The 1988 Chevrolet C20 has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,779,240 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
UNANTICIPATED HEAT IN THE TRANSMISSION CAN FORCE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID OUT OF THE VENT TUBE.
THE VENTED TRANSMISSION FLUID CAN CATCH FIRE IF EXPOSEDTO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
INSTALL A LONGER TRANSMISSION VENT HOSE ROUTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE.
RIGHT AND LEFT HAND BRAKE HOSE MAY CONTACT THE WHEEL OR TIRE IN A FULL TURN.
IF THE HOSE MAKES CONTACT WITH THE WHEEL OR TIRE IT WILLEVENTUALLY WEAR THE HOSE TO A POINT OF RUPTURE, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF THEFRONT BRAKES. LOSS OF FRONT BRAKES WOULD INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE WHENMINIMUM TIME IS REQUIRED AND COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
INSTALL NEW REPOSITIONING BRACKETS FOR THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES.
CRUISE CONTROL CABLE LOCK MECHANISM MAY SELF DISENGAGE CAUSING ERRATIC OPERATION OR THROTTLE NOT RETURNING TO IDLE.
ENGINE SPEED WOULD NOT DECREASE; LOSS OF ACCELERATORCONTROL COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
INSTALL A CLAMP AROUND THE LOCK TAB OF CRUISE CONTROL.
TRUCKS MAY HAVE CRACKED OR BROKEN DOOR STRIKER NUTS, WHICH DO NOT CONFORM TO FMVSS 206.
IN A COLLISION, CRACKED OR BROKEN STRIKER NUT COULDALLOW DOOR TO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY AND POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY TO OCCUPANTS.
REPLACE EXISTING DOOR STRIKER NUTS.
ONE OR BOTH OF OUTER TIE ROD NUTS MAY BE LOOSE AND NOT CRIMPED.
LOSS OF ONE OR BOTH NUTS COULD LEAD TO TIE RODDISENGAGING FROM STEERING KNUCKLE RESULTING IN POSSIBLE LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL AND POSSIBLY A CRASH.
REPLACE TIE ROD AND KNUCKLE AND SET TOE-IN.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Purchase truck new the driver side seat belt buckle not locking . Tt”
“Vehicle was impact 3:00 position causing loss of control vehicle flip over top came off van causing injuries. Tt”
“The v6 motor is defect the steel cast iron block wears out and the piston goes out burning a lot of oil . Tt”
“The v6 motor is defect the steel cast iron block wears out and the piston goes out burning a lot of oil . Tt”
There is no summary currently available
There is no summary currently available
SUMMARY: COMPLAINTS ALLEGE POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE INCLUDING EXCESSIVE STOPPING DISTANCE, INABILITY TO LOCK FRONT WHEELS, OR PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF A NEW DESIGN FOR THESE MODELS. POSSIBLE INSUFICIENT POWER ASSIST ON SOME VEHICLES. ALL TRUCKS ARE EQUIPPED WITH REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES.
There is no summary currently available
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…
SUMMARY: COMPLAINTS ALLEGE POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF A NEW DESIGN FOR THESE MODELS. POSSIBLE INSUFICIENT POWER ASSIS ON SOME MODELS. ALL TRUCKS ARE EQUIPPED WITH REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1988 Chevrolet C20 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.