IllustrationDT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING IN THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BOLT FRACTURED CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARD. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE BOLT.
1988 Chevrolet Suburban
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Chevrolet Suburban are lower than the model-year median of 118.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Suburban 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: 6 of 30 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.
- Tires. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Seats complaints
4 reportsSINGLE BOLT THAT ATTACHES SEAT BACK TO SEAT BASE FAILED, CAUSING SEAT BACK TO FALL BACK LEAVING ME LOOKING AT THE CEILING. I WAS STOPPED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. HAD I BEEN DRIVING THEIR WOULD CERTAINLY BEEN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATHS COULD HAVE RESULTED. THE DESIGN OF THIS SEAT IS AWFUL. ON THE ADJUSTMENT SIDE TH…
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SINGLE BOLT THAT ATTACHES SEAT BACK TO SEAT BASE FAILED, CAUSING SEAT BACK TO FALL BACK LEAVING ME LOOKING AT THE CEILING. I WAS STOPPED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. HAD I BEEN DRIVING THEIR WOULD CERTAINLY BEEN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATHS COULD HAVE RESULTED. THE DESIGN OF THIS SEAT IS AWFUL. ON THE ADJUSTMENT SIDE THERE ARE TWO BOLTS ATTACHING THE SEAT BACK TO THE SEAT BOTTOM. IF EITHER BOLT FAILS THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSES WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM
SINGLE BOLT HOLDING SEATBACK UPRIGHT SUDDENLY FAILED,LEAVING DRIVER FLAT ON HIS BACK, LOOKING UP AT THE CEILING. THIS OCCURRED JUST AFTER I HAD TRAVELLED 120 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE, AT THE LISTED SPEED LIMIT OF 75 MPH. HAD THE VEHICLE NOT BEEN STOPPED WHEN THE BOLT FAILED, I MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED. *…
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SINGLE BOLT HOLDING SEATBACK UPRIGHT SUDDENLY FAILED,LEAVING DRIVER FLAT ON HIS BACK, LOOKING UP AT THE CEILING. THIS OCCURRED JUST AFTER I HAD TRAVELLED 120 MILES ON THE INTERSTATE, AT THE LISTED SPEED LIMIT OF 75 MPH. HAD THE VEHICLE NOT BEEN STOPPED WHEN THE BOLT FAILED, I MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED. *AK
THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE DRIVER'S BUCKET SEAT IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE SEAT TO RELEASE FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Official recalls
393V119000 · 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.
93V016000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Feb 1, 1993
UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
Consequence & remedy
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.
89V010000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
Jan 30, 1989
DRIVERS SEAT AND/OR SHOULDER BELT LOCKING MECHANISM MAY NOT OPERATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN A CRASH, AFFECTED BELTS WOULD NOT LOCK, THEREBYINCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
Remedy: INSTALL A NEW DRIVERS SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.