On friend".

dwags · February 2004

The only problem I have with my '03 crew cab is the gas mileage

It has 10K on it and I am lucky to get 16 on the highway. Is this typical? Love to drive it but my not be able to afford to keep it!!!!

bri66 · March 2004

Wow that's low for 16 mpg. Are you sure that your figuring it correctly? I was considering on buying one, but not too sure now.

raziel · March 2004

I own a 2002 S-10 ZR2 that I bought new. I have 21m miles on it and I have changed the oil and filters @ 500 1500 3000 5000 and every 3000 miles after that. At around 15,000 miles I noticed that I had lost about 1 quart and a half of oil. I thought it was the garage I brought it too. Anyway after the next oil change I was again about 2 quarts low. I brought it to the dealer, and they changed the PCV valve and told me to come back in 1500 miles. I am still losing oil. I went back to the dealer and they told me to come back in another 1500 miles. When I take the truck on the highway, It is very under powered I have to put the pedal practically to the floor to maintain speed (65) going up hill. Its almost time to go back to the dealer (AGAIN). Does anyone else have this problem or have any ideas of what this may be??

bri66 · March 2004

Is your truck a crew cab or is it a standard 2 door? What size engine does your truck have? Is it a standard or automatic? Have you been using more gas since you started having problems with your oil? Do you monitor your gas mileage and can I ask you what it is, before and after?

raziel · March 2004

Its an extended cab with the 4.3 V6 automatic. Not too sure about the gas mileage. Its not my daily driver so its hard to tell if the gas mileage has changed but I would say I get around 15MPG I don't really notice any difference in that MPG....

leadfoot4 · March 2004

...I would find another dealer to look at the truck, as it sounds like you've got a problem lurking in there somewhere.

I have a 1997 S-10 4x4 with the 4.3 engine. Currently I have 45,000 miles on it. I change the oil every 2000 miles, however it doesn't use a drop between changes. With respect to power, it has PLENTY for a V-6. Expressway driving is no problem at all.

I've never carefull checked my gas mileage, but rough calculations put me around 19-20 MPG, with probably 70% of my driving on the highway.

drumkingsven · April 2004

1998 S-10 with the 4-cyl. 5-spd. 71,000 miles.

OK. Think Headlights/Tailights/Back-Up Lights.

The Problems:
1) My Back Up lights never work anymore. Bulbs and fuses are fine. When I put the truck into reverse, the headlights come on.
2) Rear Driver Side Brake light doesnt work when my main light switch is off, however when all the lights are on the brake light works fine.
Turn signal on that side, and regular light works fine all the time.

Anyone have any clue what the hell is going on?
Thanks

ruger11mcrdpi · April 2004

For everyone who's seat handles are breaking... here you go!!

-- gm seat fix (http://www.gmseatfix.com)

This will solve your problems

cajun626 · April 2004

I have a 97 S10, 2.2L, 5 spd, ext cab with 58K miles. The truck runs fine, but I hear what sounds like a ping or knock from (I think) the
engine when I accelerate. I don't always hear the noise under accel, and the noise stops immediately when I lift my foot off the pedal. I
don't hear it at all at idle or start up. If it matters - I use 87 octane and the truck still has original plugs. Any thoughts?

leadfoot4 · April 2004

Although I have a V-6 in my S-10, I'm experiencing a similar situation. Mine seems to "ping" or sort of "rattle" when I initially accelerate. Like yours, I can get it to stop by modulating the throttle. At highway speed, the truck runs fine. Just for grins, I'm going to try a new knock sensor...

rgolde · April 2004

Occasionaly when I first start my 2001 4x4 S10 Automatic I get no gear indicator in the dash display also no odometer or speed display. When this happens there is a dely in the shift from first to second the transmission is slipping becaosse I see the rpms climb while this happens.
Most of the time it works fine but it's only a matter of time. Any ideas?

rgolde · April 2004

Okay nevermind I just bought a 2004 F150 and sold my S10

leadfoot4 · April 2004

Good luck with the new truck. I've thought about doing that myself, but still owe some money on my Corvette, and my S-10 is just my "winter beater".

Chevy S10/GMC S15-Sonoma: Problems & Solutions

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Chevy S10/GMC S15-Sonoma: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Chevy S10/GMC S15-Sonoma: Problems & Solutions