Recalls (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 1988 Chevrolet C10. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗POWER TRAIN:TRANSMISSION:AUTOMATIC
- Summary
- UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
- Consequence
- THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
- Remedy
- INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.
BRAKES:HYDRAULIC:LINES:HOSE:NON-METALLIC
- Summary
- RIGHT AND LEFT HAND BRAKE HOSE MAY CONTACT THE WHEEL OR TIRE IN A FULL TURN.
- Consequence
- IF THE HOSE MAKES CONTACT WITH THE WHEEL OR TIRE IT WILLEVENTUALLY WEAR THE HOSE TO A POINT OF RUPTURE, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF THEFRONT BRAKES. LOSS OF FRONT BRAKES WOULD INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE WHENMINIMUM TIME IS REQUIRED AND COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
- Remedy
- INSTALL NEW REPOSITIONING BRACKETS FOR THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES.
EQUIPMENT:SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES(12:83)
- Summary
- CRUISE CONTROL CABLE LOCK MECHANISM MAY SELF DISENGAGE CAUSING ERRATIC OPERATION OR THROTTLE NOT RETURNING TO IDLE.
- Consequence
- ENGINE SPEED WOULD NOT DECREASE; LOSS OF ACCELERATORCONTROL COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
- Remedy
- INSTALL A CLAMP AROUND THE LOCK TAB OF CRUISE CONTROL.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD:END
- Summary
- ONE OR BOTH OF OUTER TIE ROD NUTS MAY BE LOOSE AND NOT CRIMPED.
- Consequence
- LOSS OF ONE OR BOTH NUTS COULD LEAD TO TIE RODDISENGAGING FROM STEERING KNUCKLE RESULTING IN POSSIBLE LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL AND POSSIBLY A CRASH.
- Remedy
- REPLACE TIE ROD AND KNUCKLE AND SET TOE-IN.
STRUCTURE:DOOR ASSEMBLY:LATCHES AND LOCKS
- Summary
- TRUCKS MAY HAVE CRACKED OR BROKEN DOOR STRIKER NUTS, WHICH DO NOT CONFORM TO FMVSS 206.
- Consequence
- IN A COLLISION, CRACKED OR BROKEN STRIKER NUT COULDALLOW DOOR TO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY AND POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY TO OCCUPANTS.
- Remedy
- REPLACE EXISTING DOOR STRIKER NUTS.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (7)
7 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 3 | 42.9% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 28.6% |
| Steering | 1 | 14.3% |
| Suspension | 1 | 14.3% |
How 1988 compares with other C10 years
Best and worst C10 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| 1985 | 7 | 1 |
| 1986 | 7 | 1 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 7 | 5 |
| 1989 | 5 | 2 |
| 1990 | 3 | 2 |
| 1991 | 3 | 1 |
| 1992 | 9 | 3 |
| 1993 | 9 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 1988 C10 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1988 Chevrolet C10 FAQ
How many recalls does the 1988 Chevrolet C10 have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns: 93V016000 (power train), 87V136000 (brake), 87V125000 (vehicle speed control), 87V126000 (steering), 87V127000 (latch). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1988 Chevrolet C10 problems?
Owners filed 7 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (3), Engine and engine cooling (2), Steering (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1988 C10 compare with other years?
Among the 1984–1993 Chevrolet C10 model years at least five years old, the 1987 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 1993 the most (9). The 1988 drew 7. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.