IllustrationWHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM AREA OF REAR BUMPER, PULLED OVER, FIRE COMING FROM UNDERHOOD WAS CAUSED BY BUILT UP PRESSURE THAT FORCED TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF FILLER TUBE, SPRAYED ONTO ENGINE, PLASTIC COATING/HOSES, ETC. MELTED ONTO GROUND.*AK
1988 GMC K15
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all K15 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
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: 0 of 2 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.
- Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. 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.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
2 reportsSTEERING WHEEL BOLTS THAT SCREWS IN THE WHEEL ARE LOOSE. TT
Official recalls
693V119000 · 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.
89V107000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jul 6, 1989
TIRE SIZE DATA ON CERTIFICATION LABEL IS INCORRECT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECT TIRE INFORMATION FAILS TO CONFORM TOFMVSS 120.
Remedy: AFFIX NEW CERTIFICATION LABEL WITH CORRECT INFORMATION.
87V125000 · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
Aug 10, 1987
CRUISE CONTROL CABLE LOCK MECHANISM MAY SELF DISENGAGE CAUSING ERRATIC OPERATION OR THROTTLE NOT RETURNING TO IDLE.
Consequence & remedy
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.
87V126000 · Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly
Aug 10, 1987
ONE OR BOTH OF OUTER TIE ROD NUTS MAY BE LOOSE AND NOT CRIMPED.
Consequence & remedy
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.
87V127000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Aug 10, 1987
TRUCKS MAY HAVE CRACKED OR BROKEN DOOR STRIKER NUTS, WHICH DO NOT CONFORM TO FMVSS 206.
Consequence & remedy
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.
87V128000 · Suspension:front:shock Absorber
Aug 10, 1987
INCORRECT FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER UPPER AND LOWER NUTS COULD LOOSEN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOCK ABSORBER COULD DETACH AND COME IN CONTACT WITHFRONT BRAKE HOSE; THIS CONTACT COULD RESULT IN A LEAK IN THE HOSE AND LOSS OFFRONT BRAKES.
Remedy: REPLACE FREE SPINNING NUTS WITH TORQUE NUTS.
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
1PE88019 · Rear Brk Lights Stay On
Opened Jan 19, 1988 · Closed Mar 31, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:ON SOME 1988 C/K MODEL TRUCKSTHE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO STAY ON AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEENRELEASED.IN A MAJORITY OF CASES, THE STOPLAMP SWITCH BEING MISADJUSTEDHAS BEEN THE CAUSE.OTHER POSSIBILITIES INCLUDE (A) BINDING AT THE EYELET OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER ROD AND ITS ATTACHMENT PIN AND (B) PEDAL MOUNTINGBUSHINGS NOT BEING PROPERLY LUBRICATED.GM BELIEVES THAT IF THE VEHICLEIS EITHER ACCELERATING OR TRAVELING AT A CONSTANT SPEED, AND THE STOP LAMPSREMAIN ON, A FOLLOWING DRIVER WOULD LIKELY FOLLOW AT A GREATER DISTANCEBECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTY OF THE ACTIONS OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM.GMCONCLUDES THAT THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO REPORTED ACCIDENTS WHEREIT IS ALLEGED THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON.TO THE CONTRARY, BRAKE LIGHTSWHICH ARE ALWAYS ON APPEAR ARE INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM NORMAL TAILIGHTOPERATION AND THEREFORE FAIL TO SIGNAL BRAKING/DECELERATION WHICH IS THEONLY FUNCTION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS.APPARENT INFANT MORTALITY SUPPORTS THEPOSITION THAT NO DEFECT TREND IS DEVELOPING.ALTHOUGH THE ALLEGED DEFECTMAY OCCUR AT ANY GIVEN TIME (IT DOES HOWEVER APPEAR TO OCCUR AT ANY GIVENTIME EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE), ONCE THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STUCK INTHE ON POSITION, THE LIGHTS REMAIN ON UNTIL THE BATTERY GOES DEAD OR THECONDITION IS OTHERWISE DETECTED AND CORRECTED.THE ALLEGED DEFECT AFFECTSONLY THE EARLY PRODUCTION 1988 MODEL VEHICLES AND GM HAS ISSUED A SERVICEBULLETIN ADVISING SERVICE PERSONNEL OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ALLEGEDDEFECT AND HOW TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. #======