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2003 Chevrolet S10 problems

The most common problem on the 2003 Chevrolet S10 is brakes, typically around 54,252 miles. It has 8.5 times the complaints of a typical S10 model year.

Year to avoid8.5x the typical complaints
Year score
5/100
Owner complaints
178
Recalls
1
Service bulletins
408
Worst area
Brakes
Fuel economy
14-22mpg

The worst 2003 Chevrolet S10 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Chevrolet S10

Door locks 14ABS 9Wipers 7No deployment 6Grinding brakes 6Won't start 6Brake failure 5Check engine light 5

Recalls 1

Equipment: other: labelsReported March 18, 2004 · 183,922 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Risk
Some of these vehicles include incorrect statements on one of the air bag warning labels.
Remedy
Owners will be provided with correct labels and installation instructions. Owner notification began on june 4, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.

Recall number 04V132000 · Recall details

See all 1 recalls for the 2003 Chevrolet S10

Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Chevrolet S10 408

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 408 bulletins for the 2003 Chevrolet S10

2003 Chevrolet S10 fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
2.2L 4‑cylRWD17-1923-2519-22
4.3L 6‑cylRWD1521-2217-18
4.3L 6‑cyl4WD12-1417-1814-15

What 2003 Chevrolet S10 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 20, 2021 · Airbags · 200,000 miles · SC · crash · 1 injury

The contact owned a 2003 Chevrolet S 10. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop sign, another vehicle T-boned his vehicle at a high rate of speed. The contact stated that the air bag did not deploy and the contact hit his head on the windshield. The contact was taken from the scene to a local hospital where they initially ran a test and found no injuries on his body. The contact stated that his head remained in pain and went back to the hospital the next day. The next day, the contact was informed that a blood clot was discovered near his brain, and was transferred to another hospital for surgery. The contact was sent to outpatient rehabilitation once he was released from the hospital. The contact stated that the other driver did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop where it was deemed a total loss and his insurance had taken possession of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The vehicle was a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

Filed Oct 17, 2021 · Airbags, Brakes · KS

Twice now while lightly applying brakes to come to a stop at an intersection the antilock brake system engaged. Since it was unexpected I almost didn't come to a stop in time before rolling into the intersection into traffic. The ABS warning indicator was illuminated intermittently before this with recorded DTC C0268 (Pump motor circuit shorted). Also the transfer case input shaft seal failed which caused transmission fluid to leak into the transfer case, completely filling it. That caused the transfer case vacuum switch to fail and transmission fluid was sucked into the vacuum lines and eat through them causing a vacuum leak. Because of the vacuum leak, whenever I would accelerate to highway speeds and the engine would use what vacuum it could, the 4WD actuator would lose its vacuum then regain it when the RPM's dropped and try to lock the front axle while at highway speeds which would cause the truck to jerk and the gears to grind. And lastly the Airbag warning indicator is always illuminated for reasons I do not know.

Filed Aug 21, 2021 · Brakes, Engine · SC

2003 Chevy S10 has been maintained and taking care of. Brakes in rear were sticking due to factory defective ABS control module. Rear wheel bearing gave out and started leaking axle fluid cause of a sticking drivers side brake from ABS control module malfunctioning. After much cost of replacing calipers and brake pads the culprit from a defectively ABS control module making the brake caliper stick to the rotor.. Next the coolant leaks from the intake manifold gasket and now the heater core leaks… this truck has only 146k miles on it and I always taking care of it keeping up before it’s schedule maintenance. But what I see is poor defective parts from GM. SO I have to make sure I get this work done and keep the coolant filled or there be a motor issue from overheating. This is a SAFETY concern and if the heater core leaks then breathing the toxic coolants isn’t safe at all when the AC is on or no heat in winter!. Now GM discontinued making the S10 in North America but redesigned a front wheel drive diesel version in South America.

