1988 Chevrolet K20: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 1988 Chevrolet K20. The newest campaign is 93V119000. NHTSA received the report on 2 Aug 1993. The NHTSA record gives the component Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Disc / Rotor. NHTSA has 1 complaint on file for this model year. 3 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 93V119000, in the NHTSA record

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.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

6 campaigns, newest first. 2,057,720 units in total.

93V1190002 Aug 1993Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Disc / Rotor
93V0160001 Feb 1993Power Train / Automatic Transmission
87V12600010 Aug 1987Steering / Linkages / Tie Rod Assembly
87V12700010 Aug 1987Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
87V12800010 Aug 1987Suspension / Front / Shock Absorber
87V12500010 Aug 1987Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages

93V119000Received 2 Aug 1993. 341,364 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Disc / Rotor
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 8 Nov 1993.
93V016000Received 1 Feb 1993. 1,702,880 units.
Power Train / Automatic Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Unanticipated heat in the transmission can force the transmission fluid out of the vent tube.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The vented transmission fluid can catch fire if exposedto a source of ignition.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a longer transmission vent hose routed to the left side of the engine compartment of the vehicle.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Manufacturer campaign number 93-C-07. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Mar 1993.
87V126000Received 10 Aug 1987. 2,750 units.
Steering / Linkages / Tie Rod Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
One or both of outer tie rod nuts may be loose and not crimped.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
Replace tie rod and knuckle and set toe-in.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 Aug 1987.
87V127000Received 10 Aug 1987. 1,521 units.
Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Trucks may have cracked or broken door striker nuts, which do not conform to FMVSS 206.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In a collision, cracked or broken striker nut couldallow door to open unexpectedly and possibly cause injury to occupants.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Replace existing door striker nuts.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 Aug 1987.
87V128000Received 10 Aug 1987. 312 units.
Suspension / Front / Shock Absorber
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Incorrect front shock absorber upper and lower nuts could loosen.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
Replace free spinning nuts with torque nuts.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 Aug 1987.
87V125000Received 10 Aug 1987. 8,893 units.
Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Cruise control cable lock mechanism may self disengage causing erratic operation or throttle not returning to idle.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Engine speed would not decrease; loss of acceleratorcontrol could result in a crash without prior warning.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install a clamp around the lock tab of cruise control.
Report filed by GENERAL MOTORS CORP.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 Aug 1987.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

1 complaint, 1 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

1988 Chevrolet K20: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Unknown or Other		1

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 0
Injuries in the complaints: 0
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 15 Apr 1999

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1988 Chevrolet K20, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1999, with 1 complaint.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1988 Chevrolet K20
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed
EA92041	Engineering analysis	FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY	Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Tank Assembly	8 Dec 1992	9 Mar 1995
PE88019	Preliminary evaluation	REAR BRK LIGHTS STAY ON	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	19 Jan 1988	31 Mar 1988
EA88016	Engineering analysis	HIGH TEMP & FUEL EXP	Vehicle Speed Control / Linkages	19 Jan 1988	30 Jun 1988

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

19671
19693
19701
19713
19721
19731
19741
19761
19771
19782
19792
19801
19821
19850
19870
19886
19893
19904
19912
19923
19932
19945
19952
19962
19970
19980

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1988 Chevrolet K20The recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1988 Chevrolet K20: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/chevrolet/k20/1988/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1988 Chevrolet K20?: 2,057,720 units in 6 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Chevrolet K20 have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 33 recall campaigns for the Chevrolet K20, model years 1967 to 1998. 6 of them name the 1988 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1988 Chevrolet K20 name most often?: Unknown or Other: 1 of 1 component mention.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1988 Chevrolet K20 open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.