2003 GMC Safari Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Safari years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 9th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 GMC Safari. That ranks 9th out of 11 Safari model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (5 complaints, 28%), typically at around 50,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 18owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 28% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 11% | 19,530 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 11% | 21,250 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 11% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 6% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 6% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 6% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 GMC Safari recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Certain minivans have an interference condition between the lower ball joint rubber boot and the steering knuckle (both left/right sides), which could result in cutting of the boot that is intended to seal the ball joint. If the lower ball joint boot were cut, contamination from the road (salt, dirt, water, etc.) could enter the ball socket area of the ball joint causing the joint to wear out too quickly.
Risk: The steering knuckle could separate from the lower control arm, dropping down the affected corner of the vehicle. The coil spring would push the control arm down into contact with the ground, creating a drag that would slow the vehicle. The driver could have difficulty in maintaining the directional control of the vehicle. In addition, the affected wheel assembly could separate from the vehicle if forces resulting from the wheel's dragging action were sufficient to fracture the tie rod end and upper ball joint connections. Separation of the wheel assembly would also sever that wheel's hydraulic brake hose, resulting in lost braking performance from the front brake system. Vehicle stopping distance would increase, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the steering knuckles. Owner notification is expected to begin on april 8, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The brake lines in front are rusted out and leaking creating a serious problem, as the brakes are not working. I see this is a re-occurring problem with gmc vehicles. The cost to repair is astronomical. Why isn't gmc recalling these vehicles?
. I would like to report the incident i had with my automobile: gmc safari wagon 2003. One day in july this year (2014) i applied the brakes of the above vehicle when i was approaching the red traffic light. The vehicle did not stop even through the brake system was recently worked on. I…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 gmc safari. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, he crashed head-on into another vehicle and the air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. There were no injuries reported. A police report was not filed. The failure and current mileage was 126,000.
Our 2003 gmc safari has had the brakes spontaneously fail while we were driving it at least six times (every couple of months or so) for the past year. Each time, the pedal just dropped to the floor, the "brake" light came on, and we have had to practically stand on the brake pedal to get it to…
Purchased booster seats for our grandchildren. A certified inspector showed us that all four rear seat belts do not lock when pulled quickly indicating that the seatbelts would not restrain the child in an accident (or an adult either). Took the vehicle back to the dealer. Dealer claims the…
Other GMC Safari years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Safari | 4 | 0 |
| 2004 Safari | 5 | 0 |
| 2003 | 18 | 1 |
| 2002 Safari | 25 | 1 |
| 2001 Safari | 39 | 1 |
| 2000 Safari | 68 | 0 |
| 1999 Safari | 61 | 1 |
| 1998 Safari | 89 | 3 |
| 1997 Safari | 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 2003 GMC Safari?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling, power train problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 GMC Safari?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.