RoadVitals

1988 Chevrolet K15

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.
10
Latest Oct 21, 1996
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.
4
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet K15, most frequently naming the brakes, suspension and transmission 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

  • Brakes330.0%
  • Suspension330.0%
  • Transmission220.0%
  • Electrical110.0%
  • Engine110.0%

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

Suspension
Filed Oct 21, 1996

GEARS UNDERNEATH THE SPIDER IN THE REAR END BROKE. CAUSING STRUCTURE TO WEAKEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
803788
Incident
Oct 21, 1993
Transmission
Filed Sep 11, 1996
Fire reported

SMOKE STARTED COMING AROUND TAIL LIGHTS AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE DIP STICK IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK

NHTSA ID
802253
Incident
Apr 21, 1996
Brakes
Filed Feb 28, 1996

APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKES IT TAKES AN ADDITIONAL TEN TO TWENTY FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
979843
Incident
Jul 28, 1987
Brakes
Filed Feb 13, 1996
Crash reported

BRAKES SHUT OFF PRESSURE FROM HYDRAULIC FLUID DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. TT

NHTSA ID
979166
Incident
Jun 13, 1995
Transmission
Filed Dec 18, 1995
Fire reported1 injury reported

TRANSMISSION FLUID OVERHEATS AND IS FORCED OUT OF VENT TUBE AND CAUGHT FIRE. TT

NHTSA ID
976769
Incident
Sep 17, 1995
Suspension
Filed Oct 5, 1995

RECEIVED LETTER STATING MFG., REPLACE BALL JOINTS W/GREASABLE DESIGN. THE DEALER REFUSE TO SERVICE DUE TO MILEAGE. HE IS HAVING EXCESSIVE WEAR. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT VEHICLE IS PAST 5 YEARS OF AGE, BUT HAVE NOT REACHED 100,00 BALL JOINTS ARE BAD CAUSING TIRES TOO FAIL AND UNABLE TO ALIGN FRONT END.*JB

NHTSA ID
972974
Engine
Filed Jun 30, 1995

THERE IS A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. *AK

NHTSA ID
968051
Suspension
Filed Mar 27, 1995

BALL JOINTS ON FRONT SUSPENSION CAUSES PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. TT

NHTSA ID
962583
Incident
Mar 27, 1995

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet K15 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1996700
1995380047.6
1994290036.2
1993150040.9
1992110044.6
1991900
1990610
1989200
1988Viewing100152.2
1986111
1985001
1984001
1983001
1982101
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.