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1988 Buick Electra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
5Owner complaints

Model-year median: 0

0Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
198512
19864
19875
19882
19895
19902
1991
Compare all Electra years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Steering
3Tires
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 5 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

5 reports
75,256 miles · May 27, 2009
Tires

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BUICK ELECTRA PARK AVENUE. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE FR480 TIRES, SIZE P205/75/R14. WITHIN A 2-3 WEEK TIME PERIOD, THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES FORMED BUBBLES AND THEN BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BUBBLES ON ONE OF THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT. BOTH REAR TIRES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BL…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BUICK ELECTRA PARK AVENUE. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE FR480 TIRES, SIZE P205/75/R14. WITHIN A 2-3 WEEK TIME PERIOD, THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES FORMED BUBBLES AND THEN BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BUBBLES ON ONE OF THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT. BOTH REAR TIRES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, BUT NO CRASH OCCURRED. THE LATEST FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO RECALLS ON THE TIRES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,431 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,256. UPDATED 06/11/09. *LJ UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10270063

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2000
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

CONSUMER WHILE PARKED WITH CAR RUNNING. PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND STARTED TO PUT CAR IN DRIVE, WHEN WHEELS STARTED SPINNING, ENGINE WAS REVVING. CONSUMER HAD BOTH FEET ON BRAKES, AND VEHCILE TOOK OFF, FLYING INTO THE OTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT, PUSHING THAT VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT TURN OFF ENGINE, THIS CAU…

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CONSUMER WHILE PARKED WITH CAR RUNNING. PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND STARTED TO PUT CAR IN DRIVE, WHEN WHEELS STARTED SPINNING, ENGINE WAS REVVING. CONSUMER HAD BOTH FEET ON BRAKES, AND VEHCILE TOOK OFF, FLYING INTO THE OTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT, PUSHING THAT VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT TURN OFF ENGINE, THIS CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #871244

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 1996
Steering

WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #980204

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 1996
Steering

WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #980041

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 1995
Steering

DURING MORNING START UP YOU CAN NOT MANIPULATE THE STEERING. TT

NHTSA ODI #961233

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

PE89098 · Anti Lock Brakes

Opened Mar 10, 1989 · Closed May 17, 1989

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

===

EA88031 · Sudden Acceleration

Opened Apr 22, 1988 · Closed Oct 23, 1989

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

STATUS:ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER IS IN PROGRESS.HOWEVER, NEITHER NHTSA OF GM HAS IDENTIFIED A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION THATCOULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.SOME VEHICLES IN THIS GROUP WEREFOUND POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO THROTTLE CABLE RESTRICTIONS, AND WERERECALLED ALONG WITH H CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.INVESTIGATION ISCONTINUING.===