Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 GMC Safari problems

Owners filed 152 complaints about the 1997 GMC Safari with NHTSA between Jan 1997 and Aug 2014. The most-cited component is visibility (29).

Complaints
152
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility29
  2. Power train23
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic18
  4. Steering18
  5. Engine and engine cooling17
  6. Fuel system, gasoline13
  7. Electrical system12
  8. Vehicle speed control9
  9. Seat belts9
  10. Air bags7
  11. Structure7
  12. Suspension5
  13. Fuel system, other5
  14. Exterior lighting4

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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199712
19989
199930
200030
200120
200218
20037
200411
20057
20062
20071
20082
20091
20100
20111
20120
20130
20141

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility

29 reports1 related recall
“WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE FAILURE, APPROXIMATELY IN EARLY 2006 ON 1000K TRIP. PARTS PURCHASED MODULE N12463 PART NUMBER 12463090 FROM DEALER IN EDMONTON AT COST OF $64.87 INCLUDING GST.. RETURNED HOME 1000K AS DEALER TOO BUSY TOO FIX, AND PAID $36.00 LABOR TO HAVE INSTALLED. TOTAL COST FOR MODULE AND LABOR: $100.87. MY REQUEST IS FOR GM TO PAY THIS $100.87 AS THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER A RECALL NOTICE AT ANY TIME IN THE LIFE OF THESE VEHICLES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 15, 2008VisibilityODI 10227944

Power train

23 reports1 fire
“DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED . HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, AND HAD REPAIR WORK DONE IN MAY 2005. IN SEPTEMBER 2005 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO REFUND THE MONEY FOR SERVICE TOWARD A NEW TRANSMISSION, BUT THIS REPAIR HAS NOT CURRENTLY BEEN MADE.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2005Power trainODI 10141457

Service brakes, hydraulic

18 reports3 crashes
“THIS VAN BELONGS TO MY MOTHER. MY SISTER WAS DRIVING THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. SHE IS 60 YRS OF AGE AND A VERY GOOD DRIVER. HER DESCRIPTION: "JUST PULLING AWAY FROM ONE LIGHT & COMING UP TO ANOTHER. WASN'T GOING MORE THAN 20 MPH. STEP ON THE BRAKES & THEY WEREN'T THERE." THE ACCIDENT CAUSED ABOUT $500 IN DAMAGE TO THE HONDA AUTO THAT WAS STRUCK, AND SIMILAR LIGHT DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER OF THE SAFARI. I INSPECTED SYSTEM AND FOUND NO LEAKS, AND CONCLUDED THAT MASTER CYLINDER MAY BE FAILING, SO I REPLACED IT. AFTER THAT REPAIR, HAD EXCELLENT PEDAL. I BORROWED THE VAN A FEW DAYS LATER, AND WHILE DRIVING IT, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME NO BRAKE CONDITION 3 TIMES, ONCE WHICH LEFT THE FRONT END OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION (LUCKILY, NO COLLISION). I RECOGNIZED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ERRONEOUSLY KEEPING THE FRONT BRAKES FROM APPLYING, AND THAT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE NO BRAKE CONDITION. A GM MECHANIC ADVISED ME TO PULL THE ABS FUSE. I DID SO, AND NOW THE VAN HAS GREAT BRAKES, EVERY TIME. I HAVE DONE THE SAME TO ANOTHER FAMILY VEHICLE ALSO EQUIPPED WITH THIS DANGEROUS SYSTEM; I'M NOT WAITING UNTIL IT CAUSES ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THIS CONDITION SCREAMS FOR YOUR ATTENTION. NO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2014Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10629776

Steering

18 reports1 crash
“A/C/HEATING: REAR HEAT WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REWIRED ENGINE: THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE IT, THAT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BUT STILL HAS A FRONT OIL LEAK SOME WHERE IN THE FRONT. OTHER: I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. SHORTLY AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT THE TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT SO WE HAD A USED ONE PUT IN AND IT ONLY LASTED FOUR MONTHS NOW IT SITS IN THE GARAGE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING TO DO ABOUT THE TRANSFER CASE THEY SHOULD LAST LONGER. BRAKES: BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE ABS BRAKES SINCE WE BOUGHT IT TOOK IT IN TO A DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. I ENDED UP DOING THE BRAKES AND FOUND THEY HAD CRACKED PADS CAUSING THE NOISE IN THE BRAKES. FOUND OUT THAT ALL WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT WHAT IT IS MADE OUT TO BE, I HAVE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS 1997 GMC SAFARI ALL WHEEL DRIVE VAN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Unknown or otherODI 10070433

Engine and engine cooling

17 reports
“CONSUMER DISAPPOINTED IN SOME OF THE PROBLEMS HE HAD WITH THE CHASSIS AND OTHER AUXILIARY SYSTEMS. (NAR) *PH TRANSMISSION, ENGINE, AC/ HEATER, GAS GAUGE, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR, ELECTRIC WINDOW. *CB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 9, 2004Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Visibility, Structure, EquipmentODI 10066973

Fuel system, gasoline

13 reports1 related recall
“AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. SEVERAL TIMES THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE WHILE SHE WAS PASSING A TRACTOR-TRAILER MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. VAN WOULD NORMALLY RESTART, BUT HAD TO BE TOWED 3 TIMES. DEALER IN FLORIDA FAILED TO REPAIR AFTER 10 DAYS AND TWO ATTEMPTS. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO REPAIRED IT IN 4 HOURS! PROBLEM WAS A MELTED FUEL PUMP WIRING HARNESS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2007Fuel system, gasolineODI 10211938
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.