Model year record

1988 GMC Suburban

2 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 8 owner complaints on file.

GMC Suburban, 1981–1991 generation
Pictured: the 1981–1991 generation. IFCAR, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 93V016000

Power train: automatic transmission

Component
Power train: automatic transmission
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
1,702,880
Reported to NHTSA
1993-02-01
Owners notified
1993-03-13

Defect description

UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.

Safety risk

THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Manufacturer remedy

INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.

Recall campaignNHTSA 89V010000

Seat belts: front: webbing

Component
Seat belts: front: webbing
Manufacturer
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Vehicles affected
277
Reported to NHTSA
1989-01-30
Owners notified
1989-03-08

Defect description

DRIVERS SEAT AND/OR SHOULDER BELT LOCKING MECHANISM MAY NOT OPERATE.

Safety risk

IN A CRASH, AFFECTED BELTS WOULD NOT LOCK, THEREBYINCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Manufacturer remedy

INSTALL A NEW DRIVERS SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline1—
Equipment: mechanical: accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift1—
Seat belts: front: buckle assembly1—
Seat belts: front: webbing1—
Seats1—
Structure1—
Suspension1—
Tires1—

The 1987 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 1989 model has about a third as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Other GMC Suburban model years

All GMC Suburban recalls by year

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.