RoadVitals

1988 Chevrolet Celebrity Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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 Sep 14, 1999
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
21%
of 39 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Sep 14, 1999

ENGINE CRADLE MOUNTING BOLT AND ATTACHING HARDWARE RUSTED THROUGH AND SHEERED AT BODY FRAME. ATTACHING LOCKING NUT AND REMAINDER OF MOUNTING BOLT STILL INSIDE BODY FRAME. ENGINE SHIFTS AND FRONT CONTROL ARM SHIFT DURING OPERATION. LOSS OF SECOND RIGHT SIDE MOUNTING SUPPORT STRUCTURE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING AND CRASH. GM REFERRED ME TO LOCAL DEALER, WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED BY THE OWNER, WHICH WOULD INDETAIL CUTTING OPEN THE FRAME AND REPLACING LOCKING NUT AND ASSOCIATED HARDWARE AND REWELDING FRAME. CONTACTED NHTSA WHO ALSO COULD NOT LOCATE A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE. THERE ARE SIMILAR RECALLS OUT FOR GM VEHICLES WITH CRADLE PROBLEMS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS ACCIDENT FREE. THE DEFECT TO MY BELIEF IS DESIGN AND WEATHER INDUCED. PROPER HARDWARE AND DESIGN WOULD PREVENT THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
711340
Incident
Aug 10, 1999
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Feb 18, 1998

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, DUE TO OVERHEATING.

NHTSA ID
530670
Engine
Filed May 6, 1997
2 injuries reported1 death reported

WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION THE ENGINE STOPED, WHEN STARTED AGAIN THE CAR JUMPED FORWARD, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
516953
Incident
Dec 19, 1995
Engine
Filed Feb 28, 1996

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON VEHICLE OVERHEATED. CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
979865
Incident
Feb 25, 1996
Engine
Filed Dec 18, 1995

EXPERIENCED PREMATURE WEAR OF CAMSHAFT. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
976731
Incident
Dec 16, 1995
Engine
Filed Nov 13, 1995

BELT TENSIONER MALFUNCTIONS, REPLACED FOUR TIMES IN THREE YEARS. TT

NHTSA ID
974879
Incident
Jun 13, 1995
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Mar 28, 1995

PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY THE VEHICLE PULLS TO ONE SIDE WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO STEER. TT

NHTSA ID
962659
Incident
Feb 12, 1995
Engine
Filed Feb 23, 1995

MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE WORE OUT, CAUSING A JERKY MOTION WHEN CAR SLOWS DOWN. TT

NHTSA ID
960521
Incident
Feb 23, 1995

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Steering11

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .