IllustrationWHEN DRIVING THE CAR IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. *AK
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.
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: 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
What owners actually said
139 reportsUPON MAKING A STOP THE FRONT BRAKES GRAB, RESULTING IN A LOUD GRINDING SOUND, CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS WERE CLEANED. *AK
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES. HE STATES THAT IN WET WHEATHER THE REAR ABS BRAKES LOCK UP AND DO NOT RELEASE.OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *AK
BRAKE NOISE.
WHILE DRIVING LOW TO HIGH SPEEDS EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FRONT SUSPENSION FAILURES, VEHICLE WANDERS ALL OVER ROAD, RIGHT TO LEFT, DLR'S REPLACED STEERING GEAR BOX, TIRES AND REALIGNED VEHICLE SIX TIMES, DLR CAN'T CORRECT, PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND MAKING A STOP, VEHICLE WILL ROLL FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN CHANGING FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT THE SLIDING DOOR ON HER VEHICLE WILL NOT OPEN AND THAT SHE IS CONCERNED THAT IF SHE WAS TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT IT WILL NOT OPEN. DEALERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO THIS PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION TRAVELING 40-45 MPH AND THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK
BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING A POPPING NOISE FROM LEFT FRONT WHEEL AREA.
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, SHE STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND COMING OUT OF DRIVEWAY BRAKES DID NOT WORK, SHE ALSO NOTES THAT HER BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *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.