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1988 GMC SuburbanProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 8 owner complaints about the 1988 GMC Suburban, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints80 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem2Seat belts

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 26, 2005. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 GMC Suburban has problems

8 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 belts20
Equipment10
Engine and engine cooling10
Structure11
Suspension10
Tires10
Seats10

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

2 recalls

1988 GMC Suburban 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

Power train: automatic transmission

Recall 93V-016 · Feb 1, 1993 · 1,702,880 vehicles

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front: webbing

Recall 89V-010 · Jan 30, 1989 · 277 vehicles

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

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 GMC.

Best & worst years

1988 vs. every other Suburban 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 Suburban median. How we score

'66'74'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 GMC Suburban, and the recalls they led to.

  1. INADEQUATE EXHAUST HEAT SHIELDDP90017 · closed Dec 21, 1990
    No recall
  2. SEAT BACK BOLT BREAKAGEEA92022 · closed Nov 19, 1993
    Led to recall 93V-187
  3. CRUISE CONTROLPE89097 · closed Jun 5, 1989
    No recall
  4. IMPROPER SPEED CONTROLPE90026 · closed Apr 9, 1990
    No recall
  5. SEAT BACK FAILURESPE92026 · closed Jun 24, 1992
    No recall
In owners' words

What Suburban owners report

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

SHOULDER BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY ASPECT OF PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER COULD ONLY SAY THAT IT WAS VERY POORLY PRODUCED. THEY COULD ONLY SAY IT WAS DISCONTINUED. CONSUMER WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE INSTALLATION & EQUIPMENT. *AK
Complaint 873531 · Oct 20, 2000

Own a 1988 Suburban?

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