Total Complaints
13 filings
GMC V1500 · model year
1988 GMC V1500
13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988GMCV1500 carries 13 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 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 V1500 is suspension with 4 filings, followed by seats (4) and visibility:power window devices and controls (4). 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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1988 V1500. 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.
13
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | 4 |
| SEATS | 4 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19980519SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKES FAILED.
19980519SUSPENSION
VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH "X" SHAPED TEAR IN STEEL FLOOR PAN UNDER BOTH REAR MOUNTS OF THE DRIVER SEAT. THE FLOOR FLEXES OVER BUMPS AND THE MOUNTS WELDS BROKE. NO VISIBLE CORROSION.
19980519SEATS
VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH "X" SHAPED TEAR IN STEEL FLOOR PAN UNDER BOTH REAR MOUNTS OF THE DRIVER SEAT. THE FLOOR FLEXES OVER BUMPS AND THE MOUNTS WELDS BROKE. NO VISIBLE CORROSION.
19980519VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH "X" SHAPED TEAR IN STEEL FLOOR PAN UNDER BOTH REAR MOUNTS OF THE DRIVER SEAT. THE FLOOR FLEXES OVER BUMPS AND THE MOUNTS WELDS BROKE. NO VISIBLE CORROSION.
19980519VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
REAR WINDOW WOULD PERIODICALLY CEASE GOING UP OR DOWN AND WOULD BLOW THE FUSE. CONTACT POINTS HAD BROKEN AND WERE CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
19980519SEATS
REAR WINDOW WOULD PERIODICALLY CEASE GOING UP OR DOWN AND WOULD BLOW THE FUSE. CONTACT POINTS HAD BROKEN AND WERE CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
19980519SUSPENSION
REAR WINDOW WOULD PERIODICALLY CEASE GOING UP OR DOWN AND WOULD BLOW THE FUSE. CONTACT POINTS HAD BROKEN AND WERE CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
19980519SUSPENSION
NO BAFFLES IN FUEL TANK. THE FINAL 8TH OF THE TANK IS UNUSABLE BECAUSE OWNER CAN ONLY PUT 27 OF 31 GALLONS OF FUEL IN TANK.
19980519SEATS
NO BAFFLES IN FUEL TANK. THE FINAL 8TH OF THE TANK IS UNUSABLE BECAUSE OWNER CAN ONLY PUT 27 OF 31 GALLONS OF FUEL IN TANK.
19980519VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
NO BAFFLES IN FUEL TANK. THE FINAL 8TH OF THE TANK IS UNUSABLE BECAUSE OWNER CAN ONLY PUT 27 OF 31 GALLONS OF FUEL IN TANK.
19980519SUSPENSION
SUSPENSION CAMBER PROBLEM CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. UNEVEN TIRE WEAR RESULTED IN DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE WHICH SPUN OUT IN A LIGHT RAIN.
19980519SEATS
SUSPENSION CAMBER PROBLEM CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. UNEVEN TIRE WEAR RESULTED IN DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE WHICH SPUN OUT IN A LIGHT RAIN.
19980519VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
SUSPENSION CAMBER PROBLEM CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. UNEVEN TIRE WEAR RESULTED IN DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE WHICH SPUN OUT IN A LIGHT RAIN.
Compare 1988GMCV1500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 GMC V1500 have?▼
The 1988 GMC V1500 has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 GMC V1500?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 GMC V1500 is SUSPENSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS and VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS.
Is the 1988 GMC V1500 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.