IllustrationPOWER WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT GO UP OR DOWN. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE MOTOR FOR THE POWER WINDOW IS BEING REPLACED AT OWNERS' EXPENSE. *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
What owners actually said
139 reportsWIPER SWITCH DISCONNECTS WHEN TURNED "ON". GMC SERVICE MANAGER BELIEVES THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THIS DEFECT BUT UNABLE TO FIND FOR GMC VEHICLE; BELIEVES THERE WAS RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER GMC - CHEVROLET ASTROL MODELS. REPORTS THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF SIMILAR DEFECTS SEEN AND TO WAIT UNTIL RECALL IS OFFICIAL BEFORE REPL…
Read full complaint
WIPER SWITCH DISCONNECTS WHEN TURNED "ON". GMC SERVICE MANAGER BELIEVES THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THIS DEFECT BUT UNABLE TO FIND FOR GMC VEHICLE; BELIEVES THERE WAS RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER GMC - CHEVROLET ASTROL MODELS. REPORTS THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF SIMILAR DEFECTS SEEN AND TO WAIT UNTIL RECALL IS OFFICIAL BEFORE REPLACING $100. SWITCH.
PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOW MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE WINDOW TO GET STUCK IN THE MIDDLE. BEEN REPLACED TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHENEVER IT RAINS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING. CAN HEAR MOTOR GOING. WIPERS WOULD BLOW EVERY TIME IT RAINS. MECHANIC SAYS ITS THE FUSE EACH TIME, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
FUEL PUMP FAILURE PROBLEMS NOTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES CONCERNING GMC SAFARI VANS.ALSO,MECHANIC STATED FIRST REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP HE ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE WAS DEFECTIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED IF THERE IS A RECALL OR TECHNICAL SEVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM SO I MAY BE REIMBURSED. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO REGISTER THIS C…
Read full complaint
FUEL PUMP FAILURE PROBLEMS NOTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES CONCERNING GMC SAFARI VANS.ALSO,MECHANIC STATED FIRST REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP HE ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE WAS DEFECTIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED IF THERE IS A RECALL OR TECHNICAL SEVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM SO I MAY BE REIMBURSED. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO REGISTER THIS COMPLAINT ABOUT MY VEHICLE WITH YOU.
WHILE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE IN USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VISUAL DIFFCULTY WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED THE FUSES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AKPOWER DOOR LOCKS INOPERABLE. *YH
INTERMITTENTLY THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TWICE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
HAD BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN AT APPROX 34K. DEALER SAID LEFT SHOCK WAS LEAKY. AFTER THAT WHEN BRAKING DOWN FROM HIGHER SPEED, LEFT TIRE, JUMPS UNTIL SPEED IS SLOWED. NOW WITH THE NEW NOISE, SAYS TRANSFER CASE IS LOOSE.
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 …
Read full complaint
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.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
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.