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1988 Chevrolet Celebrity

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

The 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity is the model-year variant defined by a 4-quart engine oil capacity and a 5W-30 API oil specification, giving researchers a concrete service baseline for this car. Reliability data for the line show 59 owner complaints, with the largest concentration in Engine & Engine Cooling, plus three recalls. Because the model’s formal year-by-year complaint history runs only from 1990 through 1992—peaking at eight complaints in 1990 and reaching a low of two in 1991—the 1988 figures sit outside that tracked window and should be treated as a standalone snapshot rather than part of the later downward or upward trend.

Model year1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12737090 alt 25012305
Engine air filter	25043317 alt 25043119
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19354418 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	10041195 alt 10041197
Thermostat	10207373 alt 19435095

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	188.2 in
Overall width	69.3 in
Overall height	54.3 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Curb weight	2685 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3.0 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 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 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

The 1988 Chevrolet Celebrity’s top complaint areas are Engine & Engine Cooling (12), Steering (12), Electrical System (9), and Seat Belts (8), with zero crash or fire complaints reported. Federal records for the subsequent years show a marked drop in overall complaints, with 1990 logging 8 complaints and 1991 and 1992 each recording only 2 complaints. Recalls follow a similar trend, as 1990 had 2 recalls while 1991 and 1992 had none, and the JSON does not supply recall figures for 1988. Investigations remain constant at one per year from 1990 through 1992, and no investigation count is provided for 1988. Given the higher complaint counts in the 1988 model’s top areas relative to the lower total complaints in the early‑1990s, later model years appear comparatively more reliable, indicating that a 1988 Celebrity may be a less favorable purchase if a 1990‑1992 example is available.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 59 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling12

Steering12

Electrical System9

Seat Belts8

Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Tires2

Power Train2

Equipment2

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…

88V164000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 18/10/1988

FUEL FEED HOSE COULD LEAK AT THE COUPLING ON THE ENGINE END OF THE HOSE ASSEMBLY. Remedy: INSTALL NEW FUEL FEED HOSE ASSEMBLY.

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 Celebrity. 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.

Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12737090 Engine air filter 25043317 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19354418

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1988 Celebrity take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1988 Celebrity have open recalls?

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