Total Complaints
9 filings
CHEVROLET 1500 · model year
1988 CHEVROLET 1500
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988CHEVROLET1500 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 1500 is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (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 57 investigation files overlapping the 1988 1500, and 2 remain open. 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.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050706SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DT: CONSUMER STATES HIS 1988 CHEVROLET 1500 HAD THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT REPLACED IN 1998 AT THE MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE AGAIN. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER USED THE SEAT BELTS WITH HOOKS. THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT BELT. CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW THE EXACT DATE THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED. *AK UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB
20031023VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AN OFF BY THEMSELVES ONCE THE KNOB WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION. *AK WIPERS WERE REPAIRED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE BY THE DEALERSHIP. A FEW YEARS LATER, THE SAME THING. CONSUMER FEELS GM SHOULD COVER THE COST OF THE NEXT REPAIR. SHE NOTED SHE CAN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF RAIN AND NORMALLY THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. ONE TIME IT STARTED TO RAIN, SHE HAD TO PULL OVER AND WAIT UNTIL THE RAIN SLOWED DOWN TO DRIVE HOME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *PH
Mileage: 60,000
20021011AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYS ON WHICH IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET HOT WHILE THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER. MR
20021011STEERING
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYS ON WHICH IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET HOT WHILE THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER. MR
20010515FatalTIRES
AT 45 MPH R.REAR TIRE FAILED. TREAD SEPARATION LEAVING THREE FEET OF TREAD WHIPPING AROUND WHICH DAMAGED UNDERSIDE OF FENDER SUPPORTS AND SKIN. ALSO DAMAGED REAR PANNEL OF BED. EXPERICENCED FISHTAILING. HAVE SENT SEVERAL ESTIMATES TP GENERAL AND COMPLETED THEIR FORM. CLAIM #C-00-2438.GENERAL HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF MY VEICHLE. THEY HAVE SENT A FINAL NUMBER OF $494.36. THEY INSIST THAT I HAVE MY INSURANCE PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND GENERAL WILL REIMBURSE ME THE $250..00 DEDUCTABLE AND THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR TWO TIRES. PLEAS INTERVENE AND ADVISE ME YOUR SUCCESS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: ACHL439 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)
20010118TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPPARATION CAUSING FISHTAILING AND DAMAGE TO UNDERSIDE AND LEFT SIDE OUTER PANEL. CLAIM SUBMITTED TO GENERAL TIRE ON OCTOBER 23. HAVE BEEN GETTING THE RUN AROUND SINCE THEN. THEY OFFERED TO PAY LESS THAN HALF OF THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST AND WANT ME TO HAVE MY INSURANCE PAY THE REPAIR AND THEY PAY MY DEDUCTABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME. PLEASE MAKE A RECORD OF THES. SENCERRLY. GILBER F DICOB. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ACHL439445 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)
20000731SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT, DEALERSHIP CHARGED CONSUMER AND WOULD NOT HONOR RECALL REPAIR. *MJS
19991006SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHEN FASTENING SEATBELT SOMETHING BROKE INSIDE AND NOW BELT WILL NOT LOCK. *AK
19990726SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, THE BACK BRAKES HAVE NO PRESSURE, THE VEHICLE IS SLOWED DOWN BY THE FRONT BRAKES. THIS CAUSES THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE TO BE ABNORMAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Compare 1988CHEVROLET1500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 CHEVROLET 1500 have?▼
The 1988 CHEVROLET 1500 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 CHEVROLET 1500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 CHEVROLET 1500 is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR.
Is the 1988 CHEVROLET 1500 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.