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1988 Chevrolet Suburban

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet Suburban are lower than the model-year median of 118.

About this comparison →
30Owner complaints

Model-year median: 118

3Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
9
19857
198618
198730
198862
198954
199052
1991
Compare all Suburban years →

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

What owners reported most

Tires
9Seats
4Fuel System, Gasoline
3Power Train
3Engine And Engine Cooling
2
All reported categories
Seat Belts
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Structure
2Equipment
1Steering
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Visibility
1Wheels
1

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: 6 of 30 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.

  • Tires. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seats. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 13, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STALLS OUT, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES, AND HAD ENGINE REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS WATER IN AIR THE FLITER HOUSING AND VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND DIED, ALSO NOTICES A RATTLING COMING FROM RIGHT HAND SIDE OF VEHICLE WHEN ENGINE IS RUNNING. DEALER REPLACED …

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WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STALLS OUT, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES, AND HAD ENGINE REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS WATER IN AIR THE FLITER HOUSING AND VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND DIED, ALSO NOTICES A RATTLING COMING FROM RIGHT HAND SIDE OF VEHICLE WHEN ENGINE IS RUNNING. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE WIH USED ENGINE. *TT

NHTSA ODI #8009687

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

BECAUSE OF BROKEN CRANKSHAFT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION. YH

NHTSA ODI #549712

Official recalls

3

93V119000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor

Aug 2, 1993

SEVERE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT AT THE JOINT OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER SECTION AND THE CAST OUTER SECTION CAN CAUSE THE SECTIONS TO SEPARATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SEPARATION OF THE ROTOR SECTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OFBRAKING ABILITY IN THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THIS COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCE AND/OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LININGS ARE NECESSARY, IT WILL BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE SINCE BRAKE LININGS ARE NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS.

93V016000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Feb 1, 1993

UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Remedy: INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.

89V010000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

Jan 30, 1989

DRIVERS SEAT AND/OR SHOULDER BELT LOCKING MECHANISM MAY NOT OPERATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN A CRASH, AFFECTED BELTS WOULD NOT LOCK, THEREBYINCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEW DRIVERS SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.