2003 GMC Safari

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

18Owner complaints

Model-year median: 30

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2003 GMC Safari

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 18 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 5 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 2 reports
Power Train: 2 reports
Service Brakes: 2 reports
Air Bags: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

03V328000 — Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Safari years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

5 Engine And Engine Cooling

2 Power Train

2 Service Brakes

2 Air Bags

All reported categories

1 Vehicle Speed Control

1 Visibility

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: 13 of 18 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 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Visibility complaints

1 reports

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Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2003

Visibility

DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR HAS A VIBRATION CAUSING VIEWING DISTORTION. *MR THE DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATIONS WHICH CAUSED VARIOUS DEGREES OF DISTORTION. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE NAUSEA, HEAD ACHES, AND BODY TENSION. ROAD CONDITIONS, WEATHER/TEMPERATURE, AND THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE HAVE ALL E…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #10037937

Recall campaigns

03V328000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

Sep 12, 2003

CERTAIN MINIVANS HAVE AN INTERFERENCE CONDITION BETWEEN THE LOWER BALL JOINT RUBBER BOOT AND THE STEERING KNUCKLE (BOTH LEFT/RIGHT SIDES), WHICH COULD RESULT IN CUTTING OF THE BOOT THAT IS INTENDED TO SEAL THE BALL JOINT. IF THE LOWER BALL JOINT BOOT WERE CUT, CONTAMINATION FROM THE ROAD (SALT, DIRT, WATER, ETC.) COULD ENTER THE BALL SOCKET AREA OF THE BALL JOINT CAUSING THE JOINT TO WEAR OUT TOO QUICKLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE STEERING KNUCKLE COULD SEPARATE FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, DROPPING DOWN THE AFFECTED CORNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE COIL SPRING WOULD PUSH THE CONTROL ARM DOWN INTO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, CREATING A DRAG THAT WOULD SLOW THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER COULD HAVE DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE AFFECTED WHEEL ASSEMBLY COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE IF FORCES RESULTING FROM THE WHEEL'S DRAGGING ACTION WERE SUFFICIENT TO FRACTURE THE TIE ROD END AND UPPER BALL JOINT CONNECTIONS. SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WOULD ALSO SEVER THAT WHEEL'S HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSE, RESULTING IN LOST BRAKING PERFORMANCE FROM THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD INCREASE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING KNUCKLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON APRIL 8, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.