I was involved in a traffic collision in which my brakes failed to stop my vehicle. When I pressed the brakes during a sudden stop, the brakes started to slow down my truck but then the pedal went all the way down to the floor with a rubbing noise and my truck kept traveling until I hit the vehicle in front of me.
1996 Chevrolet S10: brake failure
60 of the 665 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet S10 describe brake failure.
- owner complaints
- 60
- of this car's complaints
- 9%
- typical mileage
- 71,092
- recalls
- 2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 3 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Brake failure by model year
What owners say
After hitting a bump in the road brakes failed while the consumer was parking in the lot causing the vehicle to hit a lamp post at a speed of 5 MPH. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak
...for 3 years chevrolet dealers told me there was nothing wrong with ABS. Then in 2000, received recall notice labeled campaign #c99046. On 03/28/2000 took vehicle into dealership. Bill states reprogram PCM for new antilock program ...called chevrolet customer assistance center today, because brakes failed today the same way they did before repair in 2000. ...I explained the s10 had been brought into dealership on 03/28/2000, as soon as I received recall notice, and that it appeared replacement was defective. ...I was advised that campaign ended 12/2002. When I reiterated that I had work done within parameters of campaign,but now same problem had reoccurred, I was advised it didn't matter, the campaign ended 12/2002. ...when I sarcastically said, so if I kill someone on way to dealership tomorrow because of ABS failure, you're not responsible? The response was: only if it happened before 12/2002.
Brakes failed to engage at 35-40 MPH. Brakes emitted groaning,grinding noise.from '1996-1999 complained to dealers brakes not working properly, and that the anti-lock seemed to be "locked" in place; was told nothing wrong. On 03/28/2000 ABS was modified under campaign 99v‑193,and brakes worked. Now when brakes are applied, vehicle skids and seems to go faster.
Oil cooler line: the metal tubing in the lower oil cooled line rest on top of the steering gear assembly. A hole wore through the tubing due to being in direct contact with the gear box causing complete loss of engine oil while driving, loss of braking on driver side (due to oil spray on brake rotor) and near seizure of engine. I stopped on the side of the road to prevent major damage to the engine and possible fire in engine compartment. As of this writing I am still not aware if any occurred (engine damage).
After dealer replaced switch for ABS recall 99 v 193 000. Anti lock brakes failed to operate while driving.
Truck is equipped with anti-lock brakes. Brake pedal went to the floor upon depressing pedal. After taking vehicle to dealership for inspection, they gave truck back, stating it was fine. Brake pedal went to the floor with driver losing control, driver was able to avoid hitting another vehicle.
Abs motor comes on during normal driving and normal braking resulting in partial brake failure. Brake pedal gets hard (cannot be pressed down) or soft (goes to the floor).
Today (11/21/00) was the third time I've experienced brake failure due to problems with the anti lock braking system in my 1996 chevrolet s10 pickup. During certain, specific situations, the ABS will "decide" not to apply the brakes, allowing the vehicle to continue to roll forwards. The road conditions under which this occurs are as follows: 1) slow speed; generally less than 10 MPH. 2) wet, slick pavement that abruptly changes to dry pavement and then back to wet pavement. In these situations, the ABS can be heard and felt cycling but no stopping power is available. The only way to stop the vehicle in this situation in a "reasonable" distance is to apply the parking brake and "lock up" the rear wheels. The first two occurrences, which did not result in an accident, took place approximately 1 1/2 years ago while the vehicle was under warranty. The s10 was taken to a chevrolet dealer (groth brothers, livermore, ca 94550) who checked the ABS system and said there was no problem. The third occurrence happened on 11/21/00 and resulted in me rear-ending a vehicle stopped at a stop light. --I approached the red light at which a vehicle was stopped. I was traveling less than 10 MPH and the road was wet but I had plenty of room to stop (or so I thought); at least 50 feet! As I applied the brakes for a leisurely stop (didn't pump them, just an even, steady firm pressure), I could feel the ABS system begin to cycle. At this point, no stopping power was available at all and I rolled into the car ahead of me at the red light. Because of the slow speed, no damage was incurred. Before you chock this up to operator error or a driver (me) who does not understand ABS, consider this; I have had much practical use and experience with ABS systems. Besides having an engineering degree and being fairly adept at operating a variety of equipment (cars, tractors, motorcycles, boats and airplanes), I am a pilot for a major us airline and operate aircraft equipped with ABS s
When applying the brakes during wet road conditions the vehicle takes longer to stop than when it is dry. The brake system makes a loud noise and the pedal goes to the floor. It has been checked out at the dealer and they cannot seem to find anything wrong. The tires are on a different vehicle but 1 tire the tread came off during highway operation. During inspection we found 2 other tires with loose tread and ready to peel off. We had them replaced. The tires had slightly less than 10,000 miles on them with a great amount of tread left
Slowed by normal braking to 15 MPH, additional braking required more foot pressure which resulted in almost total loss of braking. Dry road conditions. Occurs 2 to 3 times a year. Software fix installed per recall.
Abs will release; when brakes are applied and turning a corner, they start to apply then there are no brakes at all. Dealer says there is nothing wrong with the ABS brakes.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: certain 4-wheel drive pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with ABS (antilock braking system) manufactured from september 1989 through august 1996. Under certain driving conditions the switch which signals the ABS system whether the vehicle is in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive can malfunction causing increased stopping distances during ABS stops while in the two-wheel drive mode.
- Risk
- If this occurred at a time when minimum stopping distance was required, a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace or repair the 4-wheel/2-wheel drive switch.
Recall number 99V193000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: light duty passenger pickup trucks equipped with 4.3l engines. The front brake line can contact the left-hand side of the engine oil pan causing the brake line to wear to the point of brake fluid loss during brake application.
- Risk
- Brake fluid loss can reduce braking effectiveness and increase stopping distances resulting in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the clearance between the oil pan and the brake line. If the clearance is 6mm or less, dealers will install an additional brake line clip and if there was contact between the oil pan and brake line, the front brake line will be replaced.
Recall number 97V146001 · Recall details
Questions about the 1996 Chevrolet S10 brake failure
Is brake failure a common problem on the 1996 Chevrolet S10?
60 of 665 owner complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet S10 (9%) mention brake failure. The model year with the most reports is 1994.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1996 Chevrolet S10?
There are 2 recalls and 3 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1996 Chevrolet S10
Wipers 88ABS 86No deployment 49Stalling 19Headlights 12Transmission failure 12Ball joint 10Check engine light 9Fire or smoke 8Grinding brakes 7Jerking 7Pulling 7Won't start 7Sudden acceleration 6Engine failure 5
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