Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
THIS SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT OF EXPENSIVE REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE STILL NOT RESOLVED. IT TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION BUT THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST.
GM CHAS A FAILURE IN THE SAFARI AND THEY DON'T CARE, IT'S A LEMON!! NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED.*AK
CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECAL 01V123000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF SAFETY BELT AUDIBLE WARNING MODULE. DEALER STATED PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL PEDAL WOULD NOT TRAVEL TO FLOOR. CONSUMER APPLIED FORCE, AND PEDAL RETURNED TO NORMAL MOVEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I HAVE REPEATLY TAKEN THIS CAR TO A GM DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM. THEY CHARGED ME TWICE AND FINALLY ADMITTED THEY COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. THEREFORE, IT LEFT ME NO CHOICE BUT TO GO TO ANY INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION DEALER, WHO ADVISED ME THIS IS A ONGOING GMC PROBLEM DUE TO POOR TECHANCIAL DESIGN. GM REALIZES THIS PROBLEM, YET HAS TURNED ME DOWN FOR REINBURSEMENT DUE TO MY HAVING IT FIXED BY INDEPENDENT. ALL MY SERVICE WORK HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DONE BY DEALER. DEALER TOLD ME HE WAS WORKING WITH GM TECHS BUT COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, YET THE INDEPENDENT IMMEDIATELY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS SERVICED OVER 200 GM CARS WITH SAME PROBLEM..GMC SUPERVISOR TIFFANY BAKER DENIED PAYMENT. VALVE BODY DESIGN PROBLEM. CONVERTER SLIPS WHEN HOT AND DRIVEN OVER 50 MILES. I HAVE SPENT OVER $600.00 ON THIS PROBLEM AND FEEL GM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR AND SHOULD REIMBURSE ME.*AK
SINCE LAST NOVEMBER, HAVE NOTED UNFORTUNATLEY WHEN IT START TO RAIN THAT THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS DON'T ALWAYS ACTIVATE WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND THERE IS NO WAY TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE PROBLEM CAN BE RECTIFIED BY GETTING OUT OF THE VAN, OPENING THE HOOD AND PRESSING THE WIRE CONECTIONS TOGETHER. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE WIPERS WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE. ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS HAVE POWER AMD THE PLUG CONNECTION IS TIGHT AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO LOOSEN. THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE JUST MY PROBLEM, BUT A NEIGHBOR WHO OWNS A 94 SUBURBAN STATES HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST CONTACTED THE DEALER TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND THEY SAID NO. HAVE ASKED THAT THE ZONE REP GIVE ME A CALL.*AK
SAFETY BELT IN BACK OF VEHICLE DOES NOT LATCH. HAD REPAIRED ONCE.ALSO, SEAT LATCH BROKE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ENGINE STALLED. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. ON JULY 1 WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP AFTER APPLYING FULL PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL. UPON EXAMINATION, THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE HAD DISCONNECTED FROM A SENSOR IN ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ATTACHMENTS. *AK
ADDITIONALLY, UPON REPAIR OF FAILED POWERTRAIN TRANSMISSION AND AFTER SPEKAING TO ANOTHER SAFARI OWNER WHO HAD SIMILAIR FAIURE, IT IS ALSO APPARNET THAT THE HEAT SENSOR TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO EVOKE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ETC.. BUT THE FAILURE CODE WAS STORED INTO THE ONBOARD COMPUTER SYSTEM. THIS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION MAY BE OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. I DO NOT HAVE ANY WAY OF OBTAINING ANY "FAILURE" DATA SO THAT I CAN RUN SOME REGRESSION ANALYSIS. BUT IF I CAN JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL ANOTHER OWNER WHO IS SELLING THE SAME YEAR SAFARI AND WITHIN 5MINUTES SHARE WITH ME THE SAME PROBLEMS.WELL, JUST DO THE MATH! LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO. THANK YOU. *AK
THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY DEVICE FOR REAR TAILGATE, GLASS PART, IN EVENT IT FALLS SUDDENLY SO THAT IT CAN PREVENT INJURIES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE HAS BEEN 1 SLIGHT INJURY BECAUSE OF THIS. *SLC
THIS PROBLEM RLESS THAN 30 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VAN, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FIXED AT THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP 12K AGO, BUT THIS PROBLEM HAS REOCURRED. IN ADDITION, HAVE HAD A POWER WINDOW MOTOR GO OUT, BLOWER FAN BURN UP, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKS AFTER BEING SERVICED BY DEALERSHIP AND LASTLY A FUEL GAUGE THAT REFUSES TO WORK.*AK
ENGINE HAS ROUGH IDLE/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PREVIOUSLY, DEALER PERFORMED ENGINE TUNE-UP. NEXT PROBLEM OF ROUGH ENGINE/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, STILL WAITING FROM DEALER AS TO THE CAUSE. TSB 00-06-04-003 HAS BEEN ISSUED CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM, THE QUESTION IS, THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM, SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE TRAVELLING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS.
TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES LEAK AT CRIMPS WHERE RUBBER MEETS THE METAL. *AK
HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILED, THERE WAS NO STEERING OR BRAKES. CONSUMER TOTALLED VAN. *AK
IDLER ARMS THAT POSITION STEERING TIE ROD WERE EXTREMELY LOOSE. THIS ALLOWED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES RAPIDLY. ALSO RESULTED IN VIOLENT SIDE-TO-SIDE SHIMMY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES OR WHEN DRIVING ON GROOVED HIGHWAY SURFACES.CLOSE INSPECTION OF IDLER ARMS REVEALED THAT BUSHINGS WERE EXTREMELY WORN. IDLER ARMS (GM PART NUMBER 26018165) HAD BEEN REGULARLY LUBRICATED, YET APPEARED DRY AND DIRTY AROUND BUSHING. REPLACEMENT PART PROCURED FROM GM DEALER (PART NUMBER 12471302) WAS A DIFFERENT DESIGN, WITH GREASE FITTING ON SIDE OF ARM, WITH AN EXTENDED BUSHING SURFACE. THIS TYPE OF PART SHOULD NORMALLY LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE IF PROPERLY MAINTAINED. MY FAILURE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES. DEALER STATES THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED, YET NO RECALL OR OWNER NOTIFICATION OF PROBLEM, DESPITE OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD INHERENT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL.
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH THE FAN BELT TENSIONER PULLEY SOUNDED LIKE IT EXPLODED, THE POWER STEERING QUIT AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO FORCE MY WAY TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND COAST TO A STOP. REFD ALSO OIB ID #S848796 709479 844009 --- SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE FROM THIS DEFECT
CONSUMER CAN'T TURN STEERING WHEEL IF BRAKE IS FULLY APPLIED. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING, ESECIALLY TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK, GOING INTO REVERSE. CONSUMER TEST DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT DID THE SAME THING. DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE & NOTHING WAS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CONSUMER WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR CORRECTLY WHICH IS ALSO EFFECTING THE COMPUTER . GMC HAS RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE 2 PARTS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
PE20020, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A P215, DOTA3XF CDI 358 GMC, SAFARI 1997, FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE GENERAL AMERITECH ST TIRE TREAD CAME OFF JUST LIKE THE FIRESTONE RECALL, TEN DAYS AGO FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, YESTERDAY THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TREAD SEPARATED.*AK MINOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE'S FENDER WA SUSTAINED DUE TO ONE OF THE TIRE FAILURES. *SLC
TRANSMISSION JERKS BETWEEN FIRST/ SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. WITH NO PRIOR WARNING ENGINE WILL STARTED UP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK
UNDERSTAND GMC IS AWARE OF MOTOR/CIRCUIT CONTROL WINDSHIED FAILURE(WHAT CAUSES WIPERS NOT TO WORK) BECAUSE AT THE DEALER THEY SAID GMC HAD ISSUE A REPLACEMENT KIT BUT SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON IT I HAD TO PAY AROUND $300 FOR IT. I THINK GMC SHOULD GO AHEAD A PAY FOR IT SINCE THEY KNOW IS A PROBLEM. *AK
OIL CIRCULATION TUBE (PART # 15996928) HAS RUPTURED, CAUSING OIL TO SPILL ALL OVER ENGINE. *AK THIS FAILURE ALSO RESULTED IN ENGINE DAMAGE THAT COULD NOT BE FIXED THEREFORE THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *YH
HORN WORKS ERRATICALLY. SPECIFICALLY, IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL AT HIGHER HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SENSOR AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, WHICH MAY DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY OR WON'T DEPLOY IN EVENT OF A CRASH AND WON'T PROTECT OCCUPANT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
BATTERY THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING ACID FROM THE POSTIVE POWER POST WHICH IS MELTING PAINT FROM THE INNER FENDER, AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING LINES UNDERNEATH BATTERY. VEHICLE REPAIRED AT OWNER'S COST, GM TO REIMBURSE. *AK *ML
VEHICLE WILL STOP/IT COMPLETELY DIES INTERMITTENLY WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER CLAIMS CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEFECT.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
