1988 GMC Jimmy Problems
- Complaints
- 15filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 137,422miles, 2 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1988 GMC Jimmy (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 15 consumer complaints for the 1988 GMC Jimmy. The part named most often is seat belts, with 3 complaints (20% of the total), followed by seats (3) and vehicle speed control (2). 2 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 137,422 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Seat belts3 20%
- Seats3 20%
- Air bags1 6.7%
- Brakes1 6.7%
- Electrical system1 6.7%
- Engine1 6.7%
- Fuel system1 6.7%
- Other or unknown1 6.7%
- Tires1 6.7%
Example complaints
Seat belts: “I am an engineer. Two of the rear seat belts on my 1988 Gmc Jimmy - full size failed completely. The angle bracket has a steel strap which is riveted in place to it and the to the end of the seat belt(s). This steel strap broke in completely in half , a vinyl covering held it together such that the user is unaware that it is completely broken in half. This is a very dangerous situation since the seat belt has no strength left when this happens. This happened to two of the three rear seat belts. The middle seat belt is attached differently and did not fail. …”
NHTSA complaint #10053127, filed 2004-01Air bags: “The contact owned a 1988 Gmc Jimmy. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact struck the front passenger side of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained back, neck, and wrist injuries that required continuous medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not provided. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10925435, filed 2016-11, 175,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
0% of the 2 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 99,845 and 175,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1988 GMC Jimmy in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
- PE89097Cruise controlClosed · Mar 6, 1989
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1988 GMC Jimmy.
Other model years of the GMC Jimmy
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 100 | 60,000 | 3 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2000 | 211 | 68,750 | 4 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1999 | 137 | 80,520 | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 238 | 71,696 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 274 | 75,000 | 4 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 407 | 99,750 | 6 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 499 | 118,365 | 6 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 334 | 94,000 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 216 | 99,426 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 122 | 107,470 | 1 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 118 | — | 4 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 11 | 72,000 | 0 | — | 13 | — | Not enough data |
| 1989 | 13 | — | 0 | — | 14 | — | Not enough data |
| 1988 | 15 | 137,422 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1987 | 6 | 200,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1985 | 6 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 5 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All GMC Jimmy model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1988 GMC Jimmy have?
NHTSA recorded 15 consumer complaints for the 1988 GMC Jimmy as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1988 GMC Jimmy is reported most often?
Seat belts is named most often, in 3 complaints (20% of the total), followed by seats with 3.
Has the 1988 GMC Jimmy been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 1988 GMC Jimmy reported?
Among the 2 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 137,422 miles and the middle half falls between 99,845 and 175,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.