IllustrationDRIVING ON ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH ALL OF SUDDEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOT UP AND THE STEERING COLUMN WOULDN'T MOVE. PULLED OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED T A MECHANIC SHOP. REPLACED POWER STEERING BRACKET.
1988 Chevrolet Blazer
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 32.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Blazer years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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 40 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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports7 fire reports2 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
7 reportsENGINE FIRE(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER HOOD.OWNER NOTES OF FLAMES COMING FROM THE BACK OF ENGINE. CAUSE APPEARS TO BE OIL SHOOTING OUT OF DIPSTICK WHICH CAUSED FIRE. *AK
WHEN PARKED WIRES IGNITED NEAR FIRE WALL. TT WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE, LIFTED UP THE HOOD AND NOTICED ENGINE ON FIRE BACK BY THE FIREWALL, CONSUMER PUT OUT FIRE WITH WATER HOSE AND FIRE EXTINGUISHER. *SLC
FAULTY INTAKE GASKET, RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. *SD
ENGINE REPLACED. *SKD
DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEAT LATCH FAILED, ALLOWING SEAT TO BE PUSHED WITHOUT USE OF RELEASE BUTTON.
Official recalls
193V119000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor
Aug 2, 1993
SEVERE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT AT THE JOINT OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER SECTION AND THE CAST OUTER SECTION CAN CAUSE THE SECTIONS TO SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SEPARATION OF THE ROTOR SECTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OFBRAKING ABILITY IN THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THIS COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCE AND/OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LININGS ARE NECESSARY, IT WILL BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE SINCE BRAKE LININGS ARE NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS.
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
1PE89024 · Steering Damper Separation
Opened Dec 14, 1988 · Closed Feb 27, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available