Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 117 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 117, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN RAINY WEATHER, WHICH CAUSED A REDUCTION IN VISIBILITY. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V159000 (VISIBILITY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATE SPORADICALLY WHEN TURNED ON. SOME TIMES WHEN YOU TURN THEM ON, THEY WILL OPERATE NORMALLY AND OTHER TIMES THEY WILL NOT TURN ON AT ALL. THE VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL WERE INCLUDED IN A RECALL BUT MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STOPPED IN THE DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOT. (REFERENCE GM RECALL 03023)
WIPERS DO NOT ALWAYS START OR STOP WHEN SWITCH IS TURNED ON/OFF. INTERMITTENT SETTING DOES NOT WORK, WIPERS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AS IF TURNED ON AND NOT IN INTERMITTENT MODE. WIPER BLADE WILL STOP AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS ON WINDSHIELD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS A MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE CIRCUIT BOARD. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED. SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EVENTUALLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TO FUNCTION AFTER CONTINUOUSLY TURNING THE CONTROL MECHANISM FORCEFULLY. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE DEFECT UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S-10. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITION WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER) YET, THE CONTACTS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAIN STORM. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED ALL DIFFERENT SETTING BUT WIPER DID NOT WORK SO I PARKED THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY I CHECKED AND THEY HAD STARTED WORKING AGAIN. I FOUND A RECALL NOTICE (03V159000) WHILE RESEARCHING WHAT MIGHT CAUSE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, BUT WHEN I CONTACTED A DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY RECORD OF THE RECALL. I ALSO CONTACTED CHEVROLET (800 222-1020) ON JUNE 10TH 2010, BUT THEY ALSO TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL IN EFFECT? *TR
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL # (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). HE WAS ADVISED THAT BECAUSE HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL, HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 126,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP TRUCK. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE EXISTING RECALL AND THAT THEY WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHEN IT WAS RAINING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED. THE CONTACT IS ALSO CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. THE FUEL PUMP ALSO FAILED AT 27,000 MILES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 70,400.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S-10. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP AND START AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE MOTOR IS RUNNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COULD WAIT UNTIL HIS VEHICLE IS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,100.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHUT OFF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THEY FAILED TO RETURN TO THE CORRECT POSITION ON THE WINDSHIELD. SHORTLY AFTER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AGAIN AND WOULD SPORADICALLY CHANGE SPEED. THE NEXT TIME THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE WIPERS, THEY WERE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,400. UPDATED 07/29/08. *LJ UPDATED 08/05/08
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET S10. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE WIPER SWITCH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 260,000.
WIPERS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING HEAVY DOWNPOUR. MANAGED TO NAVIGATE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF ROAD WITH SEVERAL NEAR MISSES. DISCOVERED ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT A PROBLEM WITH WIPER CONTROL BOARD WAS IDENTIFIED IN 1997 S10'S. GM STATES THAT MY VIN FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL CLASS (SVC. REQ. #1-420719550) THUS MY TRUCK WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AS A PART OF THE RECALL AND WAS NOT REPAIRED BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. GM REFUSES TO CONSIDER MY VEHICLE AS PART OF THE RECALL, I WILL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THIS CRITICAL REPAIR ON MY OWN. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SOMETIMES STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAIN STORM. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS. THE CONTACT FOUND RECALL 03V159000, CONCERNING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WASHER ONLINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED AND DETERMINED THE NHTSA RECALL # 03V159000 CONCERNING THE VISIBILITY WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER WAS EXPIRED.
