2003 S-10 ZR5 crew cab reviews???

[Gump]

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/ctd/1602423945.html

Anyone have one of these? What's it's achilles heel? Head gaskets? Timing belts? Ball joints? tranny? It's got to have something to worry about.

I have a 06 with a straight 5 no probs yet at 86,000.

[Disclaimer]

I have an '03 ZR2, but not the crew cab. I bought it new in '03 and it has 29,815 miles on it now.

The 4.3L V6 is somewhat notorious for head gaskets, but if they don't go by 60-80k, they're probably fine. I just noticed my thermostat housing is leaking, but it's a slow leak and it's an easy cheap fix.

It gets shitty gas mileage, I'm not a big fan of the pushbutton 4WD (I liked the manual linkage on the older S-series trucks). My encoder motor (engages and disengages the 4WD) went out, but was fixed under warranty. My TPS was also fixed under warranty.

It does have 4wheel disc brakes, a better instrument cluster (MOAR information), and a full size spare when compared against the newer GM light-duty trucks (Canyon/Colorado). The crew cab is basically useless for hauling long stuff though (like motorcycles) - even in my ext cab (longer bed), the tire on my Hurricane was half on the bed and half on the tailgate... but if hauling stuff in the bed isn't an issue for you, then don't worry about it.

Overall, the S-series trucks have over 2 decades of development on them, parts are cheap, and they're pretty robust for small trucks... they're just underpowered and suck the dino juice like it's going outta style. I really only do city driving anymore (to and from work) and get 12-13mpg... I got 20mpg on the highway once, but normally if I mix highway it's between 16-18mpg.

You should hop on zr2usa.com forum (I used to be active there many many moons ago when it was zr2.com) if you want to peruse the forums over there to see what everyone is bitching about. Just don't mention the Tracker ZR2 model, that's like making fun of someone's buck-toothed mother.

[chevysoldier]

Yep, Head gaskets (just did one in an S10, doing one right now in a Blazer) ball joints, pitman and idler arms, fuel pump, encoder motor (just did one on another blazer as well as the shift control module) can't think of anything else right now. PM Jporter12, he knows those trucks and the 4.3L like the back of his hand.

I had a 95 S10 4WD stick shift, 95 4WD Blazer and 98 4WD Blazer. Love them, great little trucks, but like anything else they have their issues.

[oldschoolsdime92]

These guys have hit all the nails on the head. I wasnt too impressed with the fuel mileage/power ratio of the crew cabs. Untill this year, all id driven were s10s and for the most part, they were reliable. My 4x4 blazers transfer case control modual was always problematic, as was the cpi injection.

[max power]

My wife had a 4 door Sonoma and, like Jrmi said, the mileage sucks. Might as well drive a full size.

[jporter12]

Head gaskets? Not on 4.3's. I can only think of maybe 2 or 3 cases in the 10 years I've been a technician at a shop. The 2.2, now that's another story, but I don't think you could get 4wd with the 2.2. The INTAKE gaskets go left and right on the 4.3, especially with the factory fill dex-cool. I recommend Peak's Global coolant. I run it in everything of my own.

Ball joints, pitman arm, and idler arm routinely fail. You also have to consider the GM fuel pump plague. Don't run it low on fuel, and that will help.

I've also noticed some of the transmissions with a broken sun gear shell, which causes a loss of reverse, second and fourth gears. Funny thing is that I rarely see the same thing on trucks with a v8 and the same transmission.

The oil cooler lines develop leaks where the rubber lines are crimped to the aluminum ends, and CAN cause serious engine failure if not attended to.

Really, there's not that much that goes wrong, I just highlighted a few things that I've seen a few times.

With all that said, I DO like them. It's not often that they get towed in, unless the owner totally neglects them, and does NO maintenance.

[okeefe01]

I've got an 01, and what has been said so far is true. 21 Mpg, bad intake gasket, fuel pump and whel bearings.

One other oddity is that the rear diff vent tube. It is run up under the bed. Since the crew cabs have a short bed, the vent ends up hanging in the open between the cab and the bed. Over time, some of them suck water in the vent. I had to put a pinion seal in mine, and discovered about a half an inch of water in the bottom of the diff. I was racking my brain trying to figure out how the water got there, until I finally found a reference to the vent tube.

[chevysoldier]

Head gaskets? Not on 4.3's. I can only think of maybe 2 or 3 cases in the 10 years I've been a technician at a shop. The 2.2, now that's another story, but I don't think you could get 4wd with the 2.2. The INTAKE gaskets go left and right on the 4.3, especially with the factory fill dex-cool. I recommend Peak's Global coolant. I run it in everything of my own.

Ball joints, pitman arm, and idler arm routinely fail. You also have to consider the GM fuel pump plague. Don't run it low on fuel, and that will help.

I've also noticed some of the transmissions with a broken sun gear shell, which causes a loss of reverse, second and fourth gears. Funny thing is that I rarely see the same thing on trucks with a v8 and the same transmission.

The oil cooler lines develop leaks where the rubber lines are crimped to the aluminum ends, and CAN cause serious engine failure if not attended to.

Really, there's not that much that goes wrong, I just highlighted a few things that I've seen a few times.

With all that said, I DO like them. It's not often that they get towed in, unless the owner totally neglects them, and does NO maintenance.

I told ya he knows them. I did forget the oil cooler lines, damn.

[jporter12]

I've got an 01, and what has been said so far is true. 21 Mpg, bad intake gasket, fuel pump and whel bearings.

One other oddity is that the rear diff vent tube. It is run up under the bed. Since the crew cabs have a short bed, the vent ends up hanging in the open between the cab and the bed. Over time, some of them suck water in the vent. I had to put a pinion seal in mine, and discovered about a half an inch of water in the bottom of the diff. I was racking my brain trying to figure out how the water got there, until I finally found a reference to the vent tube.

Ya know, I haven't done many wheel bearings on them. I've done a shit-ton on front wheel drive GM's, and full-sized trucks though.

I've never heard of the diff vent problem! Interesting indeed!

[Gump]

Hey thanks guys! I appreciate the info...

I wonder how can those 1995ish s-10 blazers and Jimmy's be so problematic but the truck isn't. I had one, my bro had one, my cuz had one and some others had one and we all will never own one ever again. I guess they fixed a lot of issues.

[jporter12]

Hey thanks guys! I appreciate the info...

I wonder how can those 1995ish s-10 blazers and Jimmy's be so problematic but the truck isn't. I had one, my bro had one, my cuz had one and some others had one and we all will never own one ever again. I guess they fixed a lot of issues.

The trucks have the same problems. We just don't see as many at our shop. One thing the trucks have going for them is the reduced weight in the back.

[Gump]

So it's safe to say though that 95's and earlier vs. 2000's, the 2000's and up have improved? My 95ish blazer was just a big gas guzzling pain with mulitiple problems. My 07 Canyon has been fine.

[jporter12]

96 and up is what to look for, but they still have problmes. Pretty much all that I've listed apply to them. Don't let the stuff that I've mentioned prevent you from buying, but do keep in mind that these things need to be looked at first, and that they might fail down the road. I've seen some that have had ALL the problems I've mentioned, and more, and I've seen some that have had very few of the problems. A little maintenance goes a LONG way!

[jporter12]

The 93 - 95 (I think that's all the older) blazers had some interesting issues with the CPI fuel injection system. GM should have left that one out of production.