1996 GMC Safari

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A BOOMING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT PASSENGER SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TORSION BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

ON AUGUST 13TH, 2003, I BACKED THE VAN OUT OF THE GARAGE, WHICH HAS AN ABOUT 2 INCH DROP. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, I COULD FEEL THE TIRE SCRAPING. BY THE TIME I GOT OUT OF THE CAR,THE DRIVERS' SIDE WAS ALMOST ON THE GROUND. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST GARAGE, WHERE WE HAVE MOST OF OUR WORK DONE.I THOUGHT IT WAS THE STRUT, BUT IT WAS THE TORSION BAR. WE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH TORSION BARS. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT BARS WERE DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINALS. I CHECKED AROUND AND WAS TOLD, THAT BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE PRICES WERE ABOUT THE SAME. I WROTE TO GMC, AND TOLD THEM THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TORSION BARS, OTHERWISE THE REPLACEMENTS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. ON THE 4TH OF SEPT. WE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THEM. THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL 01036, BUT OUR VEHICLE IS TOO OLD , SO THEY ARE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE. WHERE CAN I FIND OUT WHEN THIS RECALL WAS, SINCE WE'VE OWNED THE SAFARI SINCE 1999, AND NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.IN THE FIVE YEARS WE'VE HAD THIS VAN, WE HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $3000.00 ON REPAIRS, NOT COUNTING REGULAR MAINTENANCE.

LEFT SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED WHEN DRIVING. THE REPAIR SHOP CHANGED BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE TORSION BARS AND ARMS EVEN THOUGH THE RIGHT SIDE WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL. GM'S PARTS DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DESIGN PROBLEM AND THUS I HAD TO CHANGE BOTH SIDES. THIS HAS APPARENTLY BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHER SAME MODEL CARS AS WELL. I FEEL THAT IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN THEY SHOULD RECALL ALL CARS BECAUSE IT POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT OPERATE - RECALLED - DEALER CLAIMS IT WAS REPAIRED, NOW WIPERS OPERATE WHENEVER IT FEELS LIKE IT. BOTH TORSION RODS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WITHIN 1 DAY APART OF EACH OTHER. MECHANIC REVEALED THAT GM NOW HAS A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE TO BE DONE WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND IT COSTS AN EXTRA $90 TO REPAIR. WHICH MEANS THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WILL NOT RECALL THE VEHICLES AND REPLACE AT THEIR COST. BROKEN SPARK PLUG ALMOST KILLED MY FAMILY. FUEL PUMP WENT OUT. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT ROLL DOWN, DRIVER'S SIDE VIEW MIRROR DOES NOT OPERATE.

SINCE THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR, WE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM W/ABS BRAKES. WHEN YOU WOULD SLOW DOWN & GET TO ABOUT 20 MPH, THE VAN WOULD START TO LOCK UP RENDERING THE VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL & UNABLE TO STOP. WE TOOK IT TO OUR USUAL MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE SENSOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WAS BAD & REPLACED IT. THAT LASTED ABOUT 6 MONTHS & WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM REOCCUR. AGAIN, OUR MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT (PULLING HIS HAIR OUT MIND YOU) & DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS UNEQUAL VOLTAGE, SO HE REPLACED BOTH SENSORS. NOW AGAIN WE STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. AS OF TODAY, THE ABS LIGHT IS ON & THE SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING. WE ARE NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS STOPPING NOW. ANYWAY, I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH & NOTICED THAT A GOOD NUMBER OF GM VEHICLES HAVE HAD ABS RECALLS, 1 STORY I READ WAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I REQUESTED SEVERAL THINGS FROM GM. 1) DIRECTION TO GO NOW; 2) REIMBURSEMENT FOR THESE EXPENSES(APPROX $800); 3) ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED THE RIGHT WAY & 4)A RECALL BE PLACED ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE ALSO. IF THERE WAS A RECALL PLACED ON IT, WE DID NOT RECEIVE IT IN THE MAIL. UNFORTUNATELEY, I WAS SENT A REPLY BASICALLY SAYING THAT THE 1996 MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. IF I FEEL THERE'S A FAILURE, THEN I SHOULD VISIT A LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT (AT MY OWN EXPENSE PROBABLY). THERE'S AN OBVIOUS TRACK RECORD WITH THIS ABS SYSTEM, HOWEVER IT DOESNT SEEM LIKE THEY WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR IT.

WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE, CAUSING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TORSION BAR TO BREAK. *AK WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VAN HAD DROPPED DOWN ON THE LEFT TIRE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP SUDDENLY. THE TIRE RUBBED ON THE FENDER AND CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO STEER HARD, THEN THE TORSION BAR SNAPPED. *SCC *JB

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