1997 GMC Safari Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Safari years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 135 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 GMC Safari. That ranks 3rd out of 11 Safari model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility (29 complaints, 21%), typically at around 149,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 2 fires, 11 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 135owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 GMC Safari problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 29 | 21% | 149,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 16% | 98,568 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 18 | 13% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 13% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 14 | 10% | 91,272 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | 9% | 54,100 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 8% | 32,804 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 7% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 4% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 5 | 4% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 4% | 27,860 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | 85,483 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 GMC Safari recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer
Problem: 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.
Risk: If this were to occur during bad weather, driver visibility would be reduced, which could result in a crash.
Fix: 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.
Seat belts:front:warning light/devices
Problem: 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.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: 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.
Child seat
Problem: 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.
Risk: These conditions could increase the occupant's risk of injury in the event of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the seat belts on the child seats, and if necessary, replace the child seat.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: The outboard safety belt webbing on the right-hand rear bucket seat can separate during a vehicle crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the vehicle occupant would not be properly restrained and personal injury could result.
Fix: Dealers will install a protector on the rear seat cushion frame.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Windshield wiper failure (EA02006) — opened May 31, 2002, closed Jul 23, 2003, led to recall 03V159000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
This van belongs to my mother. My sister was driving the day of the accident. She is 60 yrs of age and a very good driver. Her description: "just pulling away from one light & coming up to another. Wasn't going more than 20 mph. Step on the brakes & they weren't there." the accident caused about…
1997 gmc safari brake failed completely no rear no front suspect it was the anti lock control under the drivers seat . No leaks visible. *tr
Windshield wiper module failure, approximately in early 2006 on 1000k trip. Parts purchased module n12463 part number 12463090 from dealer in edmonton at cost of $64.87 including gst.. Returned home 1000k as dealer too busy too fix, and paid $36.00 labor to have installed. Total cost for module and…
Fuel leak in safari supplied fuel line that goes to the generator. *nm
1997 gmc safari van vehicle doors would not close properly. *kb ***nar*** the consumer had to tie the doors with a rope to keep them closed. *jb
Other GMC Safari years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Safari | 4 | 0 |
| 2004 Safari | 5 | 0 |
| 2003 Safari | 18 | 1 |
| 2002 Safari | 25 | 1 |
| 2001 Safari | 39 | 1 |
| 2000 Safari | 68 | 0 |
| 1999 Safari | 61 | 1 |
| 1998 Safari | 89 | 3 |
| 1997 | 135 | 4 |
| 1996 Safari | 139 | 4 |
| 1995 Safari | 195 | 3 |
See all GMC Safari problems by year, every GMC model, or the GMC VIN decoder.
Similar GMC models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 GMC Safari?
Owners most often report visibility, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 GMC Safari?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 GMC Safari a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Safari model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.