Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 GMC Safari problems
Owners filed 47 complaints about the 2001 GMC Safari with NHTSA between Jun 2001 and Aug 2014. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (15).
Complaints
47
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
56
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic15
- Electrical system9
- Steering5
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Exterior lighting4
- Visibility3
- Structure3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Latches/locks/linkages2
- Tires2
- Seat belts2
- Interior lighting2
- Fuel system, other1
- Service brakes, air1
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 Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
6
8
7
6
11
2
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
4
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 |
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
15 reports2 crashes
“AT SLOW SPEEDS THE ABS ACTIVATES AND THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO STOP. THE SIERRA VAN USES THE SAME COMPONENTS AS THE TRUCKS THAT WERE RECALLED BY 05V379000 ON 8/3/05. THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME WITH DIRTY SPEED SENSORS. *KB”
Electrical system
9 reports2 fires
“AFTER FUELING, COULD NOT RESTART VEHICLE. DASH LIGHTS. HAD TO WAIT 15 - 30 MINUTES UNTIL I WAS ABLE START VEHICLE. BATTERY 4 MONTHS OLD, INTERMITTENT ONGOING PROBLEM. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH DISCOVERED VIA WEB SEARCH LIST PROBLEM WITH "IGNITION PASSLOCK/PASSKEY SECURITY SYSTEM". THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT MY LOCAL GM DEALER WILL NOT ADDRESS OR FIX. ESTIMATED CONSUMER REPAIR COST OVER $1000,00. *TR”
Steering
5 reports
“POWER STEERING FAILED, DRIVE SHAFT IN PUMP BROKE, CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL. NO ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS BEING BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE. VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE AND REPAIRED WITH NEW POWER STEERING PUMP INSTALLED. *JB”
Engine and engine cooling
4 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VIBRATES, BACKFIRES, AND FAILS TO START WHEN COLD. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. NHTSA SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 03-06-04-041 WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF WHEN THE VEHICLE DID START, IT WOULD RUN ROUGH AND THEN STALL. UPDATED”
Exterior lighting
4 reports2 related recalls
“ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO COME ON. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO VIN. *AK”
Visibility
3 reports
“PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW GOES PART WAY DOWN, WILL NOT GO OUT - INTERMITTENT PROBLEM INCREASED TO PERMANENT PROBLEM. NOW GOES DOWN MAYBE 1/2 INCH, ONLY GOES UP 1/32 INCH AT A TIME. HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE, NEEDS REPAIR AGAIN. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN 6/03, NOT LONG AFTER THAT, PROBLEM SURFACED IN INCREASING REGULARITY. WHEN I HAD PROBLEM REPAIRED BY DEALER IN 1/04, I WAS TOLD THIS HAD BEEN REPAIRED BEFORE. ITEMS REPAIRED / REPLACED, WERE: 1314WSC95 - ELECTRICAL MISC. PO45391 - MOTOR PO45386 - ACTUATOR SEVERAL RIVETS. THE REPAIR FACILITY DESCRIBED THE WINDOW PROBLEM AS "BINDING", AND A ALSO FOUND THAT THE DOOR LOCK WAS NOT ACTIVATING PROPERLY DUE TO A DOOR LOCK MECHANISM PROBLEM (THE ACTUATOR) AS HAVING AN "INTERNAL SHORT". THE REPAIR OF 1/04 WAS GOOD FOR ABOUT 14 MONTHS (DEALER REFUSED TO WARRANT WORK), WHEN IN 3/05, THE PROBLEM HAD GRADUALLY RETURNED. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, HE SAID IT WAS NOT. I RECENTLY DECIDED TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM AS I AM ABOUT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AGAIN, AND SEE THAT THE PASSENGER WINDOWS ON GMC VANS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR A LONG TIME. I BELIEVE THE MALFUNCTIONING WINDOW IS A HAZARD, AS IT CREATES…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.