1988 Buick Electra problems
The Buick Electra is a full-size luxury car manufactured and marketed by Buick from 1959 to 1990, over six generations. Introduced as the replacement for the Roadmaster lines, the Electra served as the flagship Buick sedan line through its entire production and was offered as a six-passenger four-door sedan with two-door sedan, two-door convertible, and five-door station wagon variants.
The Electra initially used GM's rear-drive C Platform, undergoing a significant downsizing for 1977.
For its sixth generation, introduced for model year 1985, the Electra underwent another significant downsizing, and adopted unibody construction as well as GM's new front-drive C Platform — becoming along with its rebadged variants, the Oldsmobile 98 and Cadillac Deville and Fleetwood, the company's first full-size, unibody, transverse engine, front-drive cars.
For 1991, Buick retired the Electra nameplate, migrating its front-drive premium sedan to the Buick Park Avenue nameplate, previously used as an upper trim level of the Electra itself. The Electra Estate was redesigned, becoming the Roadmaster Estate for 1991.
In late 2022, Buick announced plans to revive the Electra nameplate for its forthcoming 2024 electric models.
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Common 1988 Buick Electra problems
Based on complaints from owners of the 1988 Buick Electra, several common problems have been reported. Here is a detailed list of these issues:
- Fuel Pump Failure:
- Owners have reported stalling out when warm and difficulty starting, indicating potential fuel pump issues. Replacing the fuel pump is a common solution, but even after replacement, some cars may still experience starting problems.
- Crankshaft Sensor Malfunction:
- Another common problem involves the crankshaft sensor. While replacing this sensor can resolve starting issues, some owners have reported that even after replacement, the car may not restart after being turned off.
- Ignition Control Module (ICM) Issues:
- Problems with the ICM have been reported, where the car starts fine in the morning but fails to restart after being turned off. Cleaning mating surfaces and ensuring proper grounding are common troubleshooting steps.
- Neutral Safety Switch (NSS) Failure:
- The NSS can cause issues with automatic door locks, leading to unreliable operation. Symptoms include intermittent locking and unlocking of doors when shifting between park and drive.
These common problems with the 1988 Buick Electra can be frustrating for owners, requiring careful diagnosis and sometimes multiple replacements to address the issues effectively. Regular maintenance and prompt attention to these problems can help ensure the smooth operation of this classic vehicle.
1988 Buick Electra car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Buick Electra problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Steering problems
- Tires problems
- Vehicle speed control problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1988 Buick Electra vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1988 Buick Electra complaints
The NHTSA has received 6 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1988 Buick Electra.
TIRES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2009-05-01
- VIN: 1G4CW51C2J1
- Components: TIRES
- Summary: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BUICK ELECTRA PARK AVENUE. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE FR480 TIRES, SIZE P205/75/R14. WITHIN A 2-3 WEEK TIME PERIOD, THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES FORMED BUBBLES AND THEN BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BUBBLES ON ONE OF THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE BLOWOUT. BOTH REAR TIRES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, BUT NO CRASH OCCURRED. THE LATEST FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO RECALLS ON THE TIRES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,431 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,256. UPDATED 06/11/09. *LJ UPDATED 06/11/09.*JB
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2000-09-12
- Number Of Injuries: 3
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 1G4CX51C5J1
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Summary: CONSUMER WHILE PARKED WITH CAR RUNNING. PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND STARTED TO PUT CAR IN DRIVE, WHEN WHEELS STARTED SPINNING, ENGINE WAS REVVING. CONSUMER HAD BOTH FEET ON BRAKES, AND VEHCILE TOOK OFF, FLYING INTO THE OTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT, PUSHING THAT VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT TURN OFF ENGINE, THIS CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION.*AK
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-03-04
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-03-04
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-03-04
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: WHEN IT IS COLD AND TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS WARM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1993-02-06
- VIN: 1G4CW51C4J1
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: DURING MORNING START UP YOU CAN NOT MANIPULATE THE STEERING. TT
1988 Buick Electra recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 1 recalls for different components of the 1988 Buick Electra.
- Manufacturer: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
- Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- Summary: 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.
- Consequence: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
- Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
Additional sources
More sources of information about 1988 Buick Electra problems:
1988 Buick Electra 3800 - New ICM, CPS, still crank/no start ...
Feb 5, 2018 ... I read somewhere that someone had a problem with the TPS showing the ECM it was in WOT so the ecm went to clear flood mode and wouldn't fire the ...
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Nov 2, 2008 ... Apparently this is a common problem with the transmission. ... 85 Buick Park Ave heater/AC problems ... Wanted: '85-'90 Buick Electra Park Avenue or ...
Buick Park Avenue Problems and Complaints - 34 Issues
Problem with your Buick Park Avenue? Our list of 34 known complaints reported by owners can help you fix your Buick Park Avenue.
GM 3.8 and 3800 - General Discussion - Antique Automobile Club of ...
May 9, 2011 ... Buick V6 engine ... Buick did have some problems with the very early offset ground cast cranks. ... I had an 88 Buick Electra with the 3800, I ...
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