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1988 Chevrolet C25

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 3 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seats. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

3 reports
48,000 miles · Nov 4, 2003
Visibility

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ANY SPEED EXCEPT HIGH DURING WET WEATHER AND OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. HOWEVER THEY WORK FINE IN DRY WEATHER. IT SHOWS THE SAME SYMPTONS AS 94-95 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. JUST RECIEVED RECALL ON THAT ONE. SHOP COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. AND SAID IT HAS SAME CIRCUIT BOARD AS THE ASTRO. *…

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WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT WORK AT ANY SPEED EXCEPT HIGH DURING WET WEATHER AND OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. HOWEVER THEY WORK FINE IN DRY WEATHER. IT SHOWS THE SAME SYMPTONS AS 94-95 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. JUST RECIEVED RECALL ON THAT ONE. SHOP COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. AND SAID IT HAS SAME CIRCUIT BOARD AS THE ASTRO. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10045404

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2002
Tires

SIX TIRES PURCHASED ON JUNE 17, 1998. THREE OF THESE TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON THE TIRE. FIRST INCIDENT: AUGUST 2, 2001, TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE LEAVING ITS DEBRIS ON I-10 BETWEEN PHOENIX AND TUCSON. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH. SECOND INCIDENT: AUGUST 16, 2001, TREAD B…

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SIX TIRES PURCHASED ON JUNE 17, 1998. THREE OF THESE TIRES HAVE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON THE TIRE. FIRST INCIDENT: AUGUST 2, 2001, TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE LEAVING ITS DEBRIS ON I-10 BETWEEN PHOENIX AND TUCSON. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH. SECOND INCIDENT: AUGUST 16, 2001, TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE LEAVING A BULGE ON THE TREAD, ON I-17 IN PHOENIX. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THIRD INCIDENT: JUNE 21, 2002, TREAD SEPERATED LEAVING BULGE ON TREAD, ON US 60 BETWEEN MESA AND FLORENCE JUNCTION. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. RETAINED DAMAGED INCIDENT #3 TIRE. INCIDENT #1 & #2 TIRES WERE TRADED FOR REPLACEMENT. THREE TIRES FROM ORGINAL PURCHASE REMAIN TO FAIL AT A FUTURE DATE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #763710

Mileage unknown · May 5, 1998
Seats

LOCKING TABS DO NOT HOLD THE SEAT LOCKED IN UPRIGHT POSITION. SEAT CAN FOLD FORWARD IF SEAT BELTS ARE USED OR NOT.

NHTSA ODI #535198

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE88019 · Rear Brk Lights Stay On

Opened Jan 19, 1988 · Closed Mar 31, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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. #======