Total Complaints
6 filings
BUICK ELECTRA · model year
1988 BUICK ELECTRA
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BUICKELECTRA carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1988 ELECTRA is steering:rack and pinion with 3 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist system (1) and vehicle speed control:linkages (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1988 ELECTRA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 3 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090527TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BUICK ELECTRA PARK AVENUE. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE FR480 TIRES, SIZE P205/75/R14. WITHIN A 2-3 WEEK TIME PERIOD, THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES FORMED BUBBLES AND THEN BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BUBBLES ON ONE OF THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT. BOTH REAR TIRES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, BUT NO CRASH OCCURRED. THE LATEST FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO RECALLS ON THE TIRES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,431 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,256. UPDATED 06/11/09. *LJ UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB
Mileage: 75,256
20000922CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
CONSUMER WHILE PARKED WITH CAR RUNNING. PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND STARTED TO PUT CAR IN DRIVE, WHEN WHEELS STARTED SPINNING, ENGINE WAS REVVING. CONSUMER HAD BOTH FEET ON BRAKES, AND VEHCILE TOOK OFF, FLYING INTO THE OTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT, PUSHING THAT VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT TURN OFF ENGINE, THIS CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION.*AK
19960304STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960304STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960304STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19950306STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
DURING MORNING START UP YOU CAN NOT MANIPULATE THE STEERING. TT
Compare 1988BUICKELECTRA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BUICK ELECTRA have?▼
The 1988 BUICK ELECTRA has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BUICK ELECTRA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BUICK ELECTRA is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES.
Is the 1988 BUICK ELECTRA 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.