IllustrationGEARS UNDERNEATH THE SPIDER IN THE REAR END BROKE. CAUSING STRUCTURE TO WEAKEN. *AK
1988 Chevrolet K15
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all K15 years →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: 0 of 10 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
10 reportsSMOKE STARTED COMING AROUND TAIL LIGHTS AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE DIP STICK IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.*AK
APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKES IT TAKES AN ADDITIONAL TEN TO TWENTY FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK
BRAKES SHUT OFF PRESSURE FROM HYDRAULIC FLUID DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. TT
TRANSMISSION FLUID OVERHEATS AND IS FORCED OUT OF VENT TUBE AND CAUGHT FIRE. TT
RECEIVED LETTER STATING MFG., REPLACE BALL JOINTS W/GREASABLE DESIGN. THE DEALER REFUSE TO SERVICE DUE TO MILEAGE. HE IS HAVING EXCESSIVE WEAR. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT VEHICLE IS PAST 5 YEARS OF AGE, BUT HAVE NOT REACHED 100,00 BALL JOINTS ARE BAD CAUSING TIRES TOO FAIL AND UNABLE TO ALIGN FRONT END.*JB
THERE IS A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. *AK
BALL JOINTS ON FRONT SUSPENSION CAUSES PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. TT
BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER IS NO GOOD, HAVE TO PUT PEDAL TO FLOOR TO STOP. TT
TRUCK EXPERIENCES HIGH IDLING THAT TAKES OVER WHILE DRIVEN. TRUCK STALLED REPEATEDLY THEN FIRE STARTED ON TOP OF ENGINE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Official recalls
0No 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
1PE88019 · 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. #======