ChevroletS10 4WD2003Overview/chevrolet/s10-4wd/2003/base/

2003 Chevrolet S10 4WD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2003 S10 4WD.

Body TRUCK

The 2003 Chevrolet S10 4WD is a truck that requires 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Data shows 205 total owner complaints and 4 recalls, with Structure identified as the top complaint area. This profile situates the model year within the model's reliability history, indicating where researchers should focus their scrutiny.

Model year200420032002200120001999199819971996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 19210286. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP235-55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter19210286 alt 12731175
Engine air filter25170512 alt 19259086
Fuel filter25168594 alt 15077584
Spark plug12681665 alt 19301812
Front wiper blades15757007 alt 15757008
Serpentine belt12576453 alt 19355374
Thermostat12632948 alt 24577299

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.6 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts77 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts70 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug33.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts8.85 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub103 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11-14 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug TypeAC 41-948
Spark Plug Gap0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.75 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity2.2 L
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.75-2.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH FOUR WHEEL DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque to Knuckle77 ft-lbs / 52 ft-lbs / 38 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake ApplicationWITH FOUR WHEEL DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.14 in / 0.787 in / 1.03 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.14 in / 0.787 in / 1.03 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Long bolts

146.0 ft. lbs.46 ft. lbs
290 degrees; Short bolts90 degrees
143.0 ft. lbs.43 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Wheel Bearing (repack)
Every 50,000 miTransmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
Every 90,000 miFuel Filter (replace)
Every 100,000 miPCV Valve (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2003 Chevrolet S10 4WD top in one area — the structure, 23 of 205 reports (11%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 17 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the structure pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
426
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
205
Owner complaints
17 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 205 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure23
Service Brakes, Hydraulic19
Electrical System16
Power Train13
Air Bags12
Fuel System, Gasoline10
Service Brakes8
Latches/Locks/Linkages8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 426 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIP5358D2025-02-19Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J2024-10-25Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5099H2024-09-12Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific S10 4WD. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2003 S10 4WD take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2003 S10 4WD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.