1996 GMC Safari

WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY CONSUMER HEARD LOUD CRACKING NOISE. THEN, FRONT OF VEHICLE HIT THE GROUND. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TORSION BAR HAD BROKEN, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. PARTS WERE ORDERED, BUT WERE INCORRECTLY DESIGNED FOR THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE. BOTH SIDES HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE DESIGN HAS CHANGED. MAMUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. BUT, REFUSED TO REPAIR VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY OR CUSTOMER'S SATISFACTION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BOTH TORSION BARS BROKE AT 60 MPH CAUSING FRONT OF VEHICLE TO DROP ON TIRES.VEHICLE SKIDDED TO A STOP WITH NO STEERING.HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER.SERVICE TECH.SAID THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.CALLED GMC AND THEY AGREED WITH DEALER.I ASK DEALER FOR THE BROKEN TORSION BARS AND HAD THEM ANYLIZED BY A METAL LAB TECH.HIS OPINION WAS THAT THE BARS HAD STRESS CRACKS FROM THE METAL BEING DEFECTIVE.IF THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AFTER ONLY 5 YEARS GM HAS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD DRIVING ON YOUR HIGHWAYS DAILY.HOW MANY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS,INJURIES OR DEATHS ARE REQUIRED BEFORE AN INVESTIGATION IS STARTED.

THIS PART FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. I WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT BOTH TORSION BARS MUST BE REPLACED PER THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THE TORSION BAR DESIGN HAS BEEN CHANGED SINCE THIS VEHCILE WAS MANUFACTURED. IT WAS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE ORIGINAL 2 PIECE DESIGN RUSTED PREMATURELY AT THE POINT WHERE BOTH COMPONENTS MEET. THE AREA IN QUESTION WAS SUBJECT TO MOISTURE AND SALT ACCUMULATION AND WAS NOT READILY DETECTABLE UNTIL THE UNTIRE SUSPENSION COMPONENT FAILED. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR IS CLOSE TO $1,000.00. GMC CLAIMS THAT THERE ARE NO RECALL CAMPAIGNS FOR THIS COMPONENT. AFTER SOME LOCAL RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FAIRLY COMMON. MOST TECHNICIANS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH AGREE THAT THIS PART IS NOT A WEAR ITEM AND IF PROPERLY DESINGED SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD CONSIDER RECALLING THESE COMPONENTS ON ALL GMC SAFARI AND CHEVROLET ASTRO VANS. *AK

FRONT END TORSION BAR FELL OF VEHICLE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER FOUND THAT DEALERS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO GREASE THE CUP THAT THE TORSION BAR KNUCKLE GOES INTO, THIS WOULD STOP THE BUILD UP OF ROAD GRIME AND HELP STOP RUST FROM FORMING ON THE KNUCKLE, CONSUMER IS ANGRY THAT HE WAS NEVER TOLD THIS, HE DOES ALL HIS MAINTENANCE AT HIS RESIDENCE, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *SLC

AFTER RETURNING HOME WE HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE GARAGE. WE WENT OUT AND THE VAN WAS HEADING DOWNWARDS IN THE FRONT. WE THOUGHT MAYBE A TIRE BLEW. THE DRIVER'S SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, WE REALIZE HOW MANY SAFARIS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. LUCKILY WE THE FOUR OF US (2 KIDS, AGES 3&6) WERE NOT IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS BLEW AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL.*AK

WHILE TURNING OR BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE OR MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT BOTH FRONT TIE ROD ENDS WERE LOOSE AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE ALIGNED PROPERLY WHICH WAS CAUSING ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT, CONSUMER HAD THE PARTS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE WAS REALIGNED, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT IDLER ARMS WERE NOT BUIILT STRONG ENOUGH. *JB