Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chevrolet S10 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 102 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 102, in the owner's own words
WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO ENTER THE GARAGE, THE ENGINE ACCELERATES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. LETTING OFF OF THE BRAKES AND REAPPLYING THEM AND PUSHING HARDER HAS EASED THE ISSUE SOMEWHAT. IT DOES THIS VERY FREQUENTLY. *TR
OCCASIONALLY ABOUT 5 OR 6 TIMES AND COUNTING WHEN INITIALLY APPLYING THE BRAKE AT EITHER 45MPH OR 10 MPH MY 1997 CHEVY S10 VEHICLE STARTS TO ACCELERATE WITH MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND CRUISE CONTROL OFF AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE FULL SPEED/THROTTLE. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO BRAKE EVEN HARDER, BUT THEN THE ANTILOCK BRAKES KICKED IN AND SEEMED TO REDUCE THE STOPPING FORCE BY NOT LETTING THE WHEELS LOCK. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND ALSO STOPPED ACCELERATING. *TR
SEVERELY CORRODED BRAKE LINES, LINES BLEW. NEAR MISS ACCIDENT. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT ACROSS MFRS. . WELL MAINTAINED CARS WITH SEVERELY CORRODED FUEL AND BRAKE LINES. I BET IT CAN BE TRACED TO A CHEAP SUPPLIER THAT SUPPLIED THE BIG 3 FOR A PERIOD OF YEARS. NO CORROSION RESISTANCE ON THE STEEL. CAN'T BLAME THIS ON NE WINTER SALT. MY OEM 1964 LOOKS BETTER THAN MY LATE MODEL VEHICLES. *TR
I HAVE READ OF A SAFTEY RECALL ON THIS VEHICAL WITH THE EXACT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, I SHOULD HAVE HAD PLENTY OF DISTANCE TO STOP, IT'S ONLY A SMALL PICK UP, I KNOW FOR CERTIAN I HAVE A FULLY LOADED WORK TRUCK A FORD 3/4 TON ECONOLINE VAN AND I KNOW I COULD HAVE STOPPED THAT VEHICLE IN TIME. I WAS STANDING ON THE BRAKES, THEY JUST WOULDNT DO ANYTHING , IN AN EMERGENCY THEY JUST DON'T CUT THE MUSTARD. I HAD EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE, AND MY NEEK HAS BEEN NOT FEELING GOOD EVER SINCE. MY FATHER IN LAW GAVE THIS TRUCK TO MY WIFE HEN HE WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE, AND IT WAS TOLD TO ME HE HAD THE TRUCK INTO THE SHOP REPEATEDLY FOR THE SAME THING SINCE IT WAS NEW. SEEMS TO ME GM SHOULD MAKE IT RIGHT AND THE BODY COLLISION, BEINGS THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT AND HAVENT DONE SQUAT, AND PAY FOR MY PAIN AND MEDICAL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 10 MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP SIGN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE FLUID ABNORMALLY LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE AND THEN TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE BRAKES LINES WERE CORRODED. THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED AND THE BRAKES WERE BLED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V146001 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS) TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM IF HIS VIN WAS INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000. UPDATED 06/21/10 *BF UPDATED 06/24/10.*JB
THERE ARE 8 SAFETY RECALLS ON THE CHEVY S10.1997.THE COMPANYS STATE MY VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE LIST OF THESE RECALLS.BUT MY VEHICLES HAS ALL OF THESE DEFECTS.AND IVE BEEN VERY LUCKY I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT YET DUE TO THESE ISSUES.IVE BEEN VERY LUCKY.BUT PEOPLES LUCK ALWAYS RUNS OUT.I CANT AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ITS BREAKING ME FINANCIALLY BY FIXING THIS ONE.
