1996 GMC Safari complaints

AFTER RETURNING HOME WE HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE GARAGE. WE WENT OUT AND THE VAN WAS HEADING DOWNWARDS IN THE FRONT. WE THOUGHT MAYBE A TIRE BLEW. THE DRIVER'S SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, WE REALIZE HOW MANY SAFARIS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. LUCKILY WE THE FOUR OF US (2 KIDS, AGES 3&6) WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS BLEW AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL.*AK

SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT SIT ON TRACK PROPERLY. INTERMITTENTLY DOOR IS INOPERABLE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE MORE THAN FIFTEEN TIMES.*AK CONSUMER STATES DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITHOUT BANGING, CONSUMER LISTED THAT 2 PEOPLE HAD BEEN INJURED. *SLC

HYDROBOOST UNIT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY .5-10 MPH, CAUSING INOPERATIVE BRAKES. CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK. CONSUMER STATES HYDROBOOST UNIT FAILED.*JB

CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN ON AIR CONDITIONER, AND IT BLEWOUT HOT AIR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS EVAPORATER CORE THAT NEEDED REPLACING.*AK *JB

WHILE TRAVELING IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. *AK CONSUMER CALLED DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE IF THERE WERE ANY PROBLEMS BUT ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS, CONSUMER CALLED A SECOND TIME AFTER WIPERS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING IN HEAVY RAIN STORM AND THEN WERE TOLD THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS INCLUDING THEIR VEHICLE, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS TO DATE, CONSUMER HAS PURCHASED REPLACEMENT PARTS.*JB

WHILE TURNING OR BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE OR MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT BOTH FRONT TIE ROD ENDS WERE LOOSE AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE ALIGNED PROPERLY WHICH WAS CAUSING ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT, CONSUMER HAD THE PARTS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REALIGNED, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT IDLER ARMS WERE NOT BUIILT STRONG ENOUGH. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET - NEEDED REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 70K MILES ON VAN. HEATER FAN DASHBOARD SWITCH - WHEN SET ON FLOOR HEAT ONLY, IT BLOWS OUT BOTH AT THE DEFROSTER AND THE FLOOR. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR - AFTER IT STOPPED WORKING, WE GROUNDED THE MOTOR AND IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN - NOW IT WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, BUT NOT WHEN YOU USUALLY NEED IT MOST. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MOTOR - FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. AIR CONDITIONING TUBE - BECAME BRITTLE AND BROKE - REPAIRED IT AND THE A/C WORKS CORRECTLY AGAIN.

FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

RADIO LIGHTS BEGAN TO FAIL, RADIO BECAME HOT TO TOUCH. PULLED FUSE FOR RADIO BUT IT CONTINUED TO GET HOTTER WHEN WE STOPPED AT OUR DESTINATION AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE, THE DASH LIGHTS FLASHED OFF AND ON THEN THE RADIO BEGAN TO SMOKE THEN FLAMES COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM THE BACK OF RADIO CHASSIS. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN. SOMETIMES WORK, AND SOMETIMES DON'T. NO WARNING IS GIVEN BEFORE FAILURE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK AS THEY PLEASE. THEY WILL CUT ON AND OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS A RECALL ON OTHER GMC VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK *SLC

BELT TENSIONER FELL OFF, CAUSING CAUSING A LOSS OF BRAKES . BELT RUNS THE POWER BRAKE SYSTEM. *AK

WHILE TURNING ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS DURING RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT RUN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHR INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE PARKED RIGHT TORSION BAR SNAPPED IN HALF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE 2 TORSION BARS AT CONSUMER EXPENSE. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEN, AIR CONDITIONER WAS BLOWING HOT AIR, AND CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP. THEY TOLD HER THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS RUBBING AGAINST A BLOCK CONNECTING WITH AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, AND THIS WAS CAUSING AIR CONDITIONING COOLANT TO RUN OUT ONTO THE GROUND. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCLERATED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ACCLERATOR WHICH GOT STUCK. DRIVER COULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN VEHICLE. TRIED APPLY BRAKES, BUT BRAKES BURNED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, HAD TO PLACE VEHICLE IN PARK POSITION TO STOP IT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 WHEN ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND IT WAS HARD TO PREVENT VEHICLE FROM SPEEDING UP AND TO TRYING TO KEEP CONTROL, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER FINALLY SHIFTED GEAR INTO PARK, WHICH THEN STOPPED VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME, AND NOTICED BRAKES HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS STANDING WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING FRONT OF THE VAN FELL TO THE GROUND. VAN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP FOUND TWO TORISON BARS BROKE IN HALF. DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATON.*AK

ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON/ PEDAL JERKED, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER. HE SAID THAT IT WAS A SENSOR THAT NEEDED TO BE RESET. REPLACED COMPUTER MODULE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN DEALER ABOUT FIVE TIMES, AND IS STILL AT THE DEALER. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL EITHER NOT COME ON OR STOP WORKING WHEN ON. ALSO AIR CONDITIONER FAILED WHEN COOLANT LINE RUBBED AGAINST UNDERBODY, FORMED A HOLE, AND LEAKED OUT COOLANT GAS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 15MPH AND HEARD A KNOCKING AND BOOMING NOISE, TORSION BAR BROKE. VEHICLE'S FRONT END JUST DROPPED DOWN TO THE GROUND. NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHILE VAN WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY TORISION BAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE COLLAPSED. VAN WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT 1/2 WHEN THIS HAPPENED. VAN WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER INFORMATION. *AK

STARTED VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE AND HEARD A CLUNKING & GRINDING NOISE. KEPT VEHICLE RUNNING, BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, TURNED THE WHEEL, AND THERE WAS NO STEERING. WENT TO APPLY BRAKES , AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK. VEHICLE LOST POWER AND BRAKES DUE TO TENSION PULLEY WAS BROKE. *YH

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER REPLACED IN DEC. AND IN FEB. I HAD JUST DRIVEN IN FROM GA TO CA AND IT WAS 7:30AM IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND THE FRONT OF THE AIR CONDIT. UNIT FELL OFF. I HEARD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ROCKS HITTING UNDER THE FRONT END AND LATER FOUND OUT IT WAS BEARINGS, BUT JUST AS I HEARD THE SOUND I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL .. I HIT MY EMERGENCY BRAKE SLOWLY AND POWER STEERED MY VAN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT TOOK EVERYTHING I HAD TO TURN THE WHEEL . IF I HAD BEEN GOING 60 ON THE FREEWAY INSTEAD OF 10 MILES AN HR. I PROBLEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE BIGGEST TROUBLE OF MY LIFE. I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE NOT HAVING ANY BRAKES OR STEERING, SOMEHOW THE TWO ARE CONNECTED. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANYONE AND WHEN I SPOKE TO DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIRMEN. THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF IT EITHER.. I HAD REPLACE THE AC IN THE VAN IN DEC, AND PAID 500.00 . I HAVE HAD ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE AC FROM THE TIME I FIRST GOT THE VAN. I HOPE NO ONE EVER HAS THIS PROBLEM OR HURTS SOMEONE BECAUSE THERE AIR CONDITIONER FALLS APART. THE RUNNING OF THE AUTO AND THE CONNECTION TO THE A/C SHOULD NEVER BE HOOKED TOGETHER. AC'S GO OUT ALOT IN AUTO'S AND THIS IS A SURE WAY TO KILL SOMEONE.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INADVERTENTLY. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. DEALER WILL BE INSPECTING VEHICLE. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY, NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY WILL WORK, OR WON'T WORK. 1996 GMC JIMMY'S HAD SAME PROBLEM, WHICH WAS RECALLED AND FIXED BY GMC DEALERS, WHY HAVEN'T THE SAFARIS? I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!!! SOME TIMES THEY WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN W/O WIPERS, AND IT'S DANGEROUS!!!!! ALSO THE HYDRAULICS THAT HOLD THE TOP HALF OF TEH REAR HATCH DOOR OPEN, HAVE FAILED THREE TIMES. WE HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THEM TWICE, BUT AT OVER $100.00 EACH TIME, IT'S GETTING EXPENSIVE. FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY FACTOR AS WELL, DUE TO NOT KNOWING WHEN THE LIFTS WILL FAIL, THE TOP HALF OF THE DOOR, WHICH IS HEAVY, COULD FALL ON SOMEONE'S HEAD, AND HAS HAPPENED. TRUST ME, IT HURTS! *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE FRONT END TORSION BAR BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO COLLAPSE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

OCCASIONALLY VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT ON BRAKING. YH

