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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.

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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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

5 reports
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93,000 miles · Oct 1, 2003
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingSeat Belts

INTERMITTENTLY REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING DRIVER'S VIEW. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOTOR …

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INTERMITTENTLY REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING DRIVER'S VIEW. THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT MOTOR FAILED. THE HATCH FAILED. THE REAR CAPTAIN CHAIRS SEAT BELTS BROKE. *AK *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10038013

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCLERATED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ACCLERATOR WHICH GOT STUCK. DRIVER COULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN VEHICLE. TRIED APPLY BRAKES, BUT BRAKES BURNED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, HAD TO PLACE VEHICLE IN PARK POSITION TO STOP IT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #866396

Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlFire

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 WHEN ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND IT WAS HARD TO PREVENT VEHICLE FROM SPEEDING UP AND TO TRYING TO KEEP CONTROL, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER FINALLY SHIFTED GEAR INTO PARK, WHICH THEN STOPPED VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME, AND NOTICED BRAKES HAD CAUGHT ON FIR…

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CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 WHEN ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND IT WAS HARD TO PREVENT VEHICLE FROM SPEEDING UP AND TO TRYING TO KEEP CONTROL, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER FINALLY SHIFTED GEAR INTO PARK, WHICH THEN STOPPED VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME, AND NOTICED BRAKES HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #866120

Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentService Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES FAILED CAUSING NOISE. MJS

NHTSA ODI #546548

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 1997
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND MAKING A STOP, VEHICLE WILL ROLL FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN CHANGING FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #810715

Official recalls

4

03V159000 · 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

1

EA02006 · 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.