1988 Subaru Gl 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 Gl, 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
- Seat belts1152.4%
- Engine314.3%
- Brakes29.5%
- Suspension29.5%
- Electrical14.8%
- Powertrain (other)14.8%
- Driver assistance14.8%
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
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELT FAILED TO STOP OR LOCK DURING ROLLOVER, RESULTING IN INJURIES.
SEAT BELT FAILED TO HOLD DRIVER IN POSITION DURING VEHICLE ROLLOVER, CONTRIBUTING TO INJURY.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAS FAILED AFTER BEING REPAIRED TWICE. THE TURBO -CHARGER UNIT ALSO HAS FAILED AFTER BEING REPAIRED TWICE. *AK
TIMING BELTS BREAK ABOUT EVERY 40000 MILES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
UPON PRESSING THE PEDAL BEEPING NOISE OCCURS DUE TO POWDER BUILD UP ON BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GRIND/SQUEAK UPON BRAKING. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAS FAILED AFTER BEING REPAIRED TWICE. THE TURBO -CHARGER UNIT ALSO HAS FAILED AFTER BEING REPAIRED TWICE. *AK
STRUTS FAILED DUE TO BEING WORN OUT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GRIND/SQUEAK UPON BRAKING. *AK
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
STRUTS FAILED DUE TO BEING WORN OUT.
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
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ONE ACCIDENT. *SKD
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 .