Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 GMC Safari problems

Owners filed 6 complaints about the 2004 GMC Safari with NHTSA between Aug 2004 and Dec 2011. The most-cited component is suspension (2).

Complaints
6
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension2
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  3. Fuel system, gasoline1
  4. Equipment1
  5. Power train1
  6. Tires1
  7. Steering1

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
20041
20050
20061
20070
20082
20091
20100
20111

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

Suspension

2 reports
“THE REAR END WAS MAKING A NOISE AND WAS TAKEN TO THE CAR DEALER CHECKED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CARRIER BEARINGS AND THE RING & PINION (FACTORY DEFECT). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING THIS NOISE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THE WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER REPAIRS. THE COST IS ESTIMATED TO BE 1500.00 DOLLARS. WE HAVE SENT IT TO THE DEALER ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THEY SAY THE WARRANTY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2008Suspension, Power trainODI 10239746

Service brakes, hydraulic

1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SAFARI AWD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MPH AND COMING TO A STOP WHEN THE ABS ACTIVATED ABNORMALLY AND CAUSED THE BRAKES TO PULSATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE HUBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000. UPDATED 03/23/12 *BF UPDATED 04/09/12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 20, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10440549

Fuel system, gasoline

1 report1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VACUUM HOSE FAILED IN HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED A HOLE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE RUBBING AGAINST THE FUEL LINE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPAIR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING LINE WOULD COST BETWEEN $800-$1,000. SHE WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THE DEFECT APPEARED TO BE WEAKENING THE FUEL LINE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE ISSUE AND REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 134,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 28, 2009Fuel system, gasoline, EquipmentODI 10267162

Equipment

1 report

Power train

1 report

Tires

1 report
“I PURCHASED NEW A 2004 GMC SAFARI VAN ALL WHEEL DRIVE WITH LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL. I RECENTLY HAD A TIRE FAILURE 350 MILES FROM HOME (RIGHT REAR). NO BIG DEAL JUST PUT THE SPARE ON RIGHT. WELL IT WAS 8:30 AT NIGHT WITH ICE ON THE ROAD. I GOT TO THE BURM , JACKED IT UP, WHEELS CHOCKED, IT SLIPPED OFF THE JACK, DO TO THE ICE. WITH LUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED AND HAD A FLOOR JACK. GOT THE TIRE ON, LOOKING GOOD. TOOK OFF TO TRY AND GET A NEW TIRE ON BEFORE THEY CLOSE. WELL GUESS WHAT? THE DONUT SPARE FROM THE FACTORY ISN'T THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE OTHER THREE! THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BUCK AND JUMP. THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS YOU CAN DRIVE ON THIS SPARE FOR 3,000 MILES. IF I HAD TRIED TO DRIVE HOME I WOULD HAVE TORN UP MY TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE AND LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL!!!! THANKS GM. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF ACCIDENT WILL HAPPEN WHEN EVERYTHING FAILS! I SEE WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS MANDATING TIRE PRESSURE INFO TO THE DRIVER. TIRE PRESSURE IS OUT OF THE MANUFACTURES CONTROL , BUT PUTTING THE CORRECT SIZE SPARE TIRE (HEIGHT WISE ANYWAY)IS IN THEIR CONTROL IF THE GOVERNMENT FEELS TIRE PRESSURE IS IMPORTANT TO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2008TiresODI 10216324
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.