1988 Pontiac LEMANS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
13 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1988 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 13 complaints (23.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 2 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 2 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 2 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 1 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 1 |
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 2; Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 1; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 13 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 7 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
1995: 7; 1996: 2; 1997: 2; 1999: 1; 2002: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
13 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 416.0%ODI 482010AUTOMATIC SEATBELT DISCONNECTED DUE TO SHORTING OUT BATTERIES PRIOR TO RECALL. (94V-248) *AW | 520.8% | 838.1%ODI 481471AUTOMATIC SHOULDER COMES ACROSS DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S NECKS. *AW | 211.1%ODI 480820AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS FREEZE IN POSITION DURING COLD WEATHER, ALSO ERRACTICALLY MOVE BACK AND FORTH ALONG TRACK DURING COLD WEATHER. *AW |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 215.4%ODI 802058THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING (FAILED) . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK | 16.7%ODI 816766WHILE GOING THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION . THE FRONT OCCUPANTS WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE THE RESTRAINTS DID NOT RETRACT, INJURING THE FRONT OCCUPANTS. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 416.7%ODI 544854SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR LOCKS UP INTERMITTENTLY, ESPECIALLY AT STABLE SPEEDS. IF VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF WHILE RETRACTOR IS LOCKED UP, DRIVER IS PINNED TO SEAT UNTIL RETRACTOR SELF CORRECTS.(APPR 15 SECS). | 14.8% | 211.1%ODI 803364IN COLD WEATHER THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKNG , PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 215.4%ODI 963979CONSUMER WAS LOCK IN SEAT BELT TRY TO RELEASE THE BELT TO GET OUT COULDN'T RELEASE BELT THIS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT. TT | 426.7%ODI 971339THE DRIVERS SEATBELT HAS BROKEN. THE RED TAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUCKLE CAME OUT AND NOW IT DOES NOT LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT | 312.0%ODI 485495SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS (93V-154). *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 323.1%ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.0%ODI 960880TOOK CAR IN FOR RECALL WORK, DEALER DID NOT DO, HAD CAR FOR ONE WEEK. TT | 312.5%ODI 500858SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING INJURIES. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *DSH | 29.5%ODI 962070HAS BEEN TRYING TO MAKE APPOINTMENT FOR LUBRICATION OF SHOULDER BELT OWNER CLAIM NOT HAVE THE LUBRICATION. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 17.7%ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.0%ODI 981083DRIVER EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF HYDRAULIC BRAKES WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH. *AK | 416.7% | 14.8%ODI 958396UPON APPLYING BRAKE DURING PANIC STOP, AT APPROX. 10-12MPH, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ROLL FORWARD, NO PRIOR WARNING. TT | 211.1% |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 16.7% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.2% | 14.8%ODI 715240HEATER BLOWER SWITCH FAILURE. REPLACED SWITCH THREE TIMES, EACH TIME THE SWITCH MELTED AND BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPLACED THE WIRING TO WHICH THE SWITCH IS CONNECTED ALSO MELTED. IN REGARDS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT, IT FAILS TO RETRACT. THIS ONLY OCCURRED ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. | 422.2% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 426.7% | 14.0%ODI 980423EXPERIENCE BRAKE MALFUNCTION, WHEN FRONT BRAKES HEAT UP, PADS WEAR EXCESSIVELY, PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, BRAKE ACTION INADEQUATE NORMAL STOP AND GO CONDITIONS. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 15.6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 17.7% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 28.0%ODI 481383DISC BRAKES REPLACED TWELVE TIMES, ALSO ROTORS/MASTER CYLINDERS REPLACED. *SKD | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.8% | 15.6% |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1992: 2 complaints · 1993: 9 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1993 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| 1993 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 0 | 1ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 1ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 1ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 0 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 1ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 481913DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT TOO SHORT, CAUSING FASTENING DIFFICULTY. | 0 | — | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.