1997 CHEVROLET S10 Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. WHILE DRIVING HOME HE NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOOD. HE CONTINUED DRIVING, AND THEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE FIRE FIGHTERS COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 200,000. UPDATED 12/07/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED GM PLACED AN OVERSIZED 6 CYLINDER MOTOR IN THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/09/09

Mileage: 200,000

THE VEHICLE WAS LETTING OFF EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE VEHICLE, WHICH PUT THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER TO SLEEP. THE DRIVER WAS AWAKENED BY A POLICE SIREN. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THE BRAKES FAILED TO PERFORM AS DESIGNED WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED SHE SUFFERED MUSCLE AND NERVE DAMAGE DUE TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED, AND SOMETIMES WOULD RESTART ON ITS OWN. ALSO, SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE FUEL GAUGE NOT TO REGISTER THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF GASOLINE IN THE TANK. *AK

Mileage: 60,000

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE MADE A CHOKING NOISE LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO STALL THEN, IT STOPPED ACCELERATING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ENGINE GASKET, SEALS, AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BECAUSE THEY WERE DEFECTIVE. ALSO, AT 49,773 REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER QUIT WORKING BECAUSE OF A ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE MOTOR. *AK

Mileage: 49,773

AFTER OIL INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED, GRINDING NOISE W/ VIBRATION CAME FROM DASHBOARD. HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN ACCELERATING AND WHEN IDLING ON COLD DAYS. VIBRATION CAN BE FELT IN GAS PEDAL. REPEATED TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM, NOISE CONTINUES. *AK

Mileage: 27,500

PER DEALERSHIP "THERE IS AN OIL GALLERY BLOCK IN THE CAMPSHAFT THAT CAUSES AN OIL LEAKAGE". THIS RESULTS IN ENGINE MOTOR FAILURE.*AK

Mileage: 67,000

THE TIMING BELT BROKE TWICE. THE LAST TIME IT BROKE WAS ON 2/27/2003. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER AND IMMEDIATELY DECELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PEP BOYS, THEY STATED THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND THE VEHICLE DID HAVE ANY AIR COMPRESSION. *AK PH *JB

I BOUGHT A CHEVY TRUCK BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2002 FROM THE J.D. BYRIDER STORE IN ST. PETERSBURG, FL AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THE TRUCK. THE RADIATOR WAS ALWAYS RUNNING HOT AND FOUND THAT THE WATER WAS SO RUSTY THAT THE WHOLE RADIATOR WAS IN NEED OF REPAIR AS WELL AS THE WATER PUMP. I TRIED TO EXCHANGE THE TRUCK FOR SOMETHING BETTER, BUT THE STAFF FROM THE ST. PETERSBURG, FL STORE WOULD NOT DO IT. CLAIMING I WAS LOCKED INTO A CONTRACT WITH THEM THAT COULD NOT BE BROKEN. I EXPLAINED THAT THE TRUCK HAD BEEN APPARENTLY NEGLECTED BEFORE I WAS SUCKERED INTO GETTING IT AND THAT I WAS NOT HAPPY. I STILL CONTINUED TO PAY PAYMENTS ON TIME EVEN THOUGH I HAD TO PAY FOR OTHER REPAIRS MYSELF. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO PAY RIGHT AWAY $500.00 DOLLARS FOR A RADIATOR AND $400.00 DOLLARS TO HAVE A NEW WATER PUMP INSTALLED SO I MADE DO UNTIL I COULD. THEN, I WAS RECENTLY LAYED OFF FROM MY JOB AND THE D.J. BUSINESS HAD ALSO BEEN SLOW FOR MY ROOMMATE/CO-PARTNER AND ASKED IF THE ST. PETESBURG STORE WOULD WORK WITH US FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS UNTIL WE GOT THE MONEY TOGETHER AND WHILE I SEEK ANOTHER EMPLOYER. AT FIRST THE MANAGER OVER THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT SAID HE WOULD WORK WITH US SINCE THE LAST THING THEY LIKE TO DO IS TO REPOSSESS OUR TRUCK, THEN THE NEXT DAY I RECEIVED A NASTY MESSAGE FROM A STAFF MEMBER OF THE ST. PETESBURG, FL STORE BY THE NAME OF BRETT BOWEN WHO SAID THAT THE TRUCK WAS GOING TO BE REPOSESSED BECAUSE WE HAD MOVED WITHOUT LETTING THEM KNOW FIRST. I E-MAILED BRETT BACK SAYING THAT THIS WAS WRONG AND THAT I HAD ALREADY MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH HIS BOSS AND THAT I WOULD PREFER TALKING TO HIS BOSS FOR NOW ON. NO ONE WOULD CONTACT ME BACK, SO I CONTACTED THE MAIN HEADQUARTERS ONLINE AND LET THEM KNOW MY PROBLEM WITH ST. PETERSBURG. NO ONE EVEN CONTACTED ME BACK FROM THERE, SO I SENT ANOTHER ON-LINE MESSAGE AND WAS AGAIN IGNORED. THEN ON 04/30/03 I FOUND MY TRUCK MISSING, WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. *TT