Filed Sep 22, 2020 · Airbags, Brakes · 133,998 miles · AZ

Truck was purchased 7/7/20. Seemed to work fine, but started noticing engine trouble on 9/10/20. Had only driven it ~150 miles since purchase, never any strenuous driving. Took it in to get serviced on 9/21/20, where several problems were spotted, one of which is traceable to the dealer: 1) the distributor cap was being held on only by two zipties. This is why it seemed to run fine on the date of purchase, but caused engine misfires within a few months of light use. The dealership notified me the day before I purchased it that the distributor was being fixed, but they failed to notify me that it wasn't fixed properly. Truck now misfires, has an arcing wire, and is unsafe to drive. 2)truck was sold with no parking brake, and no warning that it was not installed. This information has omitted when I asked about safety issues before purchasing. Never noticed because phx is so flat. Had I needed to use the parking brake, not having one installed is a significant safety issue. 3) an impact sensor was left hanging from the rear of the vehicle. A large enough bump or a rock could set off airbags while driving, putting my passengers, myself, and other drivers and pedestrians at serious risk. This truck is very unsafe to drive, and I was not responsible for any of the issues that made it unsafe. The first issue was caused by a bad repair made by the dealership, and the other two noted issues were not noted in the carfax or by the salesperson when I asked about safety issues.

Filed Jun 20, 2019 · Visibility · 167,000 miles · FL

This is second vehicle of previous complaint. We have two 2003 chevrolet s-10s where the wipers stop working during rain. In most cases during heavy rains while driving on highways and interstates. Vehicle has to be pulled over and the hood has to be raised to tap the motor to be able to continue.

Filed Jun 20, 2019 · Visibility · 187,000 miles · FL

We own 2-2003 s-10s same year models and color. The only thing different are the motors. Both have been having the windshield wipers go out while in a heavy rainstorms and on busy interstates.

Filed Feb 12, 2019 · Airbags · 100,048 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet s10. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the contact reached down to access an item and crashed into the preceding vehicle. None of the air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The officers also wondered why the air bags had not deployed due to the extensive damage to the front end of the vehicle. The contact sustained whiplash and minor bruising, which required medical attention. The seat belt managed to restrain the driver securely. The insurance company towed the vehicle to a yard. It was unknown if the vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer had not issued any air bag recalls for the year, make, and model vehicle; however, there was one air bag technical service bulletin. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 100,048.

Filed Jul 18, 2018 · Electrical · 70,000 miles · MA

The truck was occasionally not turning over. Tried things like turning fan on, radio, etc and it would start. Security light comes on or will blink. Truck now is not turning over at all. Dash lights blink and or come on when door opens. This is a problem I've seen all over internet, but nothing has worked. I think it should have a recall. I am paying for a dead truck now. Truck was stationary-won't start.

Filed May 7, 2018 · Airbags · 140,000 miles · NY

Light for air bags reads the air bags are not working. Mechanic says he has to go into the computer to see what the problems is. It is a lot of work involved to see what the problems is. The light constantly on while vehicle running.

Filed Oct 10, 2017 · Electrical · 100,000 miles · AL

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet s10. While driving 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal ticking noise and the entire instrument cluster failed. Due to the failure, the contact received a ticket because of the unknown speed limit and was speeding 20 MPH over the speed limit. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted or made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was over 100,000.

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Other model years

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Questions about the 2003 Chevrolet S10

Is the 2003 Chevrolet S10 reliable?

Owners have filed 178 complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet S10, 8.5 times a typical S10 model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.

What is the 2003 Chevrolet S10 year score?

The 2003 Chevrolet S10 scores 5 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chevrolet S10: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2003 Chevrolet S10?

Brakes, with 38 complaints, typically around 54,252 miles. Next is body (30).

How many recalls does the 2003 Chevrolet S10 have?

1 recall, covering equipment.

What year does the Chevrolet S10 have bad brakes?

The Chevrolet S10 model years with the most brakes complaints are 1994 (532 complaints), 1995 (320 complaints) and 1996 (219 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2003 Chevrolet S10 get?

Official estimates for the 2003 Chevrolet S10 range from 14 to 22 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.2L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 17-19 city and 23-25 highway.

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