Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet Silverado, most frequently naming the electrical, tires & wheels and transmission categories. 2 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 1997 | 1 | 2 |
| Mar 1998 | 1 | 3 |
| Nov 1998 | 1 | 4 |
| Mar 1999 | 1 | 5 |
| May 1999 | 1 | 6 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 7 |
| Feb 2000 | 1 | 8 |
| Apr 2000 | 1 | 9 |
| Aug 2000 | 2 | 11 |
| Dec 2000 | 1 | 12 |
| Jun 2001 | 1 | 13 |
| Dec 2001 | 1 | 14 |
| May 2002 | 1 | 15 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
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.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
THE TIRES WERE PUCHASED 04/03/01 AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 8,000 MILES OF USE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE SEPARATED TREAD TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 20/59. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY INVOLVED.*AK
"WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THIS ISSUE?"NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
ON APRIL 17TH, 2001,I PURCHASED A 1989 CHEVY GMC FOR $4,200 AFTER LEAVING A $100 CASH DEPOSIT THE DAY BEFORE. I PAID $3,000 CASH AND $1,129 IN A CHECK. I DROVE THAT TRUCK FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS. I KEPT HEARING A RATTLE. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRUCK WAS GOING TO THROW A ROD. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD DREW THE SITUATION. HE SAID HE WAS GLAD I CAME AND TALKED DIRECTLY TO HIM. I SAW THIS 1988 CHEVROLET SILVERADO ON HIS LOT. I TRADED THE CHEVY GMC FOR THE SILVERADO FOR AND ADDITIONAL $1,600 AND PAID THE DIFFERENCE. THIS WAS ON MAY 14, 2001. ON MAY 15TH, WHEN I DROVE MY 'NEW' TRUCK TO A FRIENDS' HOUSE, WE NOTICED A LEAK. WHEN WE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, WE FOUND THE TRUCK LEAKED ANTIFREEZE. I TEMPORARILY STOPPED THE LEAK AND CONTACTED THE DEALER ON THE 16TH. HE TOLD ME TO BRING THE TRUCK IN. WHEN I GOT THE TRUCK TO HIS LOT, HE TOLD ME T TAKE THE TRUCK TO HIS MECHANIC. I TOLD HIM I WOULD NOT TAKE IT THERE; HE HAD TO DO IT. HE DID SO AND HIS MECHANIC REPAIRED IT IN TWO DAYS. I PICKED IT UP ON THE 19TH. ON THE 20TH, THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. I CALLED HIM AGAIN. HE TOLD ME TO GET THE TRUCK TO HIS MECHANIC. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE MECHANIC (ECKE'S TOWING -$40.00). HE KEPT THE TRUCK FOR TWO DAYS AND CHARGED ME $140.00, BUT TOOK $130.00. DREW (MY SALESMAN) REFUSED TO HONOR THE SALES WARRANTY OF 50/50. HE SAID HE WOULD ONLY GUARANTEE THE TRANSMISSION AND THE MOTOR. THIS IS NOT ON THE SALES ORDER. ON MAY 26TH, THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT. THERE WAS WATER INSIDE THE TRUCK. THE HOSES HAVE BEEN PLUGGED TEMPORARILY. DREW REFUSES TO MAKE REPAIRS. I HAVE RUN OUT OF GAS TWICE BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE IS INACCURATE. I THOUGHT I HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS WHEN I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ON I-77 BETWEEN RICHFIELD AND CLEVELAND. I CALLED M&M TOWING, WHO TOOK ME TO A GAS STATION. THAT'S HOW WE FOUND OUT THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF GAS. I THOUGHT THAT TIME, THE PROBLEM WAS MECHANICAL UNTIL THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER SUGGESTED WE PUT GAS IN THE TRUCK. *
CONTINENTAL GENERAL AMER GHS TIRE (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND TO THE TRUCK BED, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAULTY TIRE. *SLC
THE ORIGINAL PAINT HAS PEELED OFF IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS, THE HOOD, BOTH DOORS AND THE ROOF. IT APPEARS TO BE BUBBLING AND FLAKING OFF TO EXPOSE THE PRIMER.
WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL, ANOTHER DRIVER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER CONSUMER'S CAR, CONSUMER GOT OUT AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP, AND A MECHANIC SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELLING 55MPH VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT, ENGINE REVVED, AND TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. CONTACTED DEALER WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP. *AK
BOTH SEAT RAILS ARE EXPERIENCING CRACKING. ONE SIDE ALREADY BROKE, AND THE OTHER SIDE IS CRACKING. ALSO, WHENEVER BRAKES ARE APPLIED IT CAUSES THE SEAT TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
SUSPENSION:REAR
SPRING SLAP NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE GMT 400 SERIES TRUCK. *MN
POWER TRAIN
DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION FOR INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, SLIP, BUSY/CYCLING TCC OR NOISY COOLING FAN. *TT
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 125 | 0 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 2016 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 76 | 7 | 0 | 52.7 |
| 2014 | 124 | 14 | 0 | 53.5 |
| 2013 | 64 | 3 | 0 | 50.8 |
| 2012 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 52.0 |
| 2011 | 75 | 2 | 0 | 48.6 |
| 2010 | 62 | 1 | 0 | 38.1 |
| 2009 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 37.9 |
| 2008 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 50.7 |
| 2007 | 183 | 4 | 2 | 58.7 |
| 2006 | 182 | 10 | 0 | 52.8 |
| 2005 | 316 | 14 | 0 | 50.7 |
| 2004 | 622 | 15 | 1 | 59.9 |
| 2003 | 695 | 13 | 8 | 62.5 |
| 2002 | 710 | 15 | 12 | 66.5 |
| 2001 | 877 | 15 | 13 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 1,305 | 20 | 13 | 66.6 |
| 1999 | 1,660 | 17 | 14 | 63.5 |
| 1998 | 279 | 0 | 2 | 43.0 |
| 1997 | 272 | 0 | 0 | 38.1 |
| 1996 | 186 | 0 | 0 | 39.2 |
| 1995 | 263 | 0 | 0 | 35.9 |
| 1994 | 210 | 0 | 0 | 37.1 |
| 1993 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 37.5 |
| 1992 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 36.9 |
| 1991 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 28.0 |
| 1990 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 1989 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 42.3 |
| 1988Viewing | 15 | 0 | 0 | 38.7 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.