IllustrationMOVING IN TRAFFIC AT 20 MPH. HIT BRAKES FOR QUICK STOP AND VAN DID NOT STOP. HIT CAR IN FRONT OF US.
1994 GMC Safari
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Safari years
Owner complaints for the 1994 GMC Safari are substantially higher than the model-year median of 30.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Safari years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 16 of 119 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 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
119 reportsMOVING IN TRAFFIC AT 20 MPH. HIT BRAKES FOR QUICK STOP AND VAN DID NOT STOP. HIT CAR IN FRONT OF US. *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734314
CONSUMER IS EXPIERENCING SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN MANUFACTURER'SRECALL 98043. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL JUST STOP, AND THERE'S NOTHING CONSUMER CAN DO. ONCE ON THE INTERSTATE AMONG TRUCKS WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED.*AK
FRONT LEFT TORSION BAR BROKE IN DRIVEWAY. DEALER HAD UPDATE KIT FOR BOTH SIDES. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. *AK
WHILE SAFARI WAS PARKED TORSION BAR BROKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SAFARI WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. BOTH TORSION BARS BROKE BECAUSE THE PARTS HAVE BEEN RE-ENGINEERED. GMC OBVIOUSLY KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SAFARI'S. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THIS IS THE SECOND STATE INSPECTION I HAD TO GET NEW IDLER ARMS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE, CAUSING FRONT END TO DROP. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *AK
I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN I PASSED A SLIGHT DIP IN THE ROAD AND THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BANG RESEMBLING AN EXPLOSION AND THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SLAMMED TO THE GROUND. THE DRIVERS SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED! IT WAS VERY FORTUNATE THE TIMING OF THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN IT DID, AS WE HAD JUST LEFT …
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I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN I PASSED A SLIGHT DIP IN THE ROAD AND THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BANG RESEMBLING AN EXPLOSION AND THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SLAMMED TO THE GROUND. THE DRIVERS SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED! IT WAS VERY FORTUNATE THE TIMING OF THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN IT DID, AS WE HAD JUST LEFT THE MASS TURNPIKE AND WERE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND THE LIVES OF OTHER PERSONS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL THE TORTION BAR IS MADE OF, AND I FEAR THE OTHER SIDE MAY BE DEFECTIVE AS WELL. *AK
WHILE RECLINING PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT HANDLE FELL OFF. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE ENTIRE RECLINING MECHANISM UNDER CHAIR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW--THE MECHANISM CANNOT WITHSTAND THE TORSIONAL STRESS CAUSED BY LIFTING THE HANDLE TO ADJUST THE SEAT. CURRENTLY, SEAT IS TOTA…
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WHILE RECLINING PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT HANDLE FELL OFF. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE ENTIRE RECLINING MECHANISM UNDER CHAIR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW--THE MECHANISM CANNOT WITHSTAND THE TORSIONAL STRESS CAUSED BY LIFTING THE HANDLE TO ADJUST THE SEAT. CURRENTLY, SEAT IS TOTALLY RECLINED AND WILL NOT STAY UP. CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR FAMILY. *AK *ML
FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP DURING USE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE IN A BLINDING RAIN, THIS PRESENTED A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION TO BE IN ON A CROWDED INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH. *AK
Official recalls
194V087000 · Equipment:other:labels
May 9, 1994
THE MANUFACTURER'S CERTIFICATION LABEL AND/OR THE DRIVER AIR BAG ADVISORY LABEL MAY BE MISSING FROM THE VEHICLES, WHICH DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF 49 CFR 567.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: OWNERS OF VEHICLE WOULD BE UNAWARE OF THE LOAD CAPACITY OF THE VANS, THE VAN BUILD DATE, AND WOULD NOT HAVE ANY ASSURANCE THAT THE VANS MEET THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS.
Remedy: THE LABELS WILL BE FURNISHED TO OWNER'S FOR INSTALLATION ON THE VEHICLES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1RQ99003 · Windshield Wiper
Opened Mar 8, 1999 · Closed May 31, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
No summary supplied.