IllustrationABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON/ PEDAL JERKED, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER. HE SAID THAT IT WAS A SENSOR THAT NEEDED TO BE RESET. REPLACED COMPUTER MODULE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN DEALER ABOUT FIVE TIMES, AND IS STILL AT THE DEALER. *AK
1996 GMC Safari
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Safari years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 22 of 139 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.
- Visibility. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports2 fire reports6 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
27 reportsSTARTED VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE AND HEARD A CLUNKING & GRINDING NOISE. KEPT VEHICLE RUNNING, BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, TURNED THE WHEEL, AND THERE WAS NO STEERING. WENT TO APPLY BRAKES , AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK. VEHICLE LOST POWER AND BRAKES DUE TO TENSION PULLEY WAS BROKE. *YH
I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER REPLACED IN DEC. AND IN FEB. I HAD JUST DRIVEN IN FROM GA TO CA AND IT WAS 7:30AM IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND THE FRONT OF THE AIR CONDIT. UNIT FELL OFF. I HEARD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ROCKS HITTING UNDER THE FRONT END AND LATER FOUND OUT IT WAS BEARINGS, BUT JUST AS I HEARD THE SOUND I LOST MY POWER STEER…
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I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER REPLACED IN DEC. AND IN FEB. I HAD JUST DRIVEN IN FROM GA TO CA AND IT WAS 7:30AM IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND THE FRONT OF THE AIR CONDIT. UNIT FELL OFF. I HEARD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ROCKS HITTING UNDER THE FRONT END AND LATER FOUND OUT IT WAS BEARINGS, BUT JUST AS I HEARD THE SOUND I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL .. I HIT MY EMERGENCY BRAKE SLOWLY AND POWER STEERED MY VAN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT TOOK EVERYTHING I HAD TO TURN THE WHEEL . IF I HAD BEEN GOING 60 ON THE FREEWAY INSTEAD OF 10 MILES AN HR. I PROBLEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE BIGGEST TROUBLE OF MY LIFE. I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE NOT HAVING ANY BRAKES OR STEERING, SOMEHOW THE TWO ARE CONNECTED. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANYONE AND WHEN I SPOKE TO DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIRMEN. THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF IT EITHER.. I HAD REPLACE THE AC IN THE VAN IN DEC, AND PAID 500.00 . I HAVE HAD ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE AC FROM THE TIME I FIRST GOT THE VAN. I HOPE NO ONE EVER HAS THIS PROBLEM OR HURTS SOMEONE BECAUSE THERE AIR CONDITIONER FALLS APART. THE RUNNING OF THE AUTO AND THE CONNECTION TO THE A/C SHOULD NEVER BE HOOKED TOGETHER. AC'S GO OUT ALOT IN AUTO'S AND THIS IS A SURE WAY TO KILL SOMEONE.*AK
OCCASIONALLY VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT ON BRAKING. YH
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING NOISE. MJS
APPLIED BRAKES AND SYSTEM FAILED SPORADICALY, MOST FAILURES UNDER DRY CONDITION ON ASPHALT. TWO BRAKE MODULES, COMPUTER MODULE, MASTER CYLINDER, CALIPERS, PADS, ROTORS ALL BEEN REPLACED. FRONT TIRES REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES. PEDAL CAN BE PRESSED TO FLOOR AT ANY TIME, FAILURE HAS A MUSHY PEDAL WITH A COASTING TO A STOP. SOME …
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APPLIED BRAKES AND SYSTEM FAILED SPORADICALY, MOST FAILURES UNDER DRY CONDITION ON ASPHALT. TWO BRAKE MODULES, COMPUTER MODULE, MASTER CYLINDER, CALIPERS, PADS, ROTORS ALL BEEN REPLACED. FRONT TIRES REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES. PEDAL CAN BE PRESSED TO FLOOR AT ANY TIME, FAILURE HAS A MUSHY PEDAL WITH A COASTING TO A STOP. SOME TIME MAKING NOISE (UNLIKE THAT OF ABS SYSTEM) UNTIL PEDAL IS RELEASED.
BELT SLIPS WHEN WET, CAUSING ENGINE HESITATION.
WHEN APPLYING FOOT TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL LOSE PRESSURE AND GO TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN AT A STOP SIGN, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO MOVE FORWARD A LITTLE. *AK *SLC
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN WET CONDITIONS AND PUTTING FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP, THE TRUCK JUST KEPT GOING. HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE TRUCK WILL STOP. *AK
BRAKE PROBLEMS INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN COMING TO A STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD AND FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION AND THE DRIVELINE IS MOVING FORWARD. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
403V159000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer
Apr 28, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES WITH CERTAIN MODEL-ENGINE COMBINATIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY FAIL DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
01V123000 · Seat Belts:front:warning Light/devices
Apr 10, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE "FASTEN SAFETY-BELT" AUDIBLE WARNING OCCASIONALLY MAY NOT COME ON OR MAY TERMINATE IN LESS THAN FOUR SECONDS AS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW ALARM MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 27, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
99V009000 · Child Seat
Jan 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED DUAL CHILD SEATS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE MISSING A SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CLUTCH SPRING AND/OR PAWL SPRING IN THE CHILD SEAT. IF THE CLUTCH SPRING WAS MISSING, THE SEAT BELT WOULD LOCK IN THE RETRACTED POSITION AND COULD NOT BE USED. IF THE PAWL SPRING WAS MISSING, THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT WOULD CONTINUALLY PLAY OUT AND WOULD NOT LOCK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE CONDITIONS COULD INCREASE THE OCCUPANT'S RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELTS ON THE CHILD SEATS, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CHILD SEAT.
97V057000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Apr 8, 1997
THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE RIGHT-HAND REAR BUCKET SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A VEHICLE CRASH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND PERSONAL INJURY COULD RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTOR ON THE REAR SEAT CUSHION FRAME.
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
1EA02006 · Windshield Wiper Failure
Opened May 31, 2002 · Closed Jul 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND THE PRECEDINGINVESTIGATION, RQ99-003, GM HAS EXPANDED THE POPULATION OF SAFETY RECALL 98V-150 (REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL MODULE) TO INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL 1.77 MILLION VEHICLES.INCLUDED ARE VARIOUS 1994-1997 MY M/L VANS, S/T TRUCKS AND SUVS, & C/K TRUCKS AND SUVS.SEE ATTACHED TECHNICAL REPORT FOR DETAILS.