Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 GMC Safari problems
Owners filed 150 complaints about the 1996 GMC Safari with NHTSA between Feb 1996 and Dec 2009. The most-cited component is visibility (31).
Complaints
150
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Visibility31
- Suspension30
- Service brakes, hydraulic27
- Structure14
- Electrical system12
- Steering10
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Equipment9
- Fuel system, gasoline8
- Seat belts7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Power train5
- Tires4
- Air bags4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
8
32
12
14
21
21
11
10
13
3
2
1
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 8 |
| 1997 | 32 |
| 1998 | 12 |
| 1999 | 14 |
| 2000 | 21 |
| 2001 | 21 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Visibility
31 reports1 related recall
“POWER WINDOWS DO NOT WORK. CONSUMER CHECKED THE FUSES, AND THE FUSES ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AFTER MARKET REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE DEFECT WAS NOTICED. *AK NO RECALL FOUND ON THIS ISSUE. *TC”
Suspension
30 reports1 crash
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A RESIDENCE WHERE A DEALER REPRESENTATIVE CAME FOR AN INSPECTION AND DETERMINED THE PASSENGER SIDE TORSION BAR FRACTURED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
27 reports4 crashes1 fire
“SINCE THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR, WE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM W/ABS BRAKES. WHEN YOU WOULD SLOW DOWN & GET TO ABOUT 20 MPH, THE VAN WOULD START TO LOCK UP RENDERING THE VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL & UNABLE TO STOP. WE TOOK IT TO OUR USUAL MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE SENSOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WAS BAD & REPLACED IT. THAT LASTED ABOUT 6 MONTHS & WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM REOCCUR. AGAIN, OUR MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT (PULLING HIS HAIR OUT MIND YOU) & DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS UNEQUAL VOLTAGE, SO HE REPLACED BOTH SENSORS. NOW AGAIN WE STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. AS OF TODAY, THE ABS LIGHT IS ON & THE SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING. WE ARE NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS STOPPING NOW. ANYWAY, I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH & NOTICED THAT A GOOD NUMBER OF GM VEHICLES HAVE HAD ABS RECALLS, 1 STORY I READ WAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I REQUESTED SEVERAL THINGS FROM GM. 1) DIRECTION TO GO NOW; 2) REIMBURSEMENT FOR THESE EXPENSES(APPROX $800); 3) ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED THE RIGHT WAY & 4)A RECALL BE PLACED ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE ALSO. IF THERE WAS A RECALL PLACED ON IT, WE DID NOT RECEIVE IT IN THE MAIL. UNFORTUNATELEY, I WAS SENT A REPLY BASICALLY SAYING THAT THE 1996 MODEL WAS…”
Structure
14 reports
“I LOVE THIS VAN BUT IM BEGINNING TO THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DOOR HANDLES. WHEN I LEAST EXPECT IT THE HANDLES WILL JUST BREAK OFF IN MY HAND. I HAVE REPLACED EACH ONE AT LEAST TWICE. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THEM THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF. *TR”
Electrical system
12 reports
“ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS EVEN WITH NEW BATTERY, ALTERNATOR. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START VEHICLE ALL POWER IS LOST. HAPPENED LAST YEAR IS HAPPENING AGAIN, ONLY IN WINTER. KILLS BATTERY AFTER BATTERY. HAVE BOUGHT 3 BATTERIES, NOW THE ELECTRICAL POWER JUST DOES NOT COME ON. *TR”
Steering
10 reports
“FINGERS BENT AND TWISTED FROM DRIVING STIFF/TIGHT STEERING ON VEHICLES. INDEX AND MIDDLE BENT TOWARDS BABY FINGER. SEE PHOTOS AT HTTP:PHOTOS.YAHOO.COM/MIKETOMICH. THIS INFORMATION IS BEING SUBMITTED BY LANA'S COUSIN MIKE TOMICH. LANA'S FINGERS ARE ALL BENT AND TWISTED FROM THE HIGH EFFORT STEERING. LANA HAS DRIVEN ONLY GM VEHICLES WHICH INCLUDED THE SAFARI VAN, MALIBU, CAPRICE CLASSIC AND TRANS AM. MIKE TOMICH 989, 665-2311 LANA HAS EXPERIENCED SHOULDER PAIN AND CARPAL TUNNEL PROBLEMS, ETC. DT”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.