Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 GMC Safari, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Visibility29
- Power train21
- Engine and engine cooling18
- Service brakes, hydraulic17
- Steering14
- Fuel system, gasoline12
- Electrical system11
- Vehicle speed control9
- Seat belts8
- Structure8
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 11 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1997 Safari vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 GMC Safari failed the safety check 0.98% of the time — 39% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 170,395 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 14.0–15.3 L/100 km (about 15–17 mpg US), CO₂ 322–352 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safari Cargo · Van: Cargo · Regular gasoline | 16.0 | 11.7 | 14.0 |
| Safari AWD Cargo · Van: Cargo · Regular gasoline | 16.3 | 12.2 | 14.5 |
| Safari Passenger · Van: Passenger · Regular gasoline | 16.5 | 12.2 | 14.6 |
| Safari AWD Passenger · Van: Passenger · Regular gasoline | 17.0 | 13.3 | 15.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
5 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 GMC Safari.
| 2003064 17 Mar 2003 | Other Certain vehicles (not involved in recall 98-150), may experience a windshield wiper failure due to cracked solder joints on the controller circuit board. If th… |
| 2001097 17 Apr 2001 | Lights And Instruments Certain vehicles fail to comply with requirements of CMVSS No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The "fasten safety-belt" audible warning occasionally may not c… |
| 1998040 18 Mar 1998 | Emissions Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 1103 - Exhaust Emissions. Vehicles may been built with the ignition coil wire too close to metal brackets or the trans… |
| 1997077 14 Apr 1997 | Seats And Restraints NOTE: VEHICLES WITH SEVEN PASSENGER SEATING. DYNAMIC TESTING INDICATES THAT THE RIGHT-HAND REAR BUCKET SEAT OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING COULD SEPARATE DURING … |
| 1997004 14 Jan 1997 | Emissions NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.3 LITRE ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1101 - EMISSIONS. VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT EMISSION … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
THE OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT WEBBING ON THE RIGHT-HAND REAR BUCKET SEAT CAN SEPARATE DURING A VEHICLE CRASH.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What GMC told its dealers about the 1997 GMC Safari: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634999 | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
| 634576 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE RIGHT REAR DOOR HANDLE ON THE CARGO DOOR BREAKS. *TT |
| 628070 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN EXHAUST NOISE, RATTLE NOISE AT 550 RPM. *TT |
| 623540 | INFORMATION REGARDING FASTEN SEAT BELT WARNING AUDIBLE SIGNAL PARTS AVAILABILITY. *SLC |
| 623397 | CAMPAIGN PARTS BULLETIN REGARDING FASTEN SEAT BELT WARNING AUDIBLE SIGNAL. *TT |
| 620862 | SUBJECT REGARDING FASTEN SEAT BELT WARNING AUDIBLE SIGNAL - PARTS INFORMATION UPDATE. *TT |
| 620840 | SUBJECT REGARDING CAMPAIGN 01036 - FASTEN SEAT BELT WARNING AUDIBLE SIGNAL - PARTS INFORMATION UPDATE. *TT |
| 618269 | THIS MESSAGE CONCERNS 1996 THROUGH 2000 M & L VANS, CHEVROLET ASTRO AND GMC SAFARI THAT MAY EXHIBIT A LACK OF HEAT AT THE DRIVER'S SEAT. *TT |
| 602342 | SPECIAL POLICY FOR SAFETY BELT GUIDE COVER. *YC |
| 52601 | ENGINE NOISE (INSTALL VALVE STEM OIL SEAL). *TW |
| 52600 | CLN INDICATOR APPEARS ON RADIO DISPLAY AND DOES NOT TURN OFF (RESET CLN INDICATOR WITH THE EJECT BUTTON ON TAPE). *TW |
| 10248444 | Vehicle Recalls |
| 10246631 | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
| 10232287 | This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy. |
| 10208027 | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update. |
| 10171318 | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update. |
| 10170494 | This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock. |
| 10168979 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. E version update is to add administrative details. |
| 10166638 | This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy. |
| 10165876 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable. |
| 10157018 | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update. |
| 10154641 | This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy. |
| 10141381 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code. |
| 10139019 | This preliminary informational bulletin provides information on High Oil Pressure on Startup After Engine Replacement Concern. |
| 10138060 | This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy transportation policy. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation