IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ON HWY, AT APPROX. 25MPH, RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL DISENGAGED FROM AXLE AND FELL OFF, DUE TO MFR DESIGN FLAW NON-GREASEABLE BALL JOINTS. TT
1988 GMC C2500
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 C2500 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 2 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.
- Suspension. 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
2 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON HWY, AT APPROX. 25MPH, RIGHT FRONT FAILED. TT
Official recalls
293V016000 · 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.
88V081000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights
May 16, 1988
REAR WHEEL ANTILOCK BRAKE (RWAL) FEATURE COULD BECOME DISABLED BY AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR LAMP ON INSTRUMENT PANEL WILLNOT LIGHT TO INFORM THE DRIVER OF RWAL DISABLEMENT AND THUS NOT COMPLY WITHFMVSS 105.
Remedy: INSTALL A JUMPER WIRE HARNESS BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION CONNECTION AND ENGINE WIRE HARNESS.
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
2EA92041 · Fuel System Integrity
Opened Dec 8, 1992 · Closed Mar 9, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
There is no summary currently available
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. #======