GAS GAUGE FAILS TO REGISTER THE CORRECT AMOUN TOF FUEL IN FUEL TANK WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE STOPS WHEN FUEL GAUGE STILL REGISTERS FUEL. *AK
TRANSMISSION OVER-PRESSURIZED AND FORCED FLUID OUT OF THE DIP STICK TUBE ONTO THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST CAUSING A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE AND CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. AFTER REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION AT MY EXPENSE THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURED 4 MORE TIMES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY ACCOMODATING AT TRYING TO REMEDY THIS ONGOING PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CURE IT. *AK
THE BRAKE RESERVOIR HAD A HOLE IN IT CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE, VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG BROKE DRIVERS HAND. NLM
MY DAUGHTER WAS ATTEMPTING TO HOOK HER SEATBELT BEFORE WE LEFT A PARKING LOT AND THE BUCKLE LITERALLY FELL APART IN HER HAND. THIS WAS A REAR BELT WITH NO DOORS NEARBY SO IT HAD NOT BEEN DAMAGED IN ANY WAY PRIOR TO ITS FAILURE. OUR CONCERN IS THAT HAD WE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT IT WOULD NOT HAVE PROTECTED OUR CHILD. THE DEALER SAYS THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT AS WELL. *AK
A MALFUNCTIONING WIRING HARNESS CAUSING LOSS OF ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS. ALSO, TURN SIGNAL BECAME INOPERATIVE, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS PULLED ALL TYPES OF WIRES OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK *ML
VEHICLE STALLS AT A SLOW SPEED OR WHEN APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON 12 OCCASIONS, AND AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. PROBLEM IS STILL UNRESOLVED. ROTORS REPAIRED/OUT OF ROUND, MASTER POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED, HEADLAMP SWITCH REPLACED.*AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING AIRBAGS DEPLOYED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND FELT THAT GMC WAS NOT LIABLE FOR THE INCIDENT. *AK
A NEW VEHICHLE SHOULD NEVER HAVE THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. GMC COULD CARE LESS ABOUT MY PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THEM. EACH TIME COST OVER $1,000 DOLLARS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONING SINCE DECEMBER 1997, RESULTED IN ITS FAILURE. YH
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. *MJS
MY FUEL GUAGE SHOWS FULL REGARDLESS HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE TANK, REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE THIS IS THIRD GMC WITH THIS PROBLEM, SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY,
ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING DURING OPERATION, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
NO BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING. IS SUCH CATASTROPHIC FAILURE COMMON AT 40.832 MILES? *AK
ALL THE GAUGES DO NOT WORK DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PREVIOUSLY, DEALER REPLACED GAS GAUGE. ALSO, TRANSMISSIN MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
RIGHT FRONT CALIPER LOCKED UP RESULTING IN NUMEROUS REPAIRS INCLUDING ALIGNMENT, NEW TIRES AND IDLER ARMS REPLACEMENT AT MY COST. ALL UNDER 30K MILES!!!
ENGINE LEAK AND RATTLE NOISE. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 5 MPH WITH FOOT ON BRAKE CAR ACCELERATED VERY FAST. AFTER CAR HAS ACCELERATED, THEN IT JUST STOPPED. *AK
ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO LOCK UP AND THE VEHICLE TO SKID, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
STARTING TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY HEARD A LOUD NOISE, THE ENGINE PULLEY POPPED OFF WHICH EFFECTED THE BRAKES AND STEERING. *AK
NO SUMMARY
THE BATTERY CABLE LINE HANGING OVER THE THE TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE GOING INTO THE INTAKE/OUTTAKE MANIFORD, WHICH CUT IT IN HALF. THE TRANSMISSION CAUGHT ON FIRE.CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
THROTTLE LINKAGE STICKS WHEN TAKING OFF CAUSING FAILURE. *YC
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 GMC Safari → · Every Safari year → · How the figures are calculated →