1988 Chevrolet Blazer: common problems

Owners of the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer filed 40 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 40

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 30% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 18% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
4 Steering 10% of all complaints
5 Seats 8% of all complaints
6 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
7 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
8 Tires 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Seat belts: 12 complaints (30% of all).
Engine and cooling: 7 complaints (18% of all).
Electrical system: 5 complaints (13% of all).
Steering: 4 complaints (10% of all).
Seats: 3 complaints (8% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
4.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
6.2 L · diesel · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: AWD, RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 40 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts11 · 28%
smoke, burning smell, fire8 · 20%
engine failure or replacement2 · 5%
steering or power steering problems2 · 5%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 3%
overheating, coolant loss1 · 3%
stalls while driving1 · 3%
transmission slipping1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Seat belts	12	0	0
Engine and cooling	7	0	0
Electrical system	5	0	0
Steering	4	0	0
Seats	3	0	0
Powertrain	2	0	0
Service brakes	2	0	0
Tires	2	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The contact found his vehicle engulfed in flames in the parking lot of a local shopping center. He had driven the vehicle just minutes before the fire and did not notice anything unusual.
Electrical system · 2009-03-17 · NHTSA complaint #10262148
While driving 60 mph left front tire exploded. Driver was able to pull over to the shoulder, and called road side assistance to change the tire.
Tires · 2003-12-01 · NHTSA complaint #10049832
I've tried every circumstance possible to get seat belts to work including a fast dead stop, turning corners and yanking extremely fast and at a dead stop. You can yank these belts exceptionally fast and under no circumstance will they work.
Seat belts · 2001-11-19 · NHTSA complaint #9004704
Front bucket seat backs can move foward without having to lift latch.
Seats · 2001-03-20 · NHTSA complaint #883473
Bf goodrich all terrain t/a tires 32-11.50-r15 dot beyk8l1228 experienced inner sidewall separation, 3 out of 4 tires experienced this problem.
Tires · 2000-10-27 · NHTSA complaint #874037
Engine fire due to fluid leak in the transmission. (ohio traffic crash report)
Powertrain · 2000-01-13 · NHTSA complaint #550266
Driving on road at approximately 45mph all of sudden the temperature gauge shot up and the steering column wouldn't move. Pulled over, and had the vehicle towed t a mechanic shop. Replaced power steering bracket.
Engine and cooling · 1999-10-13 · NHTSA complaint #850589
When originally purchased the shoulder portion of the seatbelt would not retract, the assmbly was purchased new from the mentioned dealer and replaced. On 6/29/99 the same problem occured, the shoulder portion of the belt would not retract.
Seat belts · 1999-09-02 · NHTSA complaint #710869

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199515
19967
19971
19983
19996
20003
20012
20021
20031
20091

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,948 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Blazer has 192 complaints (43 years in the data). This year has 40, below average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, electrical system. Total complaints: 40. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (28%), smoke, burning smell, fire (20%), engine failure or replacement (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1988 Chevrolet Blazer from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1988 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.