Total Complaints
5 filings
GMC GMC · model year
1988 GMC GMC
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988GMCGMC carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 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 GMC is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:catalytic convertor with 1 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system (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 GMC. 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19991203SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT WORKING RIGHT AND NOT POWER BRAKES. THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS HAVE POOR CONNECTION, AND QUIT WORKING
19991203EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT WORKING RIGHT AND NOT POWER BRAKES. THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS HAVE POOR CONNECTION, AND QUIT WORKING
19990716FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
I BOUGHT AN AC/DELCO ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP P/N EP386 AT A CHAIN AUTO PARTS STORE, FOR MY 1988 S-10. THIS IS AN IN-TANK ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. IT CAME WITH AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH PIGTAIL LEADS, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO USE THE TWO BUTT SPLICE CONNECTORS ALSO SUPPLIED TO CUT THE WIRE AND SPLICE IN THE NEW CONNECTOR. THIS IS APPARENTLY IN CASE THE ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP HAS A DIFFERENT CONNECTOR. THESE TWO SPLICES WILL THEN RESIDE INSIDE THE TANK AMONGST THE GAS FUMES. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH IMPROPERLY-CRIMPED BUTT SPLICE CONNECTORS WILL ALLOW A SPARK TO BE GENERATED. THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE BUTT SPLICE CONNECTORS APPEAR TO BE RUN-OF-THE-MILL, WITH PLASTIC INSULATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE GASOLINE PROOF. AS AN ENGINEER, I TEND TO WONDER WHETHER THIS HAS BEEN TESTED FOR. IF NOT, THE METAL OF THE BUTT-SPLICE CONNECTOR WOULD EVENTUALLY BE EXPOSED, AND THE TWO CONNECTORS COULD TOUCH EACH OTHER, LEADIN
19990529UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PAINT FAIDED AND CHIPPING OFF THE VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
19971003FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATED, CAUSING FIRE.
Compare 1988GMCGMC to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 GMC GMC have?▼
The 1988 GMC GMC has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 GMC GMC?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 GMC GMC is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Is the 1988 GMC GMC 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.