Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1988 Chevrolet K15
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Brakes
436.4%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Suspension
327.3%
Transmission & Drivetrain
218.2%
0 crashes, 2 fires
Electrical System
19.1%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Engine & Cooling
19.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 1995peak 3Oct 1996
NHTSA investigations into the 1988 Chevrolet K15
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
PE88019Opened 19 Jan 1988Closed 31 Mar 1988SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
REAR BRK LIGHTS STAY ON
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 T...
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Blounts, FLFire
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SMOKE STARTED COMING AROUND TAIL LIGHTS AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE DIP STICK IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #802253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Syracuse, NYCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES SHUT OFF PRESSURE FROM HYDRAULIC FLUID DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. TT
NHTSA complaint #979166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cabool, MOFire1 injured
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FLUID OVERHEATS AND IS FORCED OUT OF VENT TUBE AND CAUGHT FIRE. TT
NHTSA complaint #976769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Campbell HAL, NYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TRUCK EXPERIENCES HIGH IDLING THAT TAKES OVER WHILE DRIVEN. TRUCK STALLED REPEATEDLY THEN FIRE STARTED ON TOP OF ENGINE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #960340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Parlin, NJ
SUSPENSION:REAR
GEARS UNDERNEATH THE SPIDER IN THE REAR END BROKE. CAUSING STRUCTURE TO WEAKEN.
NHTSA complaint #803788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blounts, FLFire
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SMOKE STARTED COMING AROUND TAIL LIGHTS AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE DIP STICK IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #802253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hebron, IN
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKES IT TAKES AN ADDITIONAL TEN TO TWENTY FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM.
NHTSA complaint #979843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hebron, IN
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKES IT TAKES AN ADDITIONAL TEN TO TWENTY FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM.
NHTSA complaint #979843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Syracuse, NYCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES SHUT OFF PRESSURE FROM HYDRAULIC FLUID DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. NO RESPONSE FROM ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. TT
NHTSA complaint #979166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cabool, MOFire1 injured
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FLUID OVERHEATS AND IS FORCED OUT OF VENT TUBE AND CAUGHT FIRE. TT
NHTSA complaint #976769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belleville, IL
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
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.
NHTSA complaint #972974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Napoleon, OH
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THERE IS A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK.
NHTSA complaint #968051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shippensburg, PA
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
BALL JOINTS ON FRONT SUSPENSION CAUSES PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. TT
NHTSA complaint #962583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pittsburg, PA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER IS NO GOOD, HAVE TO PUT PEDAL TO FLOOR TO STOP. TT
NHTSA complaint #960562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Campbell HAL, NYFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TRUCK EXPERIENCES HIGH IDLING THAT TAKES OVER WHILE DRIVEN. TRUCK STALLED REPEATEDLY THEN FIRE STARTED ON TOP OF ENGINE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #960340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.