Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 4 of 39 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
39 reports
277,500 miles · Jun 2, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
LOSS OF BRAKE ACTION DUE TO INSTANT FLUID LOSS. BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO EXTREME AND ISOLATED CORROSION IN BRAKELINE LOCATED AREA OF GASOLINE TANK (FORWARD OF REAR AXLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE.) NO NOTICE OR PRIOR EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE. HAVE NOTED MANY INTERNET COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE AND LOCATION ON BOTH GMC SAFARI AND CHEVROL…
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LOSS OF BRAKE ACTION DUE TO INSTANT FLUID LOSS. BRAKE LINE RUPTURED DUE TO EXTREME AND ISOLATED CORROSION IN BRAKELINE LOCATED AREA OF GASOLINE TANK (FORWARD OF REAR AXLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE.) NO NOTICE OR PRIOR EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE. HAVE NOTED MANY INTERNET COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE AND LOCATION ON BOTH GMC SAFARI AND CHEVROLET ASTRO VANS AND SILVERADO LIGHT TRUCKS - YEAR AND/OR MILEAGE NOT A FACTOR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10272630
174,000 miles · Mar 27, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SECONDLY, WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SKIDS. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING A DEALER IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000 AND CURRE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 GMC SAFARI. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SECONDLY, WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SKIDS. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING A DEALER IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,000. UPDATED 04-23-09 *BF UPDATED 04/24/09.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10263283
Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2006
Latches/locks/linkages
1991 SAFARI HOOD CAME UP WHILE DRIVING AND SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD. *TS *JB
NHTSA ODI #10169099
150,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainSeat Belts
I HAVE HAD MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM MY 1991 GMC SAFARI MINI VAN THAN ALL OTHER PREVIOUS VEHICLES I'VE EVER OWNED. I'M LOOKING AT MY THIRD TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL SOON (SEEMS LIKE ONE EVERY TWO YEARS) AND I DON'T DRIVE FAST AND DON'T HAVE A HITCH TO "PULL" ANYTHING. CURRENTLY, MY TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN…
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I HAVE HAD MORE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM MY 1991 GMC SAFARI MINI VAN THAN ALL OTHER PREVIOUS VEHICLES I'VE EVER OWNED. I'M LOOKING AT MY THIRD TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL SOON (SEEMS LIKE ONE EVERY TWO YEARS) AND I DON'T DRIVE FAST AND DON'T HAVE A HITCH TO "PULL" ANYTHING. CURRENTLY, MY TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 2ND TO DRIVE. IT WENT FROM HAPPENING ONCE A MONTH TO APPROXIMATELY 4-6 TIMES A DAY. THE TRANSMISSIONS SHOPS I'VE SEEN SAY I NEED AN OVERHAUL AGAIN. I HATE THIS GMC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS IDENTICAL TO THOSE EXPERIENCED BY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE TYPE. TWICE NOW WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN A PANIC SITUATION THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED AND WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. REPLACED ECU ON BRAKE SYSTEM ONCE NOW DEALER INFORMS THAT IS MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN AT A COST OF $1200. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN EXTRAVAGANT MAI…
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NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS IDENTICAL TO THOSE EXPERIENCED BY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE TYPE. TWICE NOW WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN A PANIC SITUATION THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED AND WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. REPLACED ECU ON BRAKE SYSTEM ONCE NOW DEALER INFORMS THAT IS MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN AT A COST OF $1200. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN EXTRAVAGANT MAINTENANCE EXPENSE EVERY TIME YOU NEED THE ANTI-LOCK PORTION OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT DUE TO FAILURE, MUST REPLACE IDLER ARMS EVERY TWO YEARS DUE TO FAILURE AND ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTERS ON THE BLOWER SWITCH DUE TO OVERHEATING AND MELTING THE SWITCH. *NLM
NHTSA ODI #10036634
Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2002
Tires
I WAS TRAVLING AT ABOUT 60 MILES AND HOUR WHEN THE A PIECE OF THE TIRE OUT SIDEWAY. THE SIZE 12 INCHES X 8 INCHES BLEW OUT OF THE TIRER HITTING THE CAR NEX TO ME. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIRER HAVE SUCH CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THE SIDE WALL IS MISSING A PIECE FROM FIRST OUT SIDE THREAD TO THE RIM BEAD BY ABOUT 12 INCHES LONG. THE TIRE…
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I WAS TRAVLING AT ABOUT 60 MILES AND HOUR WHEN THE A PIECE OF THE TIRE OUT SIDEWAY. THE SIZE 12 INCHES X 8 INCHES BLEW OUT OF THE TIRER HITTING THE CAR NEX TO ME. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIRER HAVE SUCH CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THE SIDE WALL IS MISSING A PIECE FROM FIRST OUT SIDE THREAD TO THE RIM BEAD BY ABOUT 12 INCHES LONG. THE TIRER EXPLODED IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT OUT OF NO WARE ON SMOOTH DRY ROAD WAY. BLOWING THE PIECE OUT INTO THE PASSING LANE HITTING A CAR IN THAT LANE. THE PIECE WAS NOT RECOVERED. DT
NHTSA ODI #770340
Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2001
Seat Belts
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NO LONGER LATCH. *AK
NHTSA ODI #899178
Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2001
Power Train
WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TRANSMISSION DIP STICK POPPED OFF, AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS ALL OVER WINDSHEILD. TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING AFTRERWARDS. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME MAY HAVE FOAM AND/OR VINYL BETWEEN THEM, CREATING A "SOFT" JOINT. THIS "SOFT" JOINT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN SPECIFIED BOLT TORQUE WHICH LEADS TO JOINT LOOSENESS, CAUSING BOLT FATIGUE AND EVENTUAL BOLT FAILURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF BOLT FAILURE OCCURS TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT, IT WOULDALLOW THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDENLY RECLINE, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FOAM AND/OR VINYL FROM BETWEEN THE RECLINER MECHANISM AND THE SEAT FRAME "SOFT" JOINT AND REPLACE THE RECLINER BOLTS.
SEVERE CORROSION DUE TO ROAD SALT AT THE JOINT OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER SECTION AND THE CAST OUTER SECTION CAN CAUSE THE SECTIONS TO SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SEPARATION OF THE ROTOR SECTIONS CAN CAUSE LOSS OFBRAKING ABILITY IN THE AFFECTED WHEEL. THIS COULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCE AND/OR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH NEW ROTORS WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION COATING. HOWEVER, IF REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LININGS ARE NECESSARY, IT WILL BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE SINCE BRAKE LININGS ARE NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS.
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