1988 Subaru Dl Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Subaru Dl, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system225.0%
- Seat belts225.0%
- Driver assistance112.5%
- Engine112.5%
- Powertrain (other)112.5%
- 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.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE HARD TO START IN COLD OR WET WEATHER.
REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON THE RIGHT FRONT BUMBER. DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT DIDN'T HOLD, RESULTING IN DRIVER SUSTAININ SERIOUS INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
SEAT BELT BUCKLE APPEAR TO BE FASTEN, BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT COMES UNFASTENED. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ENGINE REVED HIGH WHEN THE DRIVER PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL DUE TO THE ACCELERATOR STICKING AND THE DRIVER STRUCK A PEDESTRIAN AND OTHER VEHICLES. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .