Total Complaints
24 filings
PONTIAC LEMANS · model year
1988 PONTIAC LEMANS
24 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988PONTIACLEMANS carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 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 LEMANS is seat belts:front:webbing with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (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 LEMANS. 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.
24
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20021101STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
FINGERS BENT AND TWISTED INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGERS ARE BENT AND TWISTED TOWARDS THE BABY FINGERS. THUNBS ARE BENT OUTWARD AWAY FROM HANDS. HANDS ARE PAINFUL. BENDING AND TWISTING DOESN'T APPEAR AS BADLY AS OTHER DRIVERS. PLEASE VIEW PHOTO AT HTTP://PHOTOS.YAHOO.COM/MIKETOMICH THIS INFORMATION IS BEING PROVIDED ON BEHALF OF JOAN LOPEZ BY MIKE TOMICH 989-665-2311. DT
19990421SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
WHILE DRIVING FRONT SPRINGS BROKE. THERE WAS NO WARNING. ONE SET BROKE WHILE ON CRUISE CONTROL. THE OTHER SET BROKE WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT. HAVE NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER YET. *AK
19980805ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
PLASTIC COMPONENTS IN THE DASHBOARD THAT CONTROL THE INTERIOR DASHBOARD LIGHTS MELTED AND STARTED TO BURN.
19971217FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
FUEL FILLER NECK LEAKED FUEL DUE TO IMPROPER WELDING PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL. OWNER NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (88V-094.000). *AK
19961001SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT, THE SHOULDER BELT IS LOCKED IN PLACE. *AK
19960909SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING (FAILED) . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK
19960125SUSPENSION:FRONT
MISALIGNED FRONT END, CAUSING NOISE.
19960125ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
REPLACED LEAKING VALVE COVER GASKET.
19960125SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
REPLACED NOISY FRONT BRAKE PADS.
19960125SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
REPLACED REAR BRAKE SHOES.
19960125VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL DOWN.
19951031CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE SEAT BELT COME OUT OF BUCKLE WHEN CONSUMER WAS IN ACCIDENT. TT CONSUMER STATES SHE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH AND A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF HER VEHICLE ON IMPACT AND SEAT BELT CAME OPEN, AND CONSUMER AND CONSUMER WENT INTO CONSOLE, WAS THORWN AROUND IN VEHICLE, DAMAGE WAS FRONT LEFT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, HOOD, AND RIGHT FENDER, CONSUMER ALSO SUFFERED INJURIES.*JB
19950522CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
SEAT BELT FAILURE, SHOULDER BELT DID NOT KEEP DRIVER FROM HITTING WINDSHIELD. TT
19950421SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLES FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT IT IS JAMMED IN ONE POSITION. TT
19950420EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
A/C FAILURE.
19950420SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
FRONT COIL SPRINGS REPLACED.
19950420SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
FRONT/REAR BRAKES REPLACED. *AW
19950420POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT
LEFT/FRONT CV BOOT REPLACED.
19950420SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY.
19950419SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER WAS LOCK IN SEAT BELT TRY TO RELEASE THE BELT TO GET OUT COULDN'T RELEASE BELT THIS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT. TT
Compare 1988PONTIACLEMANS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 PONTIAC LEMANS have?▼
The 1988 PONTIAC LEMANS has 24 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 PONTIAC LEMANS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 PONTIAC LEMANS is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1988 PONTIAC LEMANS 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.