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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 →

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

What owners actually said

135 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2000
Tires

PE20020, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A P215, DOTA3XF CDI 358 GMC, SAFARI 1997, FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE GENERAL AMERITECH ST TIRE TREAD CAME OFF JUST LIKE THE FIRESTONE RECALL, TEN DAYS AGO FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, YESTERDAY THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TREAD SEPARATED.*AK MINOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE'S FENDER WA SUSTAINED DUE…

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PE20020, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A P215, DOTA3XF CDI 358 GMC, SAFARI 1997, FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE GENERAL AMERITECH ST TIRE TREAD CAME OFF JUST LIKE THE FIRESTONE RECALL, TEN DAYS AGO FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, YESTERDAY THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TREAD SEPARATED.*AK MINOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE'S FENDER WA SUSTAINED DUE TO ONE OF THE TIRE FAILURES. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #868918

Mileage unknown · Aug 15, 2000
Power Train

TRANSMISSION JERKS BETWEEN FIRST/ SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. WITH NO PRIOR WARNING ENGINE WILL STARTED UP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #867866

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2000
Visibility

UNDERSTAND GMC IS AWARE OF MOTOR/CIRCUIT CONTROL WINDSHIED FAILURE(WHAT CAUSES WIPERS NOT TO WORK) BECAUSE AT THE DEALER THEY SAID GMC HAD ISSUE A REPLACEMENT KIT BUT SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON IT I HAD TO PAY AROUND $300 FOR IT. I THINK GMC SHOULD GO AHEAD A PAY FOR IT SINCE THEY KNOW IS A PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #726514

Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

OIL CIRCULATION TUBE (PART # 15996928) HAS RUPTURED, CAUSING OIL TO SPILL ALL OVER ENGINE. *AK THIS FAILURE ALSO RESULTED IN ENGINE DAMAGE THAT COULD NOT BE FIXED THEREFORE THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ODI #866122

Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2000
Electrical System

HORN WORKS ERRATICALLY. SPECIFICALLY, IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL AT HIGHER HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA ODI #9000523

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2000
Air Bags

DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SENSOR AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, WHICH MAY DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY OR WON'T DEPLOY IN EVENT OF A CRASH AND WON'T PROTECT OCCUPANT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #865562

Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2000
Electrical System

BATTERY THAT CAME WITH THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING ACID FROM THE POSTIVE POWER POST WHICH IS MELTING PAINT FROM THE INNER FENDER, AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING LINES UNDERNEATH BATTERY. VEHICLE REPAIRED AT OWNER'S COST, GM TO REIMBURSE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #865184

Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WILL STOP/IT COMPLETELY DIES INTERMITTENLY WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER CLAIMS CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEFECT.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #864997

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2000
Fuel System, Other

GAS GAUGE FAILS TO REGISTER THE CORRECT AMOUN TOF FUEL IN FUEL TANK WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE STOPS WHEN FUEL GAUGE STILL REGISTERS FUEL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #864341

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2000
Power Train

TRANSMISSION OVER-PRESSURIZED AND FORCED FLUID OUT OF THE DIP STICK TUBE ONTO THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST CAUSING A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE AND CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. AFTER REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION AT MY EXPENSE THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURED 4 MORE TIMES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY ACCOMODATING AT TRYING TO REMEDY THIS ONGOING PROBL…

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TRANSMISSION OVER-PRESSURIZED AND FORCED FLUID OUT OF THE DIP STICK TUBE ONTO THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST CAUSING A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE AND CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. AFTER REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION AT MY EXPENSE THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURED 4 MORE TIMES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY ACCOMODATING AT TRYING TO REMEDY THIS ONGOING PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CURE IT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #723305

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.