Total Complaints
9 filings
BUICK BUICK · model year
1988 BUICK BUICK
9 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BUICKBUICK carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 crashes, 6 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1988 BUICK is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (1) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1988 BUICK. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
9
Complaints
6
Crashes
6
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
6 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
| CHILD SEAT | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000911EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
RIGHT REAR SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. *ET
20000823STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME DROP,WHEEL LOST CONTROL. *AK
20000706CrashFireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SEVERAL DEFECTIVE FAILURES
20000706CrashFireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
SEVERAL DEFECTIVE FAILURES
20000706CrashFireVISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
SEVERAL DEFECTIVE FAILURES
20000706CrashFireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SEVERAL DEFECTIVE FAILURES
20000706CrashFireEQUIPMENT
SEVERAL DEFECTIVE FAILURES
20000706CrashFireCHILD SEAT
SEVERAL DEFECTIVE FAILURES
19951102SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS LEAKING/FAILED, CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKES. *AK
Compare 1988BUICKBUICK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BUICK BUICK have?▼
The 1988 BUICK BUICK has 9 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 6 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BUICK BUICK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BUICK BUICK is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Is the 1988 BUICK BUICK safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1988 BUICK BUICK; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.