IllustrationSTEERING COLUMN FAILED WHILE TURNING LEFT. DEALER STATED STEERING PUMP BROKE. AS A RESULT OF STEERING FAILURE THE POWER BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK *MR
1997 GMC Safari
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Safari years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 19 of 135 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 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports
Steering complaints
14 reportsA/C/HEATING: REAR HEAT WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REWIRED ENGINE: THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE IT, THAT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BUT STILL HAS A FRONT OIL LEAK SOME WHERE IN THE FRONT. OTHER: I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY LOOKED IT OVE…
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A/C/HEATING: REAR HEAT WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REWIRED ENGINE: THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE IT, THAT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. BUT STILL HAS A FRONT OIL LEAK SOME WHERE IN THE FRONT. OTHER: I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY LOOKED IT OVER AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. SHORTLY AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT THE TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT SO WE HAD A USED ONE PUT IN AND IT ONLY LASTED FOUR MONTHS NOW IT SITS IN THE GARAGE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING TO DO ABOUT THE TRANSFER CASE THEY SHOULD LAST LONGER. BRAKES: BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE ABS BRAKES SINCE WE BOUGHT IT TOOK IT IN TO A DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. I ENDED UP DOING THE BRAKES AND FOUND THEY HAD CRACKED PADS CAUSING THE NOISE IN THE BRAKES. FOUND OUT THAT ALL WHEEL DRIVE IS NOT WHAT IT IS MADE OUT TO BE, I HAVE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS 1997 GMC SAFARI ALL WHEEL DRIVE VAN.
THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*JB
GM CHAS A FAILURE IN THE SAFARI AND THEY DON'T CARE, IT'S A LEMON!! NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED.*AK
IDLER ARMS THAT POSITION STEERING TIE ROD WERE EXTREMELY LOOSE. THIS ALLOWED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES RAPIDLY. ALSO RESULTED IN VIOLENT SIDE-TO-SIDE SHIMMY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES OR WHEN DRIVING ON GROOVED HIGHWAY SURFACES.CLOSE INSPECTION OF IDLER ARMS REVEALED THAT BUSHINGS WERE EXTREMELY WORN. IDLER ARMS…
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IDLER ARMS THAT POSITION STEERING TIE ROD WERE EXTREMELY LOOSE. THIS ALLOWED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES RAPIDLY. ALSO RESULTED IN VIOLENT SIDE-TO-SIDE SHIMMY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES OR WHEN DRIVING ON GROOVED HIGHWAY SURFACES.CLOSE INSPECTION OF IDLER ARMS REVEALED THAT BUSHINGS WERE EXTREMELY WORN. IDLER ARMS (GM PART NUMBER 26018165) HAD BEEN REGULARLY LUBRICATED, YET APPEARED DRY AND DIRTY AROUND BUSHING. REPLACEMENT PART PROCURED FROM GM DEALER (PART NUMBER 12471302) WAS A DIFFERENT DESIGN, WITH GREASE FITTING ON SIDE OF ARM, WITH AN EXTENDED BUSHING SURFACE. THIS TYPE OF PART SHOULD NORMALLY LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE IF PROPERLY MAINTAINED. MY FAILURE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES. DEALER STATES THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED, YET NO RECALL OR OWNER NOTIFICATION OF PROBLEM, DESPITE OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD INHERENT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL.
CONSUMER CAN'T TURN STEERING WHEEL IF BRAKE IS FULLY APPLIED. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING, ESECIALLY TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK, GOING INTO REVERSE. CONSUMER TEST DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT DID THE SAME THING. DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE & NOTHING WAS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CONSUMER WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE M…
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CONSUMER CAN'T TURN STEERING WHEEL IF BRAKE IS FULLY APPLIED. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING, ESECIALLY TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK, GOING INTO REVERSE. CONSUMER TEST DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT DID THE SAME THING. DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE & NOTHING WAS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. CONSUMER WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
THE BRAKE RESERVOIR HAD A HOLE IN IT CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE, VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG BROKE DRIVERS HAND. NLM
A NEW VEHICHLE SHOULD NEVER HAVE THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. GMC COULD CARE LESS ABOUT MY PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THEM. EACH TIME COST OVER $1,000 DOLLARS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
MY FUEL GUAGE SHOWS FULL REGARDLESS HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE TANK, REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE THIS IS THIRD GMC WITH THIS PROBLEM, SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY,
NO BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING. IS SUCH CATASTROPHIC FAILURE COMMON AT 40.832 MILES? *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.