1987 Chevrolet S10 problems & reliability
27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Chevrolet S10. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 7 | 26% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 15% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 15% |
| Power Train | 4 | 15% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 15% |
| Structure | 4 | 15% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 7% |
| Tires | 2 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 13 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“On 8-06-2005 while driving 45 to 50 m.p.h. On county road jb in racine county the front drivers tire separated causing damage to the fender,inner fender,ripped the bolt out,ripped out the directional light, and damage drivers rocker panel. The driver side rear tire and passenger front tires are also showing signs of…”
Tires · filed Aug 7, 2005
“Backing out and was turning the wheel. Shifted into drive, and engine started to roar. Rpm's were up. Took off. Was out of control, and was spinning several times. Then, hit a snow mobile trailer which stopped vehicle from spinning. Pedal was in normal position. Foot was not on brakes or accelerator pedal. Vehcle out…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Feb 21, 2001
“Mounting bracket to alternator and power steering bracket broke 3 times in 4 years, and it caused vehicle to lose power . This seemed to be a design flaw. Dealer didn't see it as a problem. *ak”
Structure · filed Jan 24, 2001
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SPARE TIRE CARRIER FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE90039 · opened Feb 5, 1990 · closed Jun 29, 1990
- REAR AXLE SHAFT
Engineering Analysis EA89003 · opened Nov 7, 1988 · closed Aug 24, 1990
- REAR AXLE FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE88047 · opened Apr 19, 1988 · closed Nov 7, 1988
- FRCTR OF P/S PUMP BRCKT
Preliminary Evaluation PE88002 · opened Oct 9, 1987 · closed Apr 22, 1988
Technical service bulletins
3 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1987 Chevrolet S10.
Water leak at the a/c recirculation door (install new hood hinge seal). *tw
GM561204 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
End gate latch rattle (install revised striker). *tw
GM161514 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
Front door side glass binding/track disengagement. *tw
9310A343 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 1993
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1987 Chevrolet S10 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1987 Chevrolet S10?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.