THE BRAKE LINE ON MY 1997 CHEVY S-10 BURST LEADING TO TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY ...LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT ... AN EMERGENCY REPAIR AT A NEARBY STATION COST ME $800 ... THEY REPLACED ONLY ONE SIDE OF BRAKING SYSTEM (THE SIDE THAT BURST) ... I TRIED TO CONTACT CHEVY TO GET THEM TO REPAIR THE OTHER SIDE (THAT WILL LIKELY BURST) AND THEY SAID "NO" - NOT COVERED. *TR
BRAKES TOTALLY FAILED, CAR STARTED TO ROLL DOWN HILL, ONLY WAY TO STOP WAS TO ENGAGE THE PARKIG BRAKE. CAUSE WAS BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT. *NM
BRAKES: THE FRONT BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AT SLOW SPEEDS, PARTICULARLY IF THE VEHICLE HAS SET IDLE FOR A FEW DAYS. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS. ADDITIONALLY, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WILL SOMETIMES ENGAGE, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE, WITH NO MEANS OF STOPPING. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 05V379000 CONCERNING ANTI LOCKBRAKES. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VI AND THE YEAR, AND MODEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK
BRAKING FOR DEER AT NIGHT EXPERIENCING TOTAL MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE, IE, BRAKE PETAL GOING DOWN TO FLOOR BOARD AFTER INITIAL SMALL RESISTANCE. AFTER AVOIDING DEER THE BRAKE PETAL WOULD GO TO FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE. NO BRAKE FLUID LOSS. RESERVOIR FULL
1. DOOR SPEAKERS STOPPED WORKING. STILL DO NOT WORK. 2. BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING (FUSE KEEPS BLOWING). UNKNOWN CAUSE, POSSIBLY LIVING ON A ROUGH DIRT ROAD. STILL DO NOT WORK.
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 AT 35 MPH THE CONSUMER COULD HEARD A SQUEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND CALIPERS. *JB
AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. ALSO, ENGINE STALLED, AND THERE WERE NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. IT WAS AN A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *AK *NM
WHEN APPLIED THE BRAKES ON NORMAL CONDITIONS. VEHICLE WILL TAKE LONGER TO STOP, MAKING UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *NM
TOOK MY 1997 S10 PICKUP TO A MECHANIC AND REQUESTED HE CHECK THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL FAULTS WHEN CONTINUEING TO APPLY PRESSURE AND BEGINS TO MAKE A BOUNCING TYPE OF FEELING AND THE DISTANCE TO STOP (ESPECIALLY ON WET ROADS) CANNOT BE DETERMINED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ABS WERE FAULTY AND TO CONTACT A DEALER AND HAVE THE VIN RESEARCHED FOR RECALLS, ETC. ALSO REFERRED ME TO NHTSA.
WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES FAILED. *JB
ABS LOCKED UP CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PH
CONSUMER STATED THE BUILT-IN WEAR INDICATORS NEVER MADE A HIGH-PITCHED WARNING SOUND TO INDICATE BRAKE FAILURE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AND WAS ALSO HEARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP. ROTORS, DISC, WHEEL CYLINDER AND BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT *JB
SEEMS AS IF WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE BAKES LOCK UP OR DO NOT CATCH. CAR-X SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. THE ABS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE MALFUNCTION IS. THIS PROBLEM ALMOST COST ME TO CRASH A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN PARKING IN A PARKING LOT AND MY BRAKES DO WORK CORRECTLY. ANY HELP ON THIS MATTER WILL BE GREATLY APPRECTIATED. THANKS. *AK
VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP EVERY TIME IF ROLLING SLOW. SAY IN TRAFFIC. *AK
CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES AT 25,000 MILES. *TT
AFTER ONLY 4 YEARS AND LESS THAN 77,000 MILES, THIS P/U EXPERIENCED A FAILURE IN THE DIAPHRAGM INSIDE THE BRAKE BOOSTER UNIT. I HAVE OWNED NUMEROUS VEHICLES FOR 10 OR MORE YEARS, BOTH DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN, HOWEVER, THIS IS THE FIRST CHEVY. IT IS ALSO THE FIRST, OUT OF SEVEN(7) TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF FAILURE, PERIOD, MUCH LESS THIS EARLY. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR FAILURES IN THE 1997 S-10 SERIES? IF NOT, CAN A SURVEY BE RUN TO CHECK?
THE NUMBER OF FAILURES IS AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER BECAUSE THE BRAKES HAVE GIVEN ME PROBLEMS FROM THE DAY AFTER I BROUGHT THE TRUCK HOME UNTIL THE DAY MY HUSBAND WRECKED. THE APPROXIMATE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF DAMAGE IS YET TO BE DETERMINED, HOWEVER BOTH VEHICLES IN THE ACCIDENT WILL PROBABLY BE TOTALED. I HAD THE TRUCK IN THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES AND WAS ALWAYS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES. ONCE THEY REBUILT MY MASTER CYLINDER JUST TO SAISFY ME, ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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