I OWN A 1997 CHEVY S10 AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOP WORKING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE TO FIND OUT IF MY TRUCK FELL UNDER THE RECALL YOU HAVE ON YOUR SITE REGARDING THIS TRUCK AND THEY SAID NO. IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM REPORTED ON YOUR SITE BUT ACCORDING TO THEM ONLY A FEW OF THEIR VEHICLES HAD THIS PROBLEM AND MINE IS NOT ONE OF THEM. I AM HAVING IT REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND THE DESCRIPTION THE DEALER GAVE ME AS TO WHAT FAILED IS WORD FOR WORD ON THE RECALL BUT THEY SAY IT IS DIFFERENT. *JB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN MY CHEVROLET S-10 [XXX] ARE DEFECTIVE AND CHEVROLET REFUSES TO FIX THEM. THEY SAY NO ACTIVE RECALL IS IN EFFECT. DRIVING WITH NO WIPERS IS DANGEROUS AND CHEVROLET SAYS IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THEM. BEING A CHEVROLET OWNER FOR MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS MAKES ME THINK TWICE ABOUT BUYING ANOTHER ONE, IF THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM STATING THERE WAS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP. THE LETTER STATED THIS WAS NOT A RECALL AND THAT THE PART SHOULD BE REPLACED ONCE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM AFTER THE EXPIRATION DATE ON THE LETTER. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP ME. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT. THEY ADVISED THAT I SHOULD CONTACT GM. I CALLED GM ON MONDAY OCT 24, 2005 AND SPOKE TO JEFF KENLY AND WILL BLECHEL, BOTH OF WHICH WERE VERY RUDE AND UNCOOPERATIVE WITH ME. I ASKED ABOUT THE EXPIRATION DATE ON THE LETTER, AND HOW THAT DATE WAS CHOSEN AND WILL TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A DECISION MADE BY GM AND THAT HE DID NOT HAVE TO REVEAL THAT INFORMATION TO ME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A DATE CAN BE PUT ON A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. MONDAY MORNING, I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 65 MPH IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN MY WIPERS DECIDED TO STOP WORKING. THE RAIN WAS COMING DOWN PRETTY HARD AND IT WAS STILL DARK OUT. ALL OF A SUDDEN I COULDN'T SEE, I SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS AND TRIED TO GET OFF THE ROAD, I CAME VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WHICH COULD HAVE INJURED ME OR SOMEONE ELSE. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET AND LET ME JUST SAY; IT WAS NOT DIFFICULT AT ALL TO FIND ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I FOUND DOCUMENTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES. SOME HAVE HAD RECALLS WHILE OTHERS HAVE NOT. I DON''T UNDERSTAND HOW CAN THEY RECALL SOME, BUT NOT THE OTHERS? I UNDERSTAND THAT ON JULY 22, 2004 GM WAS FINED $1 MILLION TO SETTLE CHARGES THAT IT FAILED TO CONDUCT A TIMELY RECALL TO CORRECT A SAFETY DEFECT. THE PROBLEM INVOLVED WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE IN 581,344 TRAILBLAZERS, BRAVADAS, ENVOYS AND ISUZU ASCENDERS MANUFACTURED IN 2002 AND 2003. I JUST THOUGHT THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM THAN YOU MAY BE AWARE OF. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER. *NM
DT: 1997 CHEVROLET S10. THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK SOMETIMES, AND SOMETIMES DO NOT WORK. ALSO, THEY A WILL STICK. A RECALL WAS ISSUED, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS HAPPENED SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE ON MARCH 23, 2005. THE CONTACT THOUGHT IT WOULD GET BETTER SO THEY LET IT GO. THE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY DID NOT FEEL THEY SHOULD PAY TO FIX IT.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. ON ONE OCCASION THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL I STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE TRUCK. ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS THE WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN ON AND STOPPING AND RESTARTING THE TRUCK DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REMEDY THE PROBLEM. MOST OF THE TIME THE WIPERS FUNCTION NORMALLY. *JB
DT: THE VEHICLE WAS IN ACCIDENT WHERE IT HIT TREES. ON A RAINY DAY IN FEBRUARY AS VEHICLE WAS GOING ALONG AT OR BELOW 55 MPH. WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND DID NOT WORK. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVER SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, VEHICLE HYDRO PLANED, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL. CALLER UNSURE IF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAD FAILED BEFORE. VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. UPON LEAVING THE ROAD AND UPON IMPACT DRIVER SUSTAINED FEET INJURIES. *AK
1997 CHEVROLET S10 EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER'S WIPERS FAILED PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE WIPER REPAIRED BUT AFTER WAITING THE CONSUMER LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK A SECOND TIME BUT THE WAIT WAS STILL LONG. THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE PART BE SHIPPED TO HIM TO REPLACED OR HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE IT IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. *NM
.WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN A VERY HEAVY DOWN POUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. CONSUMER TRIED TO GET TRUCK TO SLOW DOWN, KOST CONTROL, AND HAD ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON A ROAD WITH NO YELLOW LINE. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS ROAD INTO A YARD AND BACKWARDS ROUGH A CAR PORT INTO A CAR. CONSUMER WAS CITED A STHE GUILTY PARTY IN THE ACCIDENT. INSURANC ECOMPANY RAISED CONSUMER'S RATE BY $35 A MONTH, AND CHEVROLET DEALER REFUSED TO HELP HIM. CONSUMER MAINTAINED ACCIDENT WAS NOT HIS FAULT. *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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