Total Complaints
5 filings
SUBARU XT6 · model year
1988 SUBARU XT6
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988SUBARUXT6 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, 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 XT6 is steering:hydraulic power assist system with 2 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist:pump (2) and steering (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 14 investigation files overlapping the 1988 XT6. 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
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:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 2 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030103STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE REMEDIED UNDER RECALL 91V193000 IN 02/92. POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING INTERMITTENTLY AT 89K MILES. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS RELATED TO PREVIOUS RECALL. MANUFACTURER ADVISED ONLY A 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON RECALL REMEDY. TS
Mileage: 89,000
19981014STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING MECHANISM FAILED AFTER RECALL WORK PERFORMED.
19980603STEERING
WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED, THE POWER STEERING WILL CEASE OPERATING CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN RECALL 91V193000, WHICH THE REMEDY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM ONLY BRIEFLY.
19980323STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS (91V-193).
19961106STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHEN TRAVELING THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND THEN IT COMES BACK ON. ELECTRONIC STEERING SYSTEM SIGNAL CONTROLLER HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER SERVICE RECALL #WZM48 ON 3/30/92 AT 60,000 MILES. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AT 90,000 AND ON 7/89. *AK
Compare 1988SUBARUXT6 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 SUBARU XT6 have?▼
The 1988 SUBARU XT6 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 SUBARU XT6?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 SUBARU XT6 is STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP and STEERING.
Is the 1988 SUBARU XT6 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.