1997 Chevrolet S10 Visibility Problems
Owners have filed 113 complaints with NHTSA about visibility problems on the 1997 Chevrolet S10, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 84,250 miles. The words owners use most often: “windshield wipers” (75% of reports).
- 113visibility complaints
- 84,250median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 55%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Windshield wipers: mentioned in 85 of 113 complaints (75%)
- Wiper motor: mentioned in 16 of 113 complaints (14%)
- Become inoperable: mentioned in 10 of 113 complaints (9%)
- Work intermittently: mentioned in 9 of 113 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do visibility problems happen?
Based on 32 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 113 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet S10 visibility complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer
Problem: On certain minivans, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with certain model-engine combinations, the windshield wiper motor may fail due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. The windshield wipers could work intermittently or not at all.
Risk: If this were to occur during bad weather, driver visibility would be reduced, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the wiper motor circuit board and cover. Owner notification began on june 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with electric drive. Rapid fogging of the interior glass can occur within two minutes after the heat is turned on if (1) the outside temperature is between 35 and 76 degrees fahrenheit and (2) water has collected on the heat exchanger during previous operation of the air conditioning.
Risk: If rapid fogging were to occur during driving, it could obstruct the driver's vision increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Owners are being provided with a caution label and supplemental insert for their owner's manual advising them to follow a "stop and wait" procedure to help avoid window fogging while driving.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Chevrolet S10s have visibility problems?
No. NHTSA has 113 owner complaints about visibility for the 1997 Chevrolet S10 (24% of the 469 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Chevrolet S10 visibility?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list visibility. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do visibility problems start?
The median reported mileage is 84,250 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about visibility problems on the 1997 Chevrolet S10?
The most frequent phrase is “windshield wipers”, in 85 of 113 complaints, followed by “wiper motor” (16).
Other 1997 Chevrolet S10 problems
See all 1997 Chevrolet S10 problems or visibility problems across all S10 years.