RoadVitals

1988 Chevrolet C25

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.
3
Latest Nov 4, 2003
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 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet C25, most frequently naming the interior & seats, tires & wheels and visibility 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

  • Interior & seats133.3%
  • Tires & wheels133.3%
  • Visibility133.3%

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

Visibility
Filed Nov 4, 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ANY SPEED EXCEPT HIGH DURING WET WEATHER AND OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. HOWEVER THEY WORK FINE IN DRY WEATHER. IT SHOWS THE SAME SYMPTONS AS 94-95 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. JUST RECIEVED RECALL ON THAT ONE. SHOP COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. AND SAID IT HAS SAME CIRCUIT BOARD AS THE ASTRO. *AK

NHTSA ID
10045404
Incident
Apr 2, 1999
Mileage
48,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 1, 2002

SIX TIRES PURCHASED ON JUNE 17, 1998. THREE OF THESE TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON THE TIRE. FIRST INCIDENT: AUGUST 2, 2001, TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE LEAVING ITS DEBRIS ON I-10 BETWEEN PHOENIX AND TUCSON. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH. SECOND INCIDENT: AUGUST 16, 2001, TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE LEAVING A BULGE ON THE TREAD, ON I-17 IN PHOENIX. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THIRD INCIDENT: JUNE 21, 2002, TREAD SEPERATED LEAVING BULGE ON TREAD, ON US 60 BETWEEN MESA AND FLORENCE JUNCTION. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. RETAINED DAMAGED INCIDENT #3 TIRE. INCIDENT #1 & #2 TIRES WERE TRADED FOR REPLACEMENT. THREE TIRES FROM ORGINAL PURCHASE REMAIN TO FAIL AT A FUTURE DATE.*AK

NHTSA ID
763710
Incident
Jun 17, 2002
Interior & seats
Filed May 5, 1998

LOCKING TABS DO NOT HOLD THE SEAT LOCKED IN UPRIGHT POSITION. SEAT CAN FOLD FORWARD IF SEAT BELTS ARE USED OR NOT.

NHTSA ID
535198
Incident
Apr 20, 1998

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet C25 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1996200
1995110045.8
1994900
1993600
1992600
1991100
1990110
1989300
1988Viewing301
1986011
1985001
1984001
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.