Total Complaints
21 filings
PONTIAC 6000 · model year
1988 PONTIAC 6000
21 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988PONTIAC6000 carries 21 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 6000 is steering:rack and pinion with 3 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (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 17 investigation files overlapping the 1988 6000. 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.
21
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001024POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
FIRST TRANSAXLE WAS REPLACED AT 175K MILES BECAUSE THIRD GEAR WAS SLIPPING, THE REPLACEMENT IS NOW DOING THE SAME, CONSUMER HAS TO START OUT IN FIRST GEAR AND THE REVERSE DOESN'T WORK. *ET
19990930SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN THE BRAKEIS WERE APPLIED THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND GAVE NO RESPNOSE, TO GET A RESPONSE , PEDAL HAS TO BE PUMPED HARD. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD THE ANTI-SKID SYSTEM DEACTIVATED SO THAT THE REGULAR BRAKE WOULD WORK PROPERLY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990923STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
COLD WEATHER POWER STEERING FAILURE. LEAKING SEALS. REPLACEMENT OF RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. NEW RACK AND PINION FAILED AGAIN WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER.
19990923STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD WEATHER POWER STEERING FAILURE. LEAKING SEALS. REPLACEMENT OF RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. NEW RACK AND PINION FAILED AGAIN WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER.
19990907FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
STEEL FUEL LINE IS RUSTED, AND IS CAUSING A LEAK BY THE REAR OF THE GAS TANK. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990302SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIMMY AND SWAY TO THE RIGHT. ALSO TRANS AXLE MALFUNCTIONED.
19990302POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIMMY AND SWAY TO THE RIGHT. ALSO TRANS AXLE MALFUNCTIONED.
19961114FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
PROBLEM W/FUEL TANK.. (2ND VEHICLE ON 506366)
19961114FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTION FAILURE.
19961114STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION FAILURE.
19960401SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER AND PASSENGER PLASTIC PIECE ON SEAT BELT LOCKING MECHANISM HAVE BROKEN OFF; SEAT BELTS WILL NOT STAY LOCKED; OFTEN DIFFICULT TO LOCK>AK
19951024SEAT BELTS
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT SHOULDER AND LAP BELT. TT
19951024SEAT BELTS:FRONT
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT SHOULDER AND LAP BELT. TT
19950829SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
BACKSEAT SEATBELT BUCKLE BEHIND THE DRIVER IS STUCK AND DOES NOT WORK ALL. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT DOES NOT LATCH BECAUSE PLASTIC COVER FELL OFF.
19950829SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE BACKSEAT SEATBELT BEHIND THE DRIVER DOES NOT WORK AT ALL AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT DOES NOT LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950717ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE HEAD GASKETS SEALS WILL NOT TIGHTEN UP SO WATER GETS IN THE OIL AND NOW THE CAR WILL NOT RUN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950216STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
DURING COLD WEATHER DIFFICULTY IN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. TT
19950203SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED WITH HARD PEDAL PRIOR TO FAILURE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. TT
19950120ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
HAD TO REPLACE EIGHT COMPUTERS DUE TO ROUGH IDLE/STALLING. TT
19950112STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD POWER STEERING. *AK
Compare 1988PONTIAC6000 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 PONTIAC 6000 have?▼
The 1988 PONTIAC 6000 has 21 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 PONTIAC 6000?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 PONTIAC 6000 is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1988 PONTIAC 6000 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.