1988 Subaru Justy: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1988 Subaru Justy. The newest campaign is 95V103006. NHTSA received the report on 24 May 1995. The NHTSA record gives the component Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly. NHTSA has 4 complaints 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, 95V103006, in the NHTSA record

Owners should promptly check the condition and operation of both front safety belt buckles and carefully inspect the red release button for any breaks or cracks. They should ensure that both buckles are operating properly by inserting each latch plate into its buckle, tugging on the belt to make sure the latch is securely locked, and then pressing the release button. The latch plate should pop out of the buckle when the button is pressed. If either release button shows a sign of breaking or cracking or if either buckle fails to operate properly, owners should promptly contact their authorized dealer to schedule an appointment to have the buckle replaced or repaired, free of charge. The manufacturer is developing a remedy designed to prevent failure of the buttons that are not currently broken.

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

4 campaigns, newest first. 178,825 units in total.

95V10300624 May 1995Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly
89V02800028 Feb 1989Power Train / Manual Transmission
88V0520005 Apr 1988Seat Belts
88V0290009 Mar 1988Electrical System / Alternator/Generator/Regulator

95V103006Received 24 May 1995. 100,825 units.
Seat Belts / Front / Buckle Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The front safety belt buckle release buttons can break. These red plastic release buttons are marked "press." if a button breaks, pieces can fall into the buckle assembly causing the buckle to operate improperly.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The safety belts would not provide adequate protection to an occupant in a vehicle crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Owners should promptly check the condition and operation of both front safety belt buckles and carefully inspect the red release button for any breaks or cracks. They should ensure that both buckles are operating properly by inserting each latch plate into its buckle, tugging on the belt to make sure the latch is securely locked, and then pressing the release button. The latch plate should pop out of the buckle when the button is pressed. If either release button shows a sign of breaking or cracking or if either buckle fails to operate properly, owners should promptly contact their authorized dealer to schedule an appointment to have the buckle replaced or repaired, free of charge. The manufacturer is developing a remedy designed to prevent failure of the buttons that are not currently broken.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 1 Jan 1996.
89V028000Received 28 Feb 1989. 15,000 units.
Power Train / Manual Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Due to the design of the transmission case dipstick and the fluid level checking method, there may be insufficient lubrication of the 4 wheel drive extension housing bearing.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This could cause bearing seizure and possible rear wheellockup, which could result in an accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Install modified dipstick and insert information in owners manual on the correct fluid level checking procedures.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 Mar 1989.
88V052000Received 5 Apr 1988. 60,000 units.
Seat Belts
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Omission of information specified by FMVSS 210 from owner manual.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Fails to meet requirements of FMVSS 210 regarding childrestraint systems.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Adhesive backed inserts will be furnished with the correct information.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 10 Jun 1988.
88V029000Received 9 Mar 1988. 3,000 units.
Electrical System / Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Insufficient clearance between the relocated alternator wiring and the solenoid hose alternator wiring stay bracket can cause wire chaffing and an electrical short.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
An electrical short could result in smoke and possiblyan engine compartment fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Modify by removing the solenoid hose/alternator stay bracket.
Report filed by SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 23 May 1988.

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

4 complaints, 9 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 Subaru Justy: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Latches/Locks/Linkages		3
Fuel System, Gasoline		1
Engine and Engine Cooling		1
Suspension		1
Seats		1
Visibility		1
Seat Belts		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: 5 Sep 1997

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 Subaru Justy, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1996, with 3 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1988 Subaru Justy
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA95008	Engineering analysis	TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE	Fuel System, Other / Storage / Tank Assembly / Pressure Relief Devices	10 Mar 1995	2 Aug 1995	95V103006
PE94051	Preliminary evaluation	HOOD LATCH FAILURE	Structure	29 Jun 1994	31 Oct 1994
DP90015	Defect petition	STALLING & TRANSMISSION	Power Train	8 Aug 1990	14 Nov 1990

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.

19871
19884
19892
19901
19911
19920
19930
19940
19950

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 Subaru JustyThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1988 Subaru Justy: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/subaru/justy/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: SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

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 Subaru Justy?: 178,825 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Subaru Justy have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the Subaru Justy, model years 1987 to 1995. 4 of them name the 1988 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1988 Subaru Justy name most often?: Latches/Locks/Linkages: 3 of 9 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1988 Subaru Justy open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.