BumperScan
Powered byNHTSA|EPA|Community Reports|Updated
Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%
Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Free Preview

#BS-1988-CHEBLA-4CAA

1988 Chevrolet BlazerProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 45 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
45
Crashes
0
Fires
8
Recalls
4
TSBs
5
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 45 complaints, 0 crashes, 8 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

low beams stopped working

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $2.00

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasolineHIGH

4 owners reported engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline issues — failures commonly reported around 85K miles.

!Inspect the Seat Belts:front:retractorMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline (4 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline4 (9%)
Seat Belts:front:retractor4 (9%)
Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly3 (7%)
Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood2 (4%)
Seat Belts2 (4%)
Seats:front Assembly:recliner2 (4%)
Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar2 (4%)
Electrical1 (2%)

1988 Chevrolet Blazer: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 85K-mile mark.

Seat Belts:front:retractor Issues

Seat Belts:front:retractor complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to seat belts:front:retractor-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly Issues

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to seat belts:front:buckle assembly-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood Issues

Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:wiring:front underhood-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

3
00
2
01
1
02
1
03
1
09

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

Get Report — From $2.00

Recall History (4 recalls)

06E026000Apr 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

06E043000Oct 2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

07E088000Nov 2007

EQUIPMENT

CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS ARE MARKED WITH A DATE CODE A61451 THROUGH A72571 SEQUENTIALLY. THE DATE CODE AND PART NUMBER APPEAR ON THE FILTER HOUSING. FRAM RACING HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS NOT BEARING A DATE CODE IN THIS RANGE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE GASKET OF THE OIL FILTER BECOMES MORE PLIABLE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES.

93V119000Nov 1993

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

PE89024ClosedOpened Dec 1988 · closed Feb 1989

STEERING DAMPER SEPARATION

STEERING

The worst model year for the Chevrolet Blazer is the 1994 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1988 Chevrolet Blazer vs. Class Average (Special Purpose Vehicle 2WD)

This vehicle

45

Class avg

41

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other special purpose vehicle 2wd vehicles from 1988.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 45 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026.

Other Chevrolet Blazer Model Years

202520242023202220212020201920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980197919781977197619751974197319721969
View all Chevrolet Blazer years →

1988 Chevrolet Blazer: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer is related to the engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, with 4 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer reliable?
The 1988 Chevrolet Blazer has 45 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 8 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1988 Chevrolet Blazer problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer have any recalls?
Yes, the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Chevrolet Blazer problems start?
Based on 1 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 1988 Chevrolet Blazer data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
RaccoonEagleRoverCat

Get the Full 1988 Chevrolet Blazer Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 45 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Get Full Report — From $2.00Money-back guarantee
Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees