CHEVROLET CHEVROLET TRUCK · model year

1988 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET TRUCK

27 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1988CHEVROLETCHEVROLET TRUCK carries 27 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 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 CHEVROLET TRUCK is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (3) and engine and engine cooling:engine (2). 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 CHEVROLET TRUCK, 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.

27
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

27 filings

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

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY1
STEERING1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS1

Recent Complaints

19991029SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

1500 BOTH ANCHORS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE ARE BROKEN. THEY WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT BELTS IN PLACE.

19990310SEAT BELTS

1500 - THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT WORK.

19980921SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE DRIVING APPLIED BRAKES AND BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, FOUND FLUID ON THE LEFT WHEEL, AND BRAKE PEDAL HAD ROTTED OUT. DEALER CONTACTED AND REFERRED TO MANUFACTURER, NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND WAS NO LONGER COVERED. *AK

19980402POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION JUMPS INTO LOW GEAR ON OCCASIONS.

19980402ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE OWNERSHIP, SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON

19970926SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT

SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT REPAIRS ON WORN BALL JOINTS REFUSED.

19970926SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED.

19970904ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

SERPENTINE BELT FAILED.

19970904ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILED.

19970527SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELTS DO NOT FIT PROPERLY.

19970527SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISES.

19960628FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FIRE. *SD

19960601SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

BRAKES OCCASIONALLY FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. *DSH

19960601VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

HEAT/DEFROST UNIT FAILS TO DEFROST WINDOW, RESULTING IN LOSS OF VISIBILITY.

19960601ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED. *SD

19960425FirePOWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO LEAK. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT) *DSH

19951005FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

OVERHEATED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED THROUGH BREATHER VENT AND SPILLED ONTO CROSS MEMBER EXHAUST PIPE, CAUSING FIRE. *SKD

19950608POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT

BALL JOINTS FAILED. *SKD

19950323SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, ALSO BRAKE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON.

19950323FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

DISTRIBUTOR CAP REPLACED.

Compare 1988CHEVROLETCHEVROLET TRUCK to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1988 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET TRUCK have?
The 1988 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET TRUCK has 27 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET TRUCK?
The most-complained component for the 1988 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET TRUCK is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1988 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET TRUCK 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.