Menu

1988 Pontiac LemansProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 13 owner complaints about the 1988 Pontiac Lemans, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

–
CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints135 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem7Seat belts

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 24, 2002. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1988 Pontiac Lemans has problems

13 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 belts72
Service brakes, hydraulic30
Suspension30
Engine and engine cooling20
Fuel system, gasoline20
Power train20
Visibility10
Equipment10
Steering11
1 other systems10

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

3 recalls

1988 Pontiac Lemans 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

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 93V-154 · Sep 21, 1993 · 182,045 vehicles

Risk. THE BUCKLE MALFUNCTION WOULD PREVENT THE USE OF THESAFETY BELT SYSTEM, PLACING THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT IN INCREASED RISK OF INJURYIN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 88V-163 · Oct 18, 1988 · 85,063 vehicles

Risk. IN EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR COLLISION, SEAT BELT COULDRELEASE, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO OCCUPANTS.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Tank assembly: filler pipe and cap

Recall 88V-094 · Jun 14, 1988 · 72,616 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION IMPACT, FUEL SPILLAGE INEXCESS OF AMOUNT ALLOWED BY FMVSS 301 COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

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 Pontiac.

Best & worst years

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

'67'68'71'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'88'89'90'91'92'93
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1988 Pontiac Lemans, and the recalls they led to.

  1. INADEQUATE BRAKESPE89113 · closed Nov 30, 1989
    No recall
  2. FRONT BRAKE DISC/HUB SEPPE91101 · closed Nov 4, 1991
    No recall
In owners' words

What Lemans owners report

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

THE SEAT BELT COME OUT OF BUCKLE WHEN CONSUMER WAS IN ACCIDENT. TT CONSUMER STATES SHE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH AND A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF HER VEHICLE ON IMPACT AND SEAT BELT CAME OPEN, AND CONSUMER AND CONSUMER WENT INTO CONSOLE, WAS THORWN AROUND IN VEHICLE, DAMAGE WAS FRONT LEFT HEADLIGHT…
Complaint 974276 · Oct 31, 1995
CONSUMER WAS LOCK IN SEAT BELT TRY TO RELEASE THE BELT TO GET OUT COULDN'T RELEASE BELT THIS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT. TT
Complaint 963979 · Apr 19, 1995

Own a 1988 Lemans?

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