GMC TruckK35001988Overview/gmc-truck/k3500/1988/base/

1988 GMC Truck K3500

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1988 K3500.

The 1988 GMC Truck K3500 features an engine that requires 5 quarts of oil in 20W-20, 20W-40, or 20W-50 viscosity. This model year is associated with three recalls and a single owner complaint regarding seat belts and visibility/wiper issues. When compared to the 1990-1996 model history, where complaints ranged from a low of one in 1990 to a high of three in 1994, the 1988 model sits at the lowest end of the reported complaint volume.

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50OEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity5.5 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-20 · 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; coolant every 24,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 24,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Shift Linkage (lubricate) · Steering Linkage (lubricate)
At 6,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 6,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Parking Brake System (inspect)
At 7,500 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 12,000 miAir Cleaner Manifold Heat Control Actuator (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Radiator Fan Assembly (inspect) · Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 15,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 24,000 miAir Intake System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · EGR System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 30,000 miClutch Cross Shaft (lubricate) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · Fuel Filter (replace) · PCV System (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1988 GMC Truck K3500 dominate in one area — the seat belts,visibility/wiper, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 3 recall campaigns target the seat belts,visibility/wiper, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts,visibility/wiper pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Seat Belts,Visibility/Wiper1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

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… 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…

07E088000EquipmentReported 24/10/2007

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… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific K3500. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1988 K3500 take?

5 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 20W-40, 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 K3500 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.