BACK DOOR POST BROKEN AT ITS BASE, THRU INSIDE C CHANNEL (OUTSIDE SKIN STILL INTACT). EXACT FAILURE TIME NOT KNOWN, JUST NOTICED CRACK WHEN ENTERING CAR. APPARENT FAILURE FROM METAL FATIGUE; NO KNOWN IMPACT OR CAUSE OF FAILURE. GMC HAS DENIED WARRANTY CLAIM SAYING THAT IT IS SHEET METAL FAILURE, WHICH IS NOT COVERED. I'M CONTENDING THAT IS A FIALURE TO A STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND THEREFORE COVERED. IS THERE ANY RECORD OF SIMILAR FAILURES ON ANY GMC PRODUCT THAT MAY UTILIZE THE SAME DOOR?*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING DURING PERFORMANCE IN RAINY WEATHER. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED/ CRACKED IN HALF, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. POWER STEERING PUMP CONTROLS BOTH POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. *AK

BELT TENSIONER LOOSE. NLM

I WORK AT A PEP BOY SERVICE CENTER AND HAVE SEEN 2 OTHER SAFARI VANS WITH THE SAME A/C HOSE FAILURE. THE HOSE IS ROUTED THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE VAN AN DAFTER A WILE THE HOSE BEGINS TO RUB ON THE ENGINE TO THE POINT THAT THE FREON LEAKS OUT AND THE HOSE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR REPAPIRED AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST TO THE OWNER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. *AK UNKNOWN WHEN THEY WILL WORK. JN

THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT DUE TO A FUSE BLOWING OUT. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER FUSE WAS INSTALLED. DEALER HAS REPLACED AT LEAST 25 TIMES. PROBLEM IS DUE TO A SHORT IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BRAKES FAILED CAUSING NOISE. MJS

WHENEVER WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE IN USE, THEY STOP OR WORK INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HAVE POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN OR SNOW. *AK

THE DEFECTIVE PULSE MODULE IN THE CIRCUIT BOARD MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHICH COULD CAUSE VISIBILITY PROBLEMS, AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN #. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

POWER WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT GO UP OR DOWN. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE MOTOR FOR THE POWER WINDOW IS BEING REPLACED AT OWNERS' EXPENSE. *AK

WIPER SWITCH DISCONNECTS WHEN TURNED "ON". GMC SERVICE MANAGER BELIEVES THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THIS DEFECT BUT UNABLE TO FIND FOR GMC VEHICLE; BELIEVES THERE WAS RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER GMC - CHEVROLET ASTROL MODELS. REPORTS THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF SIMILAR DEFECTS SEEN AND TO WAIT UNTIL RECALL IS OFFICIAL BEFORE REPLACING $100. SWITCH.

PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WINDOW TO GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE. BEEN REPLACED TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHENEVER IT RAINS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING. CAN HEAR MOTOR GOING. WIPERS WOULD BLOW EVERY TIME IT RAINS. MECHANIC SAYS ITS THE FUSE EACH TIME, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

FUEL PUMP FAILURE PROBLEMS NOTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES CONCERNING GMC SAFARI VANS.ALSO,MECHANIC STATED FIRST REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP HE ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE WAS DEFECTIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED IF THERE IS A RECALL OR TECHNICAL SEVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM SO I MAY BE REIMBURSED. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO REGISTER THIS COMPLAINT ABOUT MY VEHICLE WITH YOU.

WHILE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE IN USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VISUAL DIFFCULTY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED THE FUSES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AKPOWER DOOR LOCKS INOPERABLE. *YH

INTERMITTENTLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TWICE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

HAD BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN AT APPROX 34K. DEALER SAID LEFT SHOCK WAS LEAKY. AFTER THAT WHEN BRAKING DOWN FROM HIGHER SPEED, LEFT TIRE, JUMPS UNTIL SPEED IS SLOWED. NOW WITH THE NEW NOISE, SAYS TRANSFER CASE IS LOOSE.

APPLIED BRAKES AND SYSTEM FAILED SPORADICALY, MOST FAILURES UNDER DRY CONDITION ON ASPHALT. TWO BRAKE MODULES, COMPUTER MODULE, MASTER CYLINDER, CALIPERS, PADS, ROTORS ALL BEEN REPLACED. FRONT TIRES REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES. PEDAL CAN BE PRESSED TO FLOOR AT ANY TIME, FAILURE HAS A MUSHY PEDAL WITH A COASTING TO A STOP. SOME TIME MAKING NOISE (UNLIKE THAT OF ABS SYSTEM) UNTIL PEDAL IS RELEASED.

TRANSMISSION FAILED.