Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 GMC Safari problems
Owners filed 107 complaints about the 1998 GMC Safari with NHTSA between Jan 1998 and Feb 2014. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (17).
Complaints
107
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
15
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic17
- Visibility11
- Power train10
- Steering10
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Electrical system9
- Vehicle speed control9
- Air bags6
- Suspension6
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Seat belts4
- Seats4
- Wheels4
- Latches/locks/linkages3
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
5
28
13
18
16
13
3
5
2
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 5 |
| 1999 | 28 |
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 18 |
| 2002 | 16 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
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
Service brakes, hydraulic
17 reports2 crashes
“BRAKES FAILED, AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER STATED THAT BRAKES SOUNDED AS THEY WERE LOCKING UP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER KEPT SAYING THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. CONSUMER ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT.*AK”
Visibility
11 reports1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 GMC SAFARI. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. HOWEVER, THEY BEGAN OPERATING AGAIN FIVE TO TEN MINUTES LATER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RAINFALL IS FREQUENT IN HIS STATE. NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE PRESENT DURING OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE IS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 143,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 05/06/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/06/08”
Power train
10 reports1 crash
“1998 GMC SAFARI VAN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MODEL 700, FAILURED AT 93,000 MILES DUE TO A 3RD GEAR SLIPPAGE. I FOUND IN MY RESEARCH TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THIS WAS COMMON FOR GMC TRUCKS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION FOR THIS TO FAIL BETWEEN 90,000 AND 100,000 EVEN WITH SCHEDULED SERVICE. GMC AGREED TO REPLACE WITH A FACTORY REBUILD, WHICH THEY DID BUT AT MY COST OF $2,300.00, WITH A 36 MONTH/50,000 MILE WARRANTY. I COULD NOT FIND ANY TECH SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS ON YOUR WEB SITE, DO YOU HAVE ANYOTHER INFORMATION. GMC AND ITS DEALERSHIP IS ALREADY AWARE OF MY PRODUCT DISPLEASURE WHEN I EXPECT QUAILTY AND DURABILITY IT WAS NOT THERE. PLEASE RESPOND, THANK YOU.*AK”
Steering
10 reports3 crashes
“WHILE DRIVING 20-25MPH AND GOING STRAIGHT VEHICLE MADE A POPPING NOISE, AND STEERING FAILED. VEHICLE WAS FORCED TO GO INTO A DITCH DUE TO STEERING WHEEL NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN. THERE WAS ONE INJURY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED STEERING GEAR BOX. *AK *YH”
Engine and engine cooling
9 reports
“1998 GMC SAFARI HAS DIED FIVE TIMES AND EACH TIME THERE WAS A LOSS OF BRAKES AND POWER STEERING ABILITY.*MR STALLED WHILE DRIVING (NO START), CHECK FUEL SYSTEM. PERFORM FUEL INDUCTION AND THROTTLE BODY CLEAN. R&R OLD BELT, TENSIONER CAME APART, REPLACE TENSIONER AND BELT TO REPAIR. *BF”
Electrical system
9 reports1 fire
“VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING A LOT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP AND DOWN, AND IT MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE. DOOR LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK INADVERTENTLY. WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORK WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING. THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER ONLY OPERATE THROUGH THE DEFROSTER. ALSO, UNLESS CONSUMER KEEPS FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR THE BATTERY ALMOST DIES.*AK”
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.