IllustrationMileage unknown · Sep 8, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling
EGR VALVE.
NHTSA ODI #609444
1998 GMC Safari
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 GMC Safari do not stand out strongly from 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: 17 of 89 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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 9 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 reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
89 reportsEGR VALVE.
COMPUTER WIRE.
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND THE VAN STARTS TO RUN VERY ROUGH AND HAS TO BE TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS. *AK
HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE IN ADDITION TO THE ONE LISTED ABOVE. THIS IS MY PRIMARY CONCERN AS THE VEHICLE COULD BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL IN A PANICK SITUATION.
WHILE TRAVELING 30-40 MPH DOWN AN INCLINE, CONSUMER NOTED VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT END. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER INDICATED THAT THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP AND BURNED OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER GRINDED DOWN BOTH REAR DRUMS AND REPLACED SHOES. *YC
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED, ALSO CAUSING PULLING. MJS
WAS CROSSING A 4- LANE HIGHWAY WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE BROADSIDED SAFARI. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED SPINAL INJURY AND WAS HOSPITALIZED. POLICE REPORT INCLUDED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70MPH RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF WITH 21,000 MILES ON VEHICLE DUE TO 5 BOLTS SHEARING OFF. MAINTAINED CONTROL OF VEHICLE. TOOK DAMAGED PARTS TO MANUFACTURER & WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. HAS ALL REPORTS PERTAINING TO BOLTS. CALLED HOTLINE & LEFT SEVERAL MESSAGES. *AK
TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, FAILED AGAIN TWELVE HOURS AFTER WE GOT IT BACK! THEN ALL WAS FINE UNTIL 4-17-99 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AGAIN. DEALERSHIP IS CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO FIXING IT AGAIN. *AK
REAR PASSENGER'S WHEEL RIM HAS A HOLE IN IT WHICH ENABLES AIR TO LEAK OUT. DEALER CONTACTED, AND PER TSB THEY CAN JUST FILL HOLE WITH POXY. REPAIRWORK DONE. PROBLEM WILL STILL EXISTS. *AK
Official recalls
303V093000 · Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior
Mar 7, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, MINI VANS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS MAY DEVELOP A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, IT COULD RESULT IN AN INOPERATIVE SWITCH, HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND/OR IGNITION OF COMPONENTS IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND A SUBSEQUENT VEHICLE FIRE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS TO THE ELECTRIC OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 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 OR GMC AT 1-800-462-8782.
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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.