15 of the 142 complaints about the 1994 GMC Safari are about the suspension — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 148,100 miles.
15
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
DRIVING A 1994 GMC SAFARI AWD AND AT A STOP HAD THE 41" TORSION BAR SNAPPED. SEARCHED FOR REPLACEMENT FROM SALVAGE YARDS BUT THEY HAVE STOPPED SELLING THEM DUE TO LIABILITY REASONS, NEED TO INSTALL ADJUSTMENT EQUIPMENT SOLD BY GM WITH A COST OF $800.
NHTSA complaint #10132987 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
THE VAN WAS GOING DOWN THE I25 NORTH OF DENVER WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TORSION BAR SNAPPED. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY RACE CARS AND BRINING THE VAN TO A STOP WAS THE HARDEST I HAVE EVER DONE. BY DRIVING SKILLS, LUCK AND THE GOOD LORD I AM HERE TODAY TO WRITE THIS COMPLAINT. DOES GENERAL MOTORS NEED TO WAIT FOR A FAMILY TO DIE BEFORE THEY WILL STEP UP TO THE PLATE. I DID NOT KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM UNTIL I WENT TO GET PARTS AND THAT IS WHEN I FIND THAT GM KNOWS THEY HAVE DEFECTIVE TORSION BARS AND SUPERSEDES THE PART NUMBERS TO SHORTER (FROM 40" TO 36" BARS) THESE BARS ARE REDESIGNED AND MUST BE REPLACED IN PAIRS. I HAVE THE VAN TORN DOWN NOW WITH THE FAILED PART AND IT UPSETS ME ENOUGH THAT I AM GOING TO LET THE VAN SIT UNTIL GENERAL MOTORS DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. NOTE THAT THE GMC SAFARI AWD VANS AND THE CHEVROLET ASTRO AWD VANS ARE THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10093339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
CATASRTOPHIC FRONT SUSPENSION FAILURE OF THE LEFT TORSION BAR ON A 1994 GMC SAFARI AWD VAN. APPARENTLY, THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM MUST NOW BE REPLACED DUE TO "SUPERSEDED PARTS" FROM GM. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10018999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #764361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8013626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
WHILE DRIVING RIGHT FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE, AND RIGHT FRONT END DROPPED. DEALER CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #8013408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
DRIVER'S SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE IN GARAGE.
NHTSA complaint #753388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
WAS PULLING OUT OF PARKING SLOT WHEN FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DROP ON THE WHEEL AND LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. PROBLEM SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION.
NHTSA complaint #894346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
DEAR REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING. ON 03/10/01, I NOTICED THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE PERTAINING CAR SAGGING, CAR ALMOST TOUCHING THE TIRE. MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM, AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT LEFT TORSION BAR WAS BROKEN. UPON ORDERING A NEW ONE, HE WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THIS IS A 1994 SAFARI, WE HAVE TO BUY NEW TORSION BARS AND ARMS FOR BOTH SIDE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION. REASON BEING THAT GMC HAD SINCE THEN RE-DESIGNED THIS TORSION BAR SYSTEM. IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAD TO PURCHASE THE ENTIRE FRONT TORSION BAR SYSTEM, BECAUSE OF IT BEING RE-DESIGNED , ALTHOUGH ONLY THE FRONT LEFT BAR WAS BROKEN. WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PAYING FOR WERE THE PROBLEM LIES, BUT I QUESTION THE FACT THAT GMC RE-DESIGNED THIS PIECE, AS WELL AS THAT IT IS OUR COST. WHAT REASON COULD THERE BE FOR RE-DESIGNING SUCH A PIECE. COSMETICS? DOUBTFULL! OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS SOME SORT OF MISTAKE WITH THE OLD DESIGN. SHOULD THE CUSTOMER THEREFOR PAY FOR THIS. WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH GMC ABOUT THIS, BUT GET AS MUCH AS A PHONE MESSAGE BACK, STATING THAT THE CAR IS BEYOND IT'S STANDARD 36,000MLS-3 YRS. WARRANTEE. I FEEL HOWEVER THAT THIS HAS NO RELEVANCE TO THE ISSUE. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I'M BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO YOUR ATTENTION. WE HOPE THAT YOU COULD SHED SOME MORE LIGHT ON THIS, AND WE DO FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE RE-IMBURSED FOR COSTS OTHER THAN THE BROKEN TORSION BAR. HERE IS SOME CONTACT INFO FOR YOU TO WORK WITH: OUR MECHANIC, DEWEY'S TIRE & AUTO REPAIR LLC, 603-356-5703; PONTIAC & GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE, PO BOX 33172, DETROIT MICH., 48232-5172, REFERENCE # C-03448370. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL ME FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION THAT I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. A. VAN COESANT.
NHTSA complaint #743393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
FRONT LEFT TORSION BAR BROKE IN DRIVEWAY. DEALER HAD UPDATE KIT FOR BOTH SIDES. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING.
NHTSA complaint #726751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
WHILE SAFARI WAS PARKED TORSION BAR BROKE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. SAFARI WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. BOTH TORSION BARS BROKE BECAUSE THE PARTS HAVE BEEN RE-ENGINEERED. GMC OBVIOUSLY KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SAFARI'S. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #866585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN I PASSED A SLIGHT DIP IN THE ROAD AND THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BANG RESEMBLING AN EXPLOSION AND THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SLAMMED TO THE GROUND. THE DRIVERS SIDE TORSION BAR SNAPPED! IT WAS VERY FORTUNATE THE TIMING OF THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN IT DID, AS WE HAD JUST LEFT THE MASS TURNPIKE AND WERE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND THE LIVES OF OTHER PERSONS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL THE TORTION BAR IS MADE OF, AND I FEAR THE OTHER SIDE MAY BE DEFECTIVE AS WELL.
NHTSA complaint #723559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
WHILE DRIVING FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE, CAUSING FRONT END TO DROP. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #863310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR
TORSION BAR BROKE. THE DEALER IS REPAIRING VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #841006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT
DRIVER'S SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE AT THE REAR PORTION OF THE BAR. SUSPECT THE BAR HAD BEEN CRACKED FOR SOME TIME BECAUSE IT WAS RUSTED INSIDE THE CRACK. BOTH TORTION BARS WERE REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT STYLE TORTION BAR THE DIDN'T HAVE A COLLAR AT THE REAR TORTION BAR MOUNT. THIS COLLAR CAUSED DEBRIS AND MOISTER TO COLLECT AT THE REAR OF THE TORTION BAR, WHICH LED TO GOOD CONDITIONS FOR RUST TO DEVELOP. IF THE REPLACEMENT TORTION BAR NO LONGER HAS THE COLLAR, THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES THE COLLAR WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #710965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.