DEX-COOL COOLANT EATING AWAY AT GASKETS. PH

Mileage: 149,026

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TO HAVE THE DIFFERENTIAL CHECKED. THERE WERE BITS OF METAL FOUND IN THE OIL, AND THE ORIGINAL SEAL HAD NOT BEEN BROKEN. *JG *JB

Mileage: 13,465

LEAKING OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD

Mileage: 73,000

WE TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER AT FIRST SIGN OF PROBLEM AND COST WAS $826. I'VE SINCE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLETS AND THEIR HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS. I CAN'T GET HELP FROM CHEV. OR GM IN RECOUPING MY MONEY. I'VE A FRIEND WHO HAS BLAZER AND HAD SAME PROBLEM LAST WEEK AND HE HAD TO PURCHASE NEW RADIATOR. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE AND THE MFG. SHOULD USE DIFFERENT COOLANT.*AK

THIS PROBLEM IS MAGNIFIED WITH WINTER DRIVING ON ICY ROADS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GENERAL MOTORS CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ORIGINAL AND 3 ADDITIONAL IGNITION COILS, CAPS, AND HARNESSES CORRODED IN A 4 YR TIME SPAN. ORIGINAL AND TWO REPLACEMENT CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MOST RECENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS SO BADLY MELTED, TWISTED & DAMAGED THE MECHANIC STATED THAT I WAS "LUCKY" NOT TO HAVE THE ENTIRE ENGINE BLOWN. ALSO, HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING THIS BADLY DAMAGED IN HIS 25 YRS OF SERVICING MANY MAKES OF VEHICLES. THIS IS A 4 YR OLD VEHICLE AND IT SEEMS LIKE A TREND IS ESTABLISHED FOR REPLACING THESE SAME PARTS APPX. EVERY 17-20,000 MILES AND 10 MONTHS APART - JUST LONG ENOUGH THAT GM WILL NOT HONOR THE PARTS WARRANTIES. I DO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE LONG DISTANCES (300 MILES ONE WAY EACH WEEK TO A WORKSITE) BUT ALSO MAINTAIN IT TO THE MANUFACTURERS SPECS. I THOUGHT I BOUGHT A RELIABLE VEHICLE, BUT THE DEPENDABILITY IS QUESTIONED WHEN THE VEHICLE LOSES MOMENTUM AND STALLS ON HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUALLY POPS ON, & I'M PAYING LARGE SUMS OF MONEY FOR TOWING & REPLACEMENT PARTS TO RESOLVE A PROBLEM GM WILL NOT ADMIT TO HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE. GM HAS NOT ACKNOWLEGED THIS PROBLEM OR RESOLVED IT IN ANY WAY. A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP STATED THAT THIS IS "NORMAL" MAINTENANCE TO REPLACE THESE PARTS, AS WELL AS THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY SPARK PLUGS (AT 73,000) WHICH WERE CORRODED DUE TO THE CORRODED IGNITION COILS. ADDITIONAL INFO AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS ALL INVOICES IF NECESSARY.

CLUTCH FAN KEEPS FLYING OFF INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER REPLACED FAN ONCE, AND CURRENTLY WELDS ON CLUTCH FAN ARE BROKEN AGAIN. CONSUMER FEELS SOMETHING IS CAUSING FANS TO BREAK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTAKE GASKET BURNED OUT AND ALLOWED ANTI-FREEZE IN ENGINE OIL. ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THIS DEFECT. MECHANIC PUT IN SAME TYPE OF INTAKE GASKET BACK INTO VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR ENGINE TO BE COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

A CRACK HAS DEVELOPED IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON CHECROLET S-10 PICKUPS. AT TIMES EXHAUST FUMES WILL BUILD UP AND ENTER THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD BE A HAZARD IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE TO 50 MPH AND STAY AT 50 MPH WITHOUT PRESSING THE PEDAL, WHICH CANNOT SLOWDOWN VEHICLE UNLESS MAKING A COMPLETE STOP. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART DUE TO COIL WIRE FAILURE. *YH

VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER & COOLANT WAS CONTAMINATED & FLUSHED. CONSUMER FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT THE DEALER DIDN'T FULLY STAND BY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE FUEL PUMP INSIDE THE GAS TANK FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE PART. *YH

FUAL TANK PUMP GAUGE/EXHAUST LINE SEPARATED FROM MANIFOLD. *AK

FUEL TANK SENOR MALFUNCTIONED. VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL WHILE NEEDLE REGISTERED A HALF TANK FULL. ALSO, A PROBLEM WITH A EXHAUST LEAKS AT MANIFOLD. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

HORN CONTACT AND/ OR CANCELLING CAM WAS REPLACED TWICE. WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL CERTAIN PLACES HAVE A DEAD SPOT. ALSO, THE PASSENGER'S SEAT DOES NOT LOCK IN PLACE, IT ROCKS. WHEN PULLING SEAT BELT ACROSS CONSUMER, AND LEANING FORWARD TO ADJUST THE RADIO, SEAT BELT LOCKS UP. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD VEHICLE JUST DIES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE BATTERY. HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED, AND STILL THE SAME PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

THE ISSUE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER DURING WHILE GETTING THE PAINT REPAIRED ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO ACID RAIN. I BELIEVE I WAS JUST BLOWN OFF BY THE SERVICE PERSON. HE SADI ITS NORMAL FOR THESE TRUCKS TO DO THIS. AFTER REVIEWING THE MANY CASES IN THE DATABASE HERE IT DOES NOT SOUND "NORMAL" IN MANY CASES I CAN LEAVE MY FOOT OFF THE PEDDLE IN TRAFFIC AND THE TRUCK WILL KEEP GOING. WHEN I PULL UP TO PARK THE ENGINE WILL IDLE AT ABOUT 2000 RPMS FOR 10 SECONDS THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. AT TIMES I MUST ALSO BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE WHEN THE IDLE HANGS. ITS REALLY NOT A BIG PROBLEM TO ME BECAUSE I USED TO IT, BUT I BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I DO NOT WANT TO RETURN MY VEHICLE DUE TO THE FACT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WILL TELL ME NEXT. DON'T BLAME THE DEALER BLAME CHEVY CAUSE JOHN JONES WAS GREAT TO ME. *AK

ENGINE COOLING FAN FLEW OUT ONTO THE RADIATOR WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLS, AND GAS GAUGE ISN'T WORKING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ENGINE OIL LEAK. *YC

WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES CAME OFF. ALSO, THERE WAS AN OIL LEAKAGE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE.

WHENEVER THE AIR CONDITIONER IS BEING USED AND THE TEMPERATURE IS 90 DEGREES OR ABOVE, A LOUD ROARING SOUND COMES FROM THE ENGINE AND THE TRUCK LOSES POWER. IT ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS FALLING OUT OF THE TRUCK. THE DRIVER HAS TO FLOOR THE TRUCK IN ORDER TO GET IT TO MOVE. DEALER GAVE CONSUMER A LETTER FROM GM, STATING THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CONDITION FOR THE S10 PICKUP. *AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM HANGER AND CLAMP REPLACED, CAUSING VIBRATION.

ENGINE PISTON RINGS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING ENGNE TO RATTLE.

ENGINE EXPERIENCES A CHATTERING/TAPPING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE VALVE GUIDE SEALS. HOWEVER, ENGINE CONTINUED TO BE NOISY.

ENGINE FAILED, PREVIOUS REPAIRS MADE, HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUES.

ENGINE VALVE GUIDE SEALS FAILED, CAUSING TAPPING/CHATTERING NOISE.

ENGINE MALFUNCTION.

ENGINE IDLES AT HIGH RPMS.

WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK DOWN THE ROAD OR EVEN TURNNG A CORNER THE TRUCK JUST STALLS AND THEN DIES OUT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE TRUCK HAS DIED OUT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. *AK

WHEN TRUCK IS IN IDLE POSITION THE VEHICLE VIBRATES.