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1988 Chevrolet CorvetteProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 16 owner complaints about the 1988 Chevrolet Corvette, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints160 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage59kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 27, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 Chevrolet Corvette has problems

16 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts80
Electrical system40
Service brakes, hydraulic30
Power train20
Equipment20
Seats20
Vehicle speed control10
Exterior lighting10
Steering10
2 other systems20

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1988 Chevrolet Corvette recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Springs: leaf spring assembly

Recall 90V-032 · Feb 12, 1990 · 45,969 vehicles

Risk. FRACTURE IN THIS ASSEMBLY COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Wheels: hubcap/cover

Recall 88V-017 · Feb 9, 1988 · 4,901 vehicles

Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN PARTIAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROLAND BRAKES, LOSS OF TIRE AIR PRESSURE, AND SUDDEN CHANGE IN VEHICLE DIRECTION,WHICH COULD RESULT IN CRASH…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Best & worst years

1988 vs. every other Corvette year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Corvette median. How we score

'68'69'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 Chevrolet Corvette, and the recalls they led to.

  1. BRAKE PULLDP96006 · closed Oct 18, 1996
    No recall
  2. THROTTLE STICKINGEA92005 · closed Jan 29, 1993
    No recall
  3. TIE ROD SOCKET FAILUREPE90032 · closed Mar 22, 1990
    Led to recall 90V-032
In owners' words

What Corvette owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

the seatbelts on my vehicle will not retract leaving the seatbelt loose on the occupants resulting a injuries if the vehicle were to be involved in a collision, I have contacted GM, they have refused to fix the vehicle due to its age.
Complaint 11556995 · Nov 27, 2023
the seat belts will not retract leaving the driver and passenger seat belts loose while wearing them, the vehicle has an open recall for this issue, I have contacted GM about the issue and they put me in touch with a dealer, after some back and forth for several months the dealer indicated that GM…
Complaint 11534381 · Jul 25, 2023
This vehicle is included in a seat belt recall, the seat belts do not retract. I have attempted to contact dealer for repairs, they stated they would have to do some research on the recall and get back to me. This has not happened, they vehicle is inoperable due to the faulty seat belts
Complaint 11502977 · Jan 21, 2023

Own a 1988 Corvette?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.