RoadVitals

1988 Chevrolet C15

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.
9
Latest Feb 27, 1997
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.
1
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

Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet C15, most frequently naming the brakes, exterior lighting and seat belts categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

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

  • Brakes444.4%
  • Exterior lighting111.1%
  • Seat belts111.1%
  • Steering111.1%
  • Suspension111.1%
  • 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.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE88019ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

REAR BRK LIGHTS STAY ON

Opened Jan 19, 1988
Closed Mar 31, 1988

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:ON SOME 1988 C/K MODEL TRUCKSTHE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO STAY ON AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEENRELEASED.IN A MAJORITY OF CASES, THE STOPLAMP SWITCH BEING MISADJUSTEDHAS BEEN THE CAUSE.OTHER POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE (A) BINDING AT THE EYELET OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER ROD AND ITS ATTACHMENT PIN AND (B) PEDAL MOUNTINGBUSHINGS NOT BEING PROPERLY LUBRICATED.GM BELIEVES THAT IF THE VEHICLEIS EITHER ACCELERATING OR TRAVELING AT A CONSTANT SPEED, AND THE STOP LAMPSREMAIN ON, A FOLLOWING DRIVER WOULD LIKELY FOLLOW AT A GREATER DISTANCEBECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTY OF THE ACTIONS OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM.GMCONCLUDES THAT THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO REPORTED ACCIDENTS WHEREIT IS ALLEGED THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON.TO THE CONTRARY, BRAKE LIGHTSWHICH ARE ALWAYS ON APPEAR ARE INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM NORMAL TAILIGHTOPERATION AND THEREFORE FAIL TO SIGNAL BRAKING/DECELERATION WHICH IS THEONLY FUNCTION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS.APPARENT INFANT MORTALITY SUPPORTS THEPOSITION THAT NO DEFECT TREND IS DEVELOPING.ALTHOUGH THE ALLEGED DEFECTMAY OCCUR AT ANY GIVEN TIME (IT DOES HOWEVER APPEAR TO OCCUR AT ANY GIVENTIME EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE), ONCE THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STUCK INTHE ON POSITION, THE LIGHTS REMAIN ON UNTIL THE BATTERY GOES DEAD OR THECONDITION IS OTHERWISE DETECTED AND CORRECTED.THE ALLEGED DEFECT AFFECTSONLY THE EARLY PRODUCTION 1988 MODEL VEHICLES AND GM HAS ISSUED A SERVICEBULLETIN ADVISING SERVICE PERSONNEL OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ALLEGEDDEFECT AND HOW TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. #======

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Recent owner complaints

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

Brakes
Filed Feb 27, 1997

DRIVING ABOUT 30MPH AND ALMOST HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT. APPLIED BRAKES AND BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST WENT TO THE FLOOR. BRAKES ARE STILL INOPERATIVE. TOOK TO A DEALER AND HE SAID THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE BRAKES FOR THAT YEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
809456
Incident
Feb 27, 1995
Brakes
Filed Feb 6, 1996

WHEN BRAKE PEDAL HELD AT A STOP SIGN, PEDAL STARTED TO FADE, RESULTING IN ROLLAWAY, REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER TO NO AVAIL. TT

NHTSA ID
978761
Incident
May 4, 1995
Suspension
Filed Dec 13, 1995

THE UPPER BALL JOINT FELL OFF WHEN CONSUMER WAS DRIVING . TT

NHTSA ID
976523
Incident
Nov 1, 1995
Brakes
Filed Dec 1, 1995

WET AND ICY ROAD WHEN APPLY THE BRAKE TRUCK SLIDS HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE . TT

NHTSA ID
975884
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 11, 1995

TAIL LIGHT NEED TO BE REDESIGNED BECAUSE SHORT OUT MANUFACTURER OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. TT

NHTSA ID
963595
Incident
Jan 9, 1994
Seat belts
Filed Mar 28, 1995

THE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR LOCK UP TRYING TO RETRACT BACK. TT

NHTSA ID
962792
Steering
Filed Mar 21, 1995

VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL NUT HAS BEEN TIGHTENED 3 TIMES. TT

NHTSA ID
962306
Visibility
Filed Jan 6, 1995

HEATING CORE RUPTURED AND SENT BOILING COOLANT INTO CAB. TT

NHTSA ID
958389
Incident
Dec 4, 1994

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet C15 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1996260041.7
1995600046.8
1994410039.9
1993350045.3
1992140032.9
1991100046.4
1990810
1989120039.4
1988Viewing901
1987200
1986511
1985201
1984101
1983001
1982001
1981001

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.