Total Complaints
13 filings
CHEVROLET NOVA · model year
1988 CHEVROLET NOVA
13 NHTSA complaints, 3 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 1988CHEVROLETNOVA carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 4 injuries, and 3 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 NOVA is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (3) and electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1988 NOVA, and 2 remain open. 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.
13
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
4
Injuries
3
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020404POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP AND THE CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY. RESULTING IN A REAREND COLLISION. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE MOTOR WOULD CRANK AND RUN BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. REPLACE THE TRANSAXLE.
20010521LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
VEHICLE HOOD LATCH FAILED DUE TO TIRE VIBRATION AT 65 MPH, CAUSING HOOD TO CRUMPLE INTO WINDSHIELD. *AK
20010521TIRES
VEHICLE HOOD LATCH FAILED DUE TO TIRE VIBRATION AT 65 MPH, CAUSING HOOD TO CRUMPLE INTO WINDSHIELD. *AK
19980518SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE.
19970325CrashFatalSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
UPON FRONTAL IMPACT ITEMS IN TRUNK MOVED FORWARD, STRIKING REAR SEAT BACK, CAUSING SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE, ITEMS STUCK CHILD, RESULTING IN DEATH.
19970106ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
REAR LIGHTS BURNE DOUT DUE TO A SHORT IN FUSIBLE LINK
19970106FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
TAIL LIGHTS' WIRING HARNESS BURNED OUT/MELTED, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK
19961210POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
19960307CrashFatalPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE IN PARK, KILLING OWNER. *DSH
19960307CrashFatalPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE IN PARK, KILLING OWNER. *DSH
19950829SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT OPEN. TT
19950808POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
ABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE BACK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950524SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGER SEATBELT STUCK ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, ON ONE OCCASION BABY WAS TRAPPED IN CARSEAT W/ BELT ON IT. TT
Compare 1988CHEVROLETNOVA 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 NOVA have?▼
The 1988 CHEVROLET NOVA has 13 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 4 injuries, and 3 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 CHEVROLET NOVA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 CHEVROLET NOVA is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS.
Is the 1988 CHEVROLET NOVA 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 CHEVROLET NOVA; 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.