RoadVitals

1988 Chevrolet 1500

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jul 6, 2005
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
0 injuries, 1 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet 1500, most frequently naming the brakes, seat belts and tires & wheels categories.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes222.2%
  • Seat belts222.2%
  • Tires & wheels222.2%
  • Airbags111.1%
  • Steering111.1%
  • Visibility111.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Seat belts
Filed Jul 6, 2005

DT: CONSUMER STATES HIS 1988 CHEVROLET 1500 HAD THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT REPLACED IN 1998 AT THE MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE AGAIN. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER USED THE SEAT BELTS WITH HOOKS. THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL NOT HOLD THE SEAT BELT. CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW THE EXACT DATE THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED. *AK UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB

NHTSA ID
10127616
Incident
Jan 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Dec 10, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AN OFF BY THEMSELVES ONCE THE KNOB WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION. *AK WIPERS WERE REPAIRED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE BY THE DEALERSHIP. A FEW YEARS LATER, THE SAME THING. CONSUMER FEELS GM SHOULD COVER THE COST OF THE NEXT REPAIR. SHE NOTED SHE CAN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF RAIN AND NORMALLY THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. ONE TIME IT STARTED TO RAIN, SHE HAD TO PULL OVER AND WAIT UNTIL THE RAIN SLOWED DOWN TO DRIVE HOME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *PH

NHTSA ID
10044643
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsSteering
Filed Oct 11, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYS ON WHICH IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET HOT WHILE THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER. MR

NHTSA ID
8020684
Incident
Sep 2, 2002
Tires & wheels
Filed May 11, 2001
1 death reported

AT 45 MPH R.REAR TIRE FAILED. TREAD SEPARATION LEAVING THREE FEET OF TREAD WHIPPING AROUND WHICH DAMAGED UNDERSIDE OF FENDER SUPPORTS AND SKIN. ALSO DAMAGED REAR PANNEL OF BED. EXPERICENCED FISHTAILING. HAVE SENT SEVERAL ESTIMATES TP GENERAL AND COMPLETED THEIR FORM. CLAIM #C-00-2438.GENERAL HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF MY VEICHLE. THEY HAVE SENT A FINAL NUMBER OF $494.36. THEY INSIST THAT I HAVE MY INSURANCE PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND GENERAL WILL REIMBURSE ME THE $250..00 DEDUCTABLE AND THE REPLACEMENT COST FOR TWO TIRES. PLEAS INTERVENE AND ADVISE ME YOUR SUCCESS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: ACHL439 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

NHTSA ID
745217
Incident
Oct 7, 2000
Tires & wheels
Filed Jan 8, 2001

TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPPARATION CAUSING FISHTAILING AND DAMAGE TO UNDERSIDE AND LEFT SIDE OUTER PANEL. CLAIM SUBMITTED TO GENERAL TIRE ON OCTOBER 23. HAVE BEEN GETTING THE RUN AROUND SINCE THEN. THEY OFFERED TO PAY LESS THAN HALF OF THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST AND WANT ME TO HAVE MY INSURANCE PAY THE REPAIR AND THEY PAY MY DEDUCTABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME. PLEASE MAKE A RECORD OF THES. SENCERRLY. GILBER F DICOB. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ACHL439445 TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

NHTSA ID
738996
Incident
Oct 7, 2000
Brakes
Filed Jun 26, 2000

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT, DEALERSHIP CHARGED CONSUMER AND WOULD NOT HONOR RECALL REPAIR. *MJS

NHTSA ID
552791
Incident
Aug 19, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Oct 6, 1999

WHEN FASTENING SEATBELT SOMETHING BROKE INSIDE AND NOW BELT WILL NOT LOCK. *AK

NHTSA ID
850135
Incident
Oct 1, 1999
Brakes
Filed Jul 26, 1999

WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, THE BACK BRAKES HAVE NO PRESSURE, THE VEHICLE IS SLOWED DOWN BY THE FRONT BRAKES. THIS CAUSES THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE TO BE ABNORMAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
843331

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet 1500 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2007030
1996200035.5
19951340041.6
1994440037.7
1993140026.6
1992200036.4
1991400
1989700
1988Viewing800

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.