Total Complaints
7 filings
CHEVROLET C10 · model year
1988 CHEVROLET C10
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988CHEVROLETC10 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 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 C10 is steering: steering wheel/handle bar with 1 filings, followed by suspension:front:control arm (1) and service brakes, air:antilock (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 C10, 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000418ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
HEATER LINE FITTING CORRODED, SNAPPED OF AT BASE. LEAKED COOLANT. CONTACTED LOCAL DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS A COMMON FAILURE PART. OLD FITTING WAS ALUMINUM AND APPEARED TO BE A BAD CASTING
20000323FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
19990721SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
PROBLEM IN 1988 WITH THE ABS BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT COMING ON AND THE TRUCK WAS HARD TO STOP. SEVERAL REPAIR CALLS AT THE DEALER. AT PRESENT THE BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON AND IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP WHEN DRIVING AT 40MPH WITHIN A NORMAL DISTANCE. THE BRAKES IS AND HAS BEEN A SAFETY HAZARD ON THIS TRUCK. I NEED HELP.*AK
19980609SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
VACUUM BOOSTER ORIGINALLY SUPPLIED ON VEHICLE PERFORMS VERY POORLY, EXCESSIVE FORCE NEEDS TO BE APPLIED IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. NEEDS TO REPLACED WITH THE NEWLY DESIGNED VACUUM BOOSTER.
19971219SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
EXCESSIVE FORCE NEEDED ON PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE. OCCASIONALLY AFTER STOPPING, THERE IS A POPPING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD AS IF BUMPED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE.
19970115SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A NOISE IN THE FRONT BALL JOINT . *AK
19950103STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
DUE TO DEFECT STEERING BOLTS, STEERING WHEEL IS TOO LOOSE FOR PROPER CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Compare 1988CHEVROLETC10 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 C10 have?▼
The 1988 CHEVROLET C10 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 CHEVROLET C10?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 CHEVROLET C10 is STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM and SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK.
Is the 1988 CHEVROLET C10 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.