IllustrationTHIS SEEMS LIKE AN AWFUL LOT OF EXPENSIVE REPAIRS FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE STILL NOT RESOLVED. IT TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION BUT THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST.
1997 GMC Safari
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Safari years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 19 of 135 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 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
135 reportsGM CHAS A FAILURE IN THE SAFARI AND THEY DON'T CARE, IT'S A LEMON!! NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED.*AK
CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECAL 01V123000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF SAFETY BELT AUDIBLE WARNING MODULE. DEALER STATED PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL PEDAL WOULD NOT TRAVEL TO FLOOR. CONSUMER APPLIED FORCE, AND PEDAL RETURNED TO NORMAL MOVEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I HAVE REPEATLY TAKEN THIS CAR TO A GM DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM. THEY CHARGED ME TWICE AND FINALLY ADMITTED THEY COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. THEREFORE, IT LEFT ME NO CHOICE BUT TO GO TO ANY INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION DEALER, WHO ADVISED ME THIS IS A ONGOING GMC PROBLEM DUE TO POOR TECHANCIAL DESIGN. GM REALIZES THIS PROBLEM, YET HAS TUR…
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I HAVE REPEATLY TAKEN THIS CAR TO A GM DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM. THEY CHARGED ME TWICE AND FINALLY ADMITTED THEY COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. THEREFORE, IT LEFT ME NO CHOICE BUT TO GO TO ANY INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION DEALER, WHO ADVISED ME THIS IS A ONGOING GMC PROBLEM DUE TO POOR TECHANCIAL DESIGN. GM REALIZES THIS PROBLEM, YET HAS TURNED ME DOWN FOR REINBURSEMENT DUE TO MY HAVING IT FIXED BY INDEPENDENT. ALL MY SERVICE WORK HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DONE BY DEALER. DEALER TOLD ME HE WAS WORKING WITH GM TECHS BUT COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, YET THE INDEPENDENT IMMEDIATELY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS SERVICED OVER 200 GM CARS WITH SAME PROBLEM..GMC SUPERVISOR TIFFANY BAKER DENIED PAYMENT. VALVE BODY DESIGN PROBLEM. CONVERTER SLIPS WHEN HOT AND DRIVEN OVER 50 MILES. I HAVE SPENT OVER $600.00 ON THIS PROBLEM AND FEEL GM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR AND SHOULD REIMBURSE ME.*AK
SINCE LAST NOVEMBER, HAVE NOTED UNFORTUNATLEY WHEN IT START TO RAIN THAT THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS DON'T ALWAYS ACTIVATE WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND THERE IS NO WAY TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE PROBLEM CAN BE RECTIFIED BY GETTING OUT OF THE VAN, OPENING THE HOOD AND PRESSING …
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SINCE LAST NOVEMBER, HAVE NOTED UNFORTUNATLEY WHEN IT START TO RAIN THAT THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS DON'T ALWAYS ACTIVATE WHEN THEY ARE TURNED ON. THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND THERE IS NO WAY TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE PROBLEM CAN BE RECTIFIED BY GETTING OUT OF THE VAN, OPENING THE HOOD AND PRESSING THE WIRE CONECTIONS TOGETHER. HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE WIPERS WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE. ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS HAVE POWER AMD THE PLUG CONNECTION IS TIGHT AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO LOOSEN. THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE JUST MY PROBLEM, BUT A NEIGHBOR WHO OWNS A 94 SUBURBAN STATES HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I JUST CONTACTED THE DEALER TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND THEY SAID NO. HAVE ASKED THAT THE ZONE REP GIVE ME A CALL.*AK
SAFETY BELT IN BACK OF VEHICLE DOES NOT LATCH. HAD REPAIRED ONCE.ALSO, SEAT LATCH BROKE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ENGINE STALLED. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. ON JULY 1 WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP AFTER APPLYING FULL PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL. UPON EXAMINATION, THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE HAD DISCONNECTED FROM A SENSOR IN ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIO…
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WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP AFTER APPLYING FULL PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL. UPON EXAMINATION, THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE HAD DISCONNECTED FROM A SENSOR IN ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ATTACHMENTS. *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.