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Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 GMC Safari problems

Owners filed 77 complaints about the 1999 GMC Safari with NHTSA between Mar 1999 and Jun 2008. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (21).

Full 1999 Safari research
Complaints
77
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic21
  2. Power train20
  3. Engine and engine cooling9
  4. Seat belts6
  5. Vehicle speed control4
  6. Electrical system4
  7. Fuel system, gasoline4
  8. Equipment4
  9. Steering3
  10. Suspension3
  11. Tires3
  12. Air bags3
  13. Interior lighting2
  14. Seats2

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 28, 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
199912
200018
200115
200212
20036
20047
20054
20061
20071
20081

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

Service brakes, hydraulic

21 reports3 crashes1 fire
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S ABS SENSOR UNIT FAILED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE ABS SENSOR UNIT THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2006Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10172591
Get this fixed

Power train

20 reports
“1999 GMC SAFARI TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SEE GM TSB #00-07-30-002 DATED 11/2000. 1ST-2ND LATE SHIFT, REVERSE, 2ND, & 4TH GEAR CAUSED IMMEDIATE FAILURE. ALL REQUIRED TRANSMISSION SERVICE PERFORMED BY DEALER ON THIS VEHICLE. ROOT CAUSE IS THE KNOWN SUN GEAR SHELL FAILURE IN THE GM 4L60E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAS 70,511 MILES. FILED GMC CUSTOMER COMPLAINT #1-366073225. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2005Power trainODI 10138290
Get this fixed

Engine and engine cooling

9 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SAFARI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY, HE NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING FAN ACTIVATED AUTOMATICALLY, WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 120,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10230121
Get this fixed

Seat belts

6 reports1 crash1 related recall
“THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, WHERE THE SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR DID NOT HOLD THE PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MR SCC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2002Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 8022307
Recall: Seat belts: warning lightGet this fixed

Vehicle speed control

4 reports1 crash
“THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STUCK.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2003Vehicle speed controlODI 10011462
Get this fixed

Electrical system

4 reports
“I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE COIL WIRE TWICE ON THIS VEHICLE. WHEN THE WIRE FAILS, THE ENGINE CUTS OFF CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES FAIL TO WORK. THIS CAUSES A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**767118”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2002Electrical systemODI 10007412
Get this fixed
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.