RoadVitals

1988 Chevrolet K25

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.
7
Latest Aug 28, 2001
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.
1

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet K25, most frequently naming the brakes, seat belts and electrical 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

  • Brakes225.0%
  • Seat belts225.0%
  • Electrical112.5%
  • Exterior lighting112.5%
  • Tires & wheels112.5%
  • Transmission112.5%

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

Transmission
Filed Aug 28, 2001

AFTER LOOKING AT: HTTP://THECOMPLAINTSTATION.COM/G/GM_TOC.HTM#000001E3 , IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE DEFECTIVE GM TRANSMISSION HAS STRANDED MANY OTHERS BESIDES MYSELF. SO FAR THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY INJURY OR DEATHS REPORTED HERE BUT I SEE HOW ONE COULD BE STRANDED IN AN SUV IN A VERY BAD SITUATION! IN MY CASE THE DEALER FOUND THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE TRANS BEFORE I GOT BROKE DOWN ON THE BEACH SOMEWHERE WITH AN INCOMMING TIDE! GM SEEMS TO THINK THAT IT IS REASONABLE TO REPLACE THIS TRANSMISSION 4 TIMES ON MY TRUCK BUT, LIKE THE OTHERS ON THE WEBSITE I THINK THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AND IF NOTHING ELSE PROVIDE AN EXTENDED WARANTEE ON TRANSMISSIONS TO THOSE OF US DUM ENOUGH TO KEEP BUYING THEIR PRODUCTS. ALL OF THESE FOLKS ON THE WEBSITE CAN'T BE WRONG. GM HAS A PROBLEM AND IT WILL RESULT IN AN INJURY OR DEATH BEFORE THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND DO THE RIGHT THING! I AM STILL LOOKING FOR THE CLASS ACTION SUIT TO HAPPEN. I WILL BE ENVOLVED IN THAT ACTION. IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION OR ADVICE ON THIS ,PLEASE LET ME KNOW? THANKS, JIM SANFORD. *AK

NHTSA ID
751265
Incident
Aug 1, 1994
BrakesTires & wheels
Filed Aug 9, 2000

CASING PEELED FROM TIRE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. CASING BECAME ENTAGLED AROUND REAR AXLE, HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE. PRESSURE ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE CAUSED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO BE ACTIVATED. ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT WITH FOUR OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES ON INTERSTATE 5. TIME OF OCCURENCE WAS 6 A. M. TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED THE EVENING BEFORE FOR PROPER INFLATION AS PART OF TRIP PREPARATION. TRIP WAS PLANNED FOR 700 MILES. TIRE FAILED AT 60 MILES INTO THE TRIP. CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL STOPPED TO LEND ASSISTANCE, BUT A REPORT WAS NOT FILED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

NHTSA ID
727336
Incident
Aug 5, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Nov 30, 1995

PASSENGER SEATBELT IS STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. TT

NHTSA ID
975826
Incident
Jan 12, 1993
Brakes
Filed Sep 7, 1995

DESIGN DEFECT IN PLATE PORTION OF TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY; BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK WHEN RUNNING LIGHTS ARE ON. TT

NHTSA ID
971725
Incident
Jul 15, 1995
Electrical
Filed Mar 8, 1995
Fire reported

VEHICLE HAD BEEN ON ROAD 15 MINUTES GOING ABOUT 50MPH HEARD NOISE AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. TT

NHTSA ID
961480
Incident
Mar 5, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Feb 22, 1995

THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RESTRAIN . PLEASE DESCRIBE INCIDENT. TT

NHTSA ID
960334
Incident
Feb 1, 1995
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 6, 1995

REAR BRAKE LAMP/SIGNAL DOESN'T ILLUMINATE DUE TO PLATE MELTING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
958325

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet K25 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1996600
1995120043.7
1994120037.7
1993400
1992200
1991100
1990210
1989500
1988Viewing701
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.