2004 Chevrolet S10 problems & reliability
21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Chevrolet S10, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 19% |
| Air Bags | 3 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 14% |
| Structure | 3 | 14% |
| Visibility | 3 | 14% |
| Power Train | 2 | 10% |
| Steering | 2 | 10% |
| Suspension | 2 | 10% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The fuel tank on my truck has cracked where the inlet tube connects to the tank , causing a fuel leak. There is a recall by chevrolet for the same condition on 2004 chevrolet tahoe with the plastic tank. General motors has discontinued the tank for replacement and will not verify there is a problem with this tank…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Mar 14, 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet s10. The contact stated that the lift gate collapsed abnormally. The contact stated that the cables were fractured and caused the lift gate to strike the bumpers. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they advised that the vehicle was not included in any recall…”
Structure · filed Nov 20, 2012
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet s-10. The contact stated that the vehicle would stall without warning. The contact would have to remove and reinsert the fuse in order to be able to restart the vehicle. The contact was unsure what the exact fuse was that was being removed constantly. The vehicle was not…”
Electrical System · filed Oct 3, 2012
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
404 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Chevrolet S10. The 10 most recent:
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 18, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or…
PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 20, 2025
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 25, 2024
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician…
PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 12, 2024
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician…
PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 12, 2024
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized…
PIT3271P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 6, 2024
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to…
General Communication · Service Campaign · issued Aug 26, 2024
GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging or shipping. This…
24-NA-141 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 24, 2024
This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how…
16-NA-383 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 28, 2024
This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
18-NA-099 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2024
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
The 2004 Chevrolet S10 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 2004 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.