Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1988 Pontiac 6000
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Steering
628.6%
Seat Belts
523.8%
Fuel & Propulsion
314.3%
Brakes
29.5%
Transmission & Drivetrain
29.5%
Suspension
14.8%
Electrical System
14.8%
Engine & Cooling
14.8%
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.
Jan 1995peak 4Oct 2000
NHTSA investigations into the 1988 Pontiac 6000
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.
PE94048Opened 21 Jun 1994Closed 30 Dec 1994ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SUB-FRAME ABSORBER FAILURE
EA92024Opened 26 Jun 1992Closed 31 Jan 1994VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
STICKING THROTTLE
PE89035Opened 19 Jan 1989Closed 24 May 1989EXTERIOR LIGHTING
STOP LAMPS
SUMMARY:A CHEVROLET SERVICE BULLETIN DATED JULY 1988 INDICATES THAT BOTHSOCKETS MUST BE REPLACED USING PART NUMBER 5972532.THIS SERVICE STOCKUSES A NEW HEAT RESISTANT MATERIAL.PRODUCTION STOCK WAS ALSO CORRECTEDBEGINNING WITH VINS J7163799 AND JJ187909.===
EA89010Opened 17 Jan 1989Closed 8 May 1990SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS
Recalls on the 1988 Pontiac 6000
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 19881663,728 units in Canada
Fuel System
THE FUEL FEED HOSE COULD LEAK AT THE COUPLING ON THE ENGINE END OF THE HOSE ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORRECTION: FUEL FEED HOSE ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY WITH A NEW HOSE ASSEMBLY.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Sewickley, PA
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
FIRST TRANSAXLE WAS REPLACED AT 175K MILES BECAUSE THIRD GEAR WAS SLIPPING, THE REPLACEMENT IS NOW DOING THE SAME, CONSUMER HAS TO START OUT IN FIRST GEAR AND THE REVERSE DOESN'T WORK.
NHTSA complaint #781992 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Baltimore, MD
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN THE BRAKEIS WERE APPLIED THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR AND GAVE NO RESPNOSE, TO GET A RESPONSE , PEDAL HAS TO BE PUMPED HARD. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD THE ANTI-SKID SYSTEM DEACTIVATED SO THAT THE REGULAR BRAKE WOULD WORK PROPERLY. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #849439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palmer, AK
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD WEATHER POWER STEERING FAILURE. LEAKING SEALS. REPLACEMENT OF RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. NEW RACK AND PINION FAILED AGAIN WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER.
NHTSA complaint #711890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palmer, AK
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
COLD WEATHER POWER STEERING FAILURE. LEAKING SEALS. REPLACEMENT OF RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. NEW RACK AND PINION FAILED AGAIN WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER.
NHTSA complaint #711890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Loveland, OH
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
STEEL FUEL LINE IS RUSTED, AND IS CAUSING A LEAK BY THE REAR OF THE GAS TANK. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #846909 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sewickley, PA
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIMMY AND SWAY TO THE RIGHT. ALSO TRANS AXLE MALFUNCTIONED.
NHTSA complaint #781991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sewickley, PA
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIMMY AND SWAY TO THE RIGHT. ALSO TRANS AXLE MALFUNCTIONED.
NHTSA complaint #781991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cranston, RI
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
PROBLEM W/FUEL TANK.. (2ND VEHICLE ON 506366)
NHTSA complaint #601615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cranston, RI
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #601615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.