Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 GMC C1500, most frequently naming the brakes, electrical and seat belts categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 1 manufacturer communication is 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1995 | 2 | 2 |
| Feb 1997 | 1 | 3 |
| Mar 1997 | 1 | 4 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 5 |
| Dec 1999 | 1 | 6 |
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.
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY
There is no summary currently available
REAR BRK LIGHTS STAY ON
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. #======
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
ON DECEMBER 4, 1999, WHILE FUELING THE TRUCK FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT OF THE FILL SPOUT AREA RESULTING IN TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE TRUCK AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE GAS STATION. UPON INVESTIGATION BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE INVESTIGATOR IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE AN ACCIDENTAL ELECTRICAL FIRE.
ABS BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED & RELEASED. ALSO, SEATS HAVE NO HEAD REST. CAN CAUSE A WHIPLASH EFFECT IF VEHICLE IS HIT FROM BEHIND. BEEN TO DEALER FOR BRAKES, BUT WILL NOT INSTALL HEADREST. *AK
CONSUMER'S WIRING HARNESS IS MELTING, THE WIRING AND THE BRAKES AND TAIL LIGHTS ARE BURNING OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN NINE YEARS. *AK
PITMAN AND IDLER CONTROL ARMS FAILED.
MISSING SPARE TIRE FROM THE MOUNTING UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK. TT
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 35MPH, SUDDENLY THE PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL DETACHED FROM AXLE, NO PRIOR WARNING, DUE TO LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE. TT
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON FRONT DOOR HINGE PIN BUSHING WEAR, FRONT DOOR SAG, OR DOOR CHUCKING MOVEMENT IN EXTREME OPERATING CONDITIONS. *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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 37.2 |
| 1995 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 46.9 |
| 1994 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 35.4 |
| 1993 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 43.9 |
| 1992 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 44.4 |
| 1991 | 5 | 1 | 2 | — |
| 1990 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1989 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1988Viewing | 6 | 1 | 2 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1985 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 1973 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